How to Prepare Your Property for Spring Storms

The arrival of spring in the Pacific Northwest is the best time to get outside and enjoy nature, as it’s not too hot or too cold. However, the changing of the seasons also brings atmospheric instability, which occurs because cold air collides with warm air, and more moisture is present because of rising humidity levels. These factors can lead to the quick formation of intense rain showers and thunderstorms.

To prepare for these spring storms, ensure your property has quality drainage solutions. Otherwise, you may notice water pooling in the yard after heavy rain or flooding. For quality backyard flooding solutions, contact Drainage Masters LLC for a free estimate. We are family-owned, and we’ve been in business for 28 years. We provide warrantied work and affordable solutions that we can tailor to you.

Understanding the Problem

Drainage issues often stem from a few common root causes, such as:

Landscape grading: The gradient of slopes around and on the property should direct water away from the foundation and other low points where water can pool. Landscapers and gardeners must be mindful of where water will flow, especially when the soil reaches its saturation point.
Clogs: One of the most common causes of drainage problems is blockages in the system. These blockages cause water to overflow and pool, creating soggy patches in the lawn.
System failure: Another prevalent cause for drainage issues is improperly installed drainage systems. Cracks or breaks in drains can also cause water to leak out.
Soil type and density: If soil is extremely compacted or of a type that retains water easily, like clay, it reaches its saturation point quickly. With oversaturated soil, water starts to run off, so if your property’s soil has these characteristics, you must maintain your drainage system so it can carry a large amount of water away.
Prolonged Rainfall: If a system has insufficient capacity and experiences long periods of rainfall, this is a recipe for a flooded lawn or home.

Five Ways to Stop Flooding This Spring

When spring approaches, it’s important to ensure your drainage system is up to the task. Here are five ways to prevent flooding this spring and how to fix standing water in your yard.

Implement French Drains

These types of drains are simple but incredibly effective. They are ideal for collecting and directing ground saturation and surface water away from landscape borders, foundations, lawn edges and walkways. They consist of a trench lined in fabric with a perforated pipe running along the bottom, and filled with gravel. Excess water can easily flow through the gravel into the pipe, carrying it away from your property. They also make for a fantastic landscape feature!

Consider Other Yard Drainage Options

Having multiple yard drainage options is an excellent idea, so if one system fails, the others can pick up the slack. Other drainage options include:

Retaining walls: They’re an aesthetically pleasing way to manage slope and prevent soil erosion.
Catch basins: Our patent-pending steel sediment-trapping catch basin collects water to channel it into your drains.
Swales: Shallow ditches with vegetation and stones in them that can capture runoff and slowly remove it from your property. However, keep in mind that swales are more useful for bigger and more open areas.

Improve Your Yard’s Slope

Your yard’s gradient is key to directing water away from your property. If you notice water pooling or going toward your house’s foundation, this indicates you must grade your slope. You can accomplish grading by adding soil to the area close to your foundation and tapering it toward where you want the water to drain.

Utilize Storm Drain Channels

When you grade your slope or implement any drainage solutions, they should flow toward existing storm drains on your property or, if you don’t have any, toward the nearest one. Keeping them clear and maintaining their structure will help to handle capacity of high volume spring storms.

Get a Sump Pump

A sump pump is an option when you live in an area with high precipitation. Its purpose is to pump water away from areas prone to flooding, like basements, yards and crawl spaces. It works quickly to drain standing water, prevents water damage and erosion, and can be used inside, under, and outside the home.

When to Contact an Expert

If you are wondering how to fix a flooding yard, then reach out and get it done right the first time with Drainage Masters LLC. We offer a wide range of services and discounts for veterans and senior citizens. Our services include:

Roof drainage
Commercial and multifamily Properties
Basement water intrusion
Sewer replacement
Crawlspace services, now including encapsulations
Driveways and Road runoff
Drainage for wet and soggy lawns