WE all know that water runs down hill, usually to storm drains or to creeks and ditches then on down to rivers, unless it get's trapped around your house.

Surface Drainage

Soggy lawn areas and standing water in your yard indicates a serious drainage problem which is very common. Here in the Triad our heavy compacted clay soils prevent water from filtering down through the different soil layers and when the water becomes trapped and cannot run off  it will pool or pond. The location of the pools can be right next to the foundation of your home but,  hopefully out in the yard somewhere not as close to the house.

Either way eventually the area will cause damage. Standing water can damage the foundation of your home as well as cause disease and death to your landscape plants and grasses. Not to mention that standing water is a breeding ground for mosquitoes.

The key to correcting the problem can be a difficult task. Especially in today’s climate with new home developments on flat lots. Water cannot flow downhill when the grade on the lot does not have enough fall to the street or storm drain.  And it winds up trapped around your house.

There are several solutions to correct drainage problems. Some as simple as re-grading a portion of the lawn for  positive water flow, extending the drain lines from your downspouts or simply adding a French drain system. Either way getting the water moving again and away from your home is essential to maintaining the value of your home and landscape.

Sub-Surface Drainage

 Subsurface drainage systems have many different names, including foundation drainage systems, subsoil drainage systems, sub-base drainage systems, or sub grade drainage systems, but they all do the same thing: remove water and lower the water table away from a building foundation wall or from under a slab.

Areas with excess subsurface water can be identified by wet spongy areas in your lawn or as in the photos below a playground. Also water standing on the surface, even when there has been no rain or irrigation, is an indication of a subsurface water problem.

Sub-surface water is an area underground that literally traps water in – for example - an underground bowl. These areas can be caused by several reasons and are much more difficult to correct. Intercepting and moving this water can be handled thru various drain systems as indicated by the chart on the left.

If you have or suspect that you have water issues around your yard give us a call, we will find a workable solution for you.