As the winter approaches, it brings rain and storms with it. During this time, one of the most overlooked aspects of a home becomes vitally important: drainage solutions. As rain continues to pour and the water table in the ground rises, so does the chance of water adversely affecting your home and property. Whether it’s slow erosion or crawlspace flooding, proper drainage can help correct a multitude of serious issues.
In order to be successful in water diversion, proper drainage installation takes several factors into account: the source of the problem (whether constant or causal), the symptoms of the problem, and the options available with the landscape or area in question.
Often times, the immediate thought is to address the symptoms of water intrusion or flooding by moving the water that is pooling in an unwanted area to yet another area. However, tracking the water to the source of the problem can usually eradicate the issue altogether, if not significantly mitigate it. Some factors to consider while finding the source of the issue are understanding if the issue is causal (only during prolonged, heavy rains) or constant (every rainfall, small or large), if rain is the only source of water in the region, and the relative water table of the region. Understanding these issues and how they are affected by the nearby and immediate landscape grade, irrigation systems, gutters/downspouts, etc. allows us to come up with a solution that deals with the source of the issue.
There are multiple ways of address water issues. Some of the most common being piping out gutter downspouts, installing French drains, and installing dry creek beds. While all three have specific functionalities in the landscape, knowing what’s right for your landscape is key in removing excess water from your home.
Removing excess water from your landscape goes beyond simply wanting dry ground beneath your feet. Water can erode a landscape in large quantities, it can flood a crawlspace and promote microbial growth causing the air quality and energy efficiency of a home to plummet, it can erode underneath a concrete slab creating cracks in the foundation, and can lead to many other issues. Good drainage can help protect structural stability, energy efficiency, and longevity to your home. These are the main reasons why we at Green South believe that it is of the utmost importance to ensure your property has proper drainage.
So, if you find that you are experiencing one or more of these drainage issues, what do you do now? You do not hesitate and give us a call or contact us on our website! The Green South team would love to help find a solution that is long-lasting and cost-efficient for you and your home.
