Most of the time, when Custom Acres talks to you about water and landscaping, we’re talking about adding water: preparing the soil for something new, installing an irrigation system, etc. But today, we’re devoting a blog to the opposite: ensuring you don’t have too much water.
We’ve touched on it before, such as in our last blog on lawn maintenance, but proper drainage is just as crucial to your landscape as adequate watering. But how do you know that your property is appropriately draining, and how do you fix it if it isn’t?
Today, we will drain down on you all the information you’ll need.
Signs of Poor Drainage
First off, how do you know if your property isn’t draining property? Like everything else in landscaping, it’s complicated, works better with a professional, and comes with many caveats. However, there are a few signs that help you know if your property isn’t properly draining.
Squish – Soggy Lawns
Obvious? Maybe, but it’s worth mentioning nonetheless. If you are walking around your lawn and finding soggy spots where your foot sinks a little further than it should, that’s a good sign that that spot is not draining correctly.
Unhealthy or Dying Grass & Bare Spots
Here’s one of those caveats. Unhealthy and dying grass can signal that your property is getting too much water. But, of course, it also can be a sign of many other problems. So getting a professional to check out any issues with your grass is always best.
Compact Soil & Erosion
If you have soil washing away or parts of the ground that are very compact, this is also a bad sign. Compact soil will make it difficult for plants to grow and is often caused by water washing it away.
Unfortunately, when your soil gets eroded or compact, this can increase your overwatering woes, further exacerbating your soil compaction! It all adds up to a disaster for grass and other plants.
Flooding in the Home
In the worst-case scenario, your home is flooded with runoff from your lawn. If you have water coming into your home, don’t wait! Flooding can cause damage to your property, so get help immediately.
Causes of Poor Drainage
So you’ve spotted a drainage problem. You’re losing grass or soil, or your lawn is becoming a swampy bog. What is causing it?
There are many reasons your lawn could be draining improperly. We’ll list several here, but it’s always good to think about what has changed recently, and again, you should always get a professional consultation!
Structural or Construction Changes
If you’ve lived on your property for a while and your drainage problem has only just begun, the first question to ask yourself is, what has changed?
In most situations, when flooding is sudden, it’s because of a construction project. A new structure on the property is causing more water to accumulate in a particular spot. Maybe you’ve added a patio, and the loss of permeable ground is causing water to go elsewhere.
Sometimes it’s as simple as a new downspout added to your gutters sending the water to the wrong place. Whatever it is, changes in your property can cause changes in where your water goes, and that’s the first place to look for a cause.
Changes in Your Landscape
If you recently changed your landscape, it’s worth investigating if the new vegetation is not soaking up as much water as you had previously.
In addition, landscapes will naturally change over time. For example, we mentioned soil compaction above. But, again, that’s a natural process from property use, so after a summer of activity, you may find that your ground has become denser and your water is not fully draining.
Poor Grading
Drainage would not be a problem if your yard was well graded. Properties with steep grades can send water from one part of the yard to another.
The worst-case grading scenario is a home below the rest of the property. Water pouring into your home will cause structural damage and create mold conditions.
Feeling Drained…What Now?
We’ve spent a few hundred words telling you about water problems, which is probably enough to drain you! But, there’s no need to despair because even though we didn’t have the space to get into it in today’s blog, Custom Acres doesn’t just identify drain problems. We solve them.
If you’re wondering if you have a drainage problem, we can examine your property, answer the question, and then fix it. When we say custom solutions for all your outdoor needs, we mean it!