My Yard Floods When It Rains. What Should I Do?
Part of every homeowner’s dream is to have a beautiful yard. Some of the best ways to make a yard or garden look great is by planting flowers, plants and adding in landscaping. But have you ever experienced flooding in your yard every time it rains? Has it continued to be a hindrance in achieving a beautiful yard? But what can you do about this? How can you have a good-looking yard that doesn’t end up flooding after it rains?
Your garden or yard can easily look unappealing if you don’t add in a proper drainage system. A lot of homeowners have poor drainage in their yards, and this is often a problem. These low areas in your yard will collect water during rainfall, and your will end up with muddle puddles in your yard. What can you do about this? You will need to redirect the flow of water in your yard.
What You Can Do
There are many kinds of drainage solutions that you can install in your yard. You would only need some basic items that you can get at your local hardware store. Some of these items are a hammer, level, rake, wheelbarrow, spade, and a drill. Below are some ways you can add in some drainage into your yard, along with other solutions for flooding as well.
Add Some Mulch
If your yard is graded away from your house, you can fill it with mulch. This way, you will keep the soil and allow it to absorb rainwater and hold it whenever it rains. The area of your yard where the flooding happens will be elevated with the help of mulch because it will prevent the water from pooling in the area.
However, make sure that you are mulching at a minimum of six inches away from your home. This is in order to avoid moisture affecting the exterior of your home. Too much moisture can cause your home exterior to rot.
Add French Drains
You can also add in a French drain in one area, or around your yard. To add in a French drain, you would need to use a trench to dig in your soil. This is in order to transfer the water to other areas of your yard. This will work best in yards that only have one area of flooding.
Dry Wells
If you really have huge drainage problems in your yard, then you should consider dry wells. A dry well stores and collects in the excess water whenever it rains. This way, the dry well will just slowly release the water over your yard in a span of days. This will avoid flooding in your yard. You can also choose to divert the water to another spot out of your yard. If you are planning on installing a dry well, make sure that you put it at the lowest level of your yard.
Sump Pumps
Sump pumps are considered the most effective way to avoid flooding in your yard. However, installation is expensive. Pits are dug in your yard, and the sump pumps are installed inside the hole. When it rains, the pit will be filled with water, and the pump with then drain the water into another area.