Water management can help solve many landscape drainage issues for property owners. Issues such a pooling water, low spots that collect water or improper grading the leads water right to your foundation. The main thing is to know what solution is right for your drainage problems.

If your property is experiencing water damage to its foundations and interior, you have learned a hard lesson about the importance of proper drainage. Directing excess water away from a home’s foundation is paramount to protecting its structure.

Proper drainage not only protects your interior, it makes the home and surrounding property more livable, healthier and safer.

Hire a professional to grade the landscape around your home in order prevent water from building up around the foundation. This is the first step in creating proper drainage.  But there are a number of other ways to effectively divert water to other areas of your landscape.

Grading refers to the sculpting or leveling of land. It's intended to prepare outdoor living spaces for elements like plants, hardscaping, paths, patios, stairs, pools, sitting water issues, and more.

The more you do to control water drainage issues, the more enjoyable your outdoor space will become. The more enjoyable your outdoor space, the more time you will spend outdoors.  It really is that simple.

Marshall Landscaping helps property owners in Delaware and the surrounding area create beautifully landscaped areas that fix drainage issues. We can keep your property draining properly and utilize excess water for aesthetic rock gardens, water features and more.

Below are just a few of the water management solutions that will solve drainage problems. However, it is best to have a professional come out to assess your property to provide custom water management solutions to solve your drainage issue.

7 Water Management Solutions:

Downspout Extensions: Flexible corrugated plastic pipe attached to a downspout and buried underground to guide rain water  well away from the foundation is a perfect solution. This is the most basic and effect way of protecting your home from water damage.

Storm Sewers, Drain Boxes and Grates: Storm sewers collect stormwater runoff through a surface inlet and drain it in a closed system, often inlet to inlet, to an appropriate outlet, such as a stream or other waterway. Drains and grates also collect excess water. Water flows into the box with buried piping that directs water to run downhill.

Drainage Swales:  Swale drains are broad, shallow ditches that can be lined with grass, vegetation, or rocks. Drainages swales are engineered at the proper pitch to guide water off your property or to an area well away from the foundation.

It's a more natural way to help drain yards to prevent flooding, puddling, and erosion. They can also be a great addition to your landscape by looking like a dry stream bed. Rule of thumb in the water management business is that standing water should not last more than 24 hours.

Swales prevent standing water that can lead to mosquitos and other issues. With grass swales, turf should be kept healthy because the root system maintains the integrity of the swale. Whether you have a grass or stone swale, they should be kept free of debris so as not to impede water flow.

French Drain: A French drain involves laying perforated piping sheathed by a fabric sock in order to prevent debris from clogging the pipe. The pipe is installed in a trough fully surrounded by gravel before covering with soil and grass seed. This is an very effective and durable way to control proper drainage.

Dry Well: Basically, a dry well is a large hole filled with gravel that catches excess water and holds it while it slowly soaks into the ground. Burying a holding tank surrounded by gravel will increase the dry well capacity. This will serve to better control the draining of excess water.

Rain Garden: A rain garden in problem locations of your property could be the solution when an underground spring or creek is the issue. First, the area needs to be excavated and replaced with an engineered soil or gravel soil mix to allow water to slowly absorb. Fill the garden with water loving plants such as ferns, Hosta and colorful perennials.

Rain Barrels: Rain barrels are becoming a popular way to recycle rain water for plant irrigation. Installing a water barrel or storage well below grade to capture the runoff to use the water at a later date.

The most effective way to fix your grading and drainage problems is to hire a landscape drainage professional. A trained and experienced landscape professional knows what corrective drainage measures will work best for your specific water flow patterns. They will be able to assess the full scope of your drainage issues and create an overall design.

Have issues with sitting water or erosion on your property? Is it pooling in areas causing wash out or leaking into your home? It is easiest to determine any water management issues after a rainfall. 

If you have pooling water, or soggy spots in your landscaping that need addressed, please give us a call. One of our water management experts will find the right solution for your property. We use the most modern, effective, and proven drainage techniques to solve your drainage issues.