Drainage Problems Show Up after Spring Rains

Drainage Problems Show Up after Spring Rains

As I sit here typing this article a consistent rain falls from the sky and it has been raining for quite a while.  This is a good thing, right?  Well, it is definitely welcomed by our thirsty plants and our emerging lawns, but heavy rains also may reveal ugly drainage issues that like to hide during dry weather.  This is a topic I try to cover each spring as most homeowners have to deal with drainage issues that can lead to major problems.  Here are a few things you should look out for.

First, walk around your house and look at all of your downspouts.  If you have mature trees in your neighborhood then you should make an effort each year to clean your gutters and flush out your downspouts with a leaf blower or with pressurized water.  Sometimes it can be easier to stick the leaf blower on the bottom end of the downspout and force the leaves up and out of the top onto your roof.  Make sure that you monitor your downspouts during a rainstorm to see if water is leaking out anywhere and if there are any trouble spots that need to be addressed.  Take your time and get this figured out because we want to make sure all of that water can make its way away from your foundation.

Second, look for low spots that may hold water during and shortly after a rain.  These may be taken care of by simply filling in with topsoil and adding grass seed or sod.  More importantly you want to see if the grade of your yard will allow water to move freely out to the street or city drain system.  Again, spend some time looking out of your window to see how water moves on your property during a storm.  You should be able to identify obstacles that may prevent water from flowing away from your home.  Depending on the current slope of you yard there may be ways to physically change the grade to help alleviate water problems.

Finally, if you have taken care of some of things and you still have water sitting on your property a more professional approach may need to be taken.  Extensive drainage systems can be installed to move water away from the foundation and help improve any drainage problems.  If you need help, please give us a call.