We don’t really think much about drainage, do we? Unless something plugs up, overflows, causes a flood inside or outside – then it’s an emergency, and we scramble to find someone to take care of it for us. And, let’s face it, as emergencies go, drainage emergencies can be pretty expensive.
Drains! They are Everywhere!
Let’s break this down a bit. Your home has at least two rooms with drains, your kitchen, and your bathroom. All of those drains, at some point, have clogged or caused an overflow condition. Even the most basic bathroom has at least three drains, and they can all get plugged up or clogged. So not only can it be a problem, but a failure in drainage can cause health problems for you and your home.
If you rent, your landlord probably takes care of maintenance or repair of your drains. However, external drain systems are just as complicated and varied as indoor ones.
Now, take a look at the size of the storm drain by the curb in front of your home. The kitchen drain blockage and flood took several towels, mopping, drying the floors, counters, and cabinet fronts. Imagine the storm drain mess. Towels aren’t going to solve that!
Your city or town probably maintains local stormwater drains and ditches. These usually lead to open water (lakes, streams, ponds, rivers) or filtration stations that remove debris and filter the water before it joins the same open water.
Many people wash, blow, or hose stuff off the driveway or lawn, down to the street level, and into the storm drains or other drainage systems. That stuff combines with other people’s stuff and eventually can overload the system, causing problems for the filters, drainage, and water quality. The problem is so pervasive that many cities and towns have a system of tickets and fines if you are caught dumping anything solid into the drainage system.
Regular maintenance of the stormwater systems can help control breakdowns in the system and accounts for more than half of your community’s maintenance activity. That big ditch that’s just been excavated out by the highway? It’s probably part of the scheduled maintenance, which includes cleaning and replacing corroded, eroded, broken, and blocked storm system pipes and ditches.
How does this affect you and your landscape? Think about the mess it made in the kitchen last time the kitchen sink drain got blocked up.
And let’s add another factor.
Flooding. Florida is not noted for high mountains or other natural landscape elements that speak of high elevations. Florida is more of a sand dune, but a very scenic, tree and growth covered, alligator breeding, sunny place to live, sand dune.
Flooding is Part of the Florida Landscape!
There have been a lot of upgrades to storm drain systems all over central Florida. In addition, most new highway construction or pavement replacement and refurbishment include updating the storm drain system. And, in case you haven’t noticed, the roads and highways still flood in heavy rain.
We have flood warnings with most big rainstorms. Hurricanes cause many problems, including flooding, not just on the coastlines – high tides can also cause flooding. A toddler splashing in a kiddie pool and emptying a bucket of water onto the lawn may produce flooding.
If extensive drainage systems are having trouble with rain and run-off, how do you think the drainage in your gardens and landscape are doing?
You might have raised bedding. It has drainage. Big trees and shrubs soak up a lot of water and release it into the groundwater, which leads to the storm drain on the street. You probably have some kind of irrigation or sprinkler system for the lawn and bedding – with more drainage. It’s everywhere!
Time for an Update!
Are you ready to upgrade your drainage system? Unless you have experience in plumbing and drainage, this project might be beyond your skills, and the time it takes is probably a significant factor.
Your lawn and garden guys that come to mow, trim, and power wash your home and gardens? Custom Acres does a great job with that. In addition, they can help you create and maintain a drainage system for your yards that will not only meet local government standards it will meet and exceed your needs.
It will make it easy to change and improve your landscaping when you and your family are ready. And, since good drainage includes the control of standing water (with mosquitoes and other pests), it will increase the health and safety of the people who live there.
When you call Custom Acres, a representative specializing in landscape drainage will come to your home and take a good, long look at your sprinkler and irrigation systems, including timers and water pressure.
Once they are done, they will meet with you at your convenience to discuss what they think might benefit your lawns and gardens and what would bring the most extensive improvements. They might talk with you about the current use of herbicides and fertilizers, how the environment responds to run-off with those products, and how it can be changed to be more friendly to the local environment. They may discuss how your systems fit into the community’s rules about irrigation and run-off.
Your drainage problems will be resolved quickly. After your system has been installed or upgraded, they will maintain it as part of the regular yard care arrangement. You will have expert care that meets the local standards.
You will be adding to the health of your neighborhood and all its waterways, ponds, and lakes. Your drainage will not negatively impact any storm system drainage in your area.