Drainage problems can be a major issue for homeowners. Not only can it cause standing water in your yard, but it can easily lead to leaks and foundation problems depending on where the water collects. If that wasn’t bad enough, landscaping and lawn upkeep also become a lot harder when your yard doesn’t drain well.

Thankfully there are ways to address and fix drainage issues in your yard and now is a great time to undertake a project to correct them. Working on the issue now can protect you from those “April showers” and heavy spring rains in the Pacific Northwest. The exact solution will depend on what is causing your issue so here are a few options to consider.

Grading Issues

One common cause of drainage problems is inconsistent grading. This can cause problems if your home is at the bottom of a big slope across your yard but can also be consistent and as a result has one or more low spots in the yard. Water flows along the soil wherever the grade leads to this can cause the water to collect around your home or in the low spots which will make swampy and overgrown areas.

Regrading your yard can be done with specialized tools that scrape the soil from higher areas to lower ones or by bringing in additional soil to completely change the grade. Each method has its advantages, with redistribution being favored when there are high and low areas in your yard. The addition of soil is best when you need to change an overall good grade. Once the regrading is finished, you can seed the graded area and have grass growing by the time spring arrives.

Soil Penetration

Another big problem with drainage comes when water simply can’t penetrate down into the soil in time to be absorbed. This can be especially problematic because you’ll end up with too much water in the areas where water collects but the soil in other areas may not get enough. Sometimes this is due to the composition of the soil; if it has too much clay in it, it is difficult for water to penetrate and can sometimes result in other issues such as thick thatch. Sometimes this issue can be caused in high traffic areas where the soil has been too compacted over time. No matter the cause, there are solutions.

Clay-heavy soil is the most work intensive to correct, yet simple. You need to break up the clay and add soil or sand into the mixture to make it easier to drain. Sometimes this can be as easy as a few holes in the clay-heavy area and mixing it together, especially if it is in a small area. You may need a tiller or other heavy machinery if the area is larger.

Other issues may be fixed using a de-thatcher to break up the thatch buildup or running tools over the area that poke holes into the ground to break up compacted soil. De-thatching and aerating soil are often done together as loosening the soil is good for the growing grass even if the soil isn’t overly compacted.

Fixing Your Drainage Problems

Correcting drainage issues can be a big job but your yard and foundation will thank you. If you are in need of a landscaper to help with your bigger problems, give us a call. We can connect you with a range of professionals that can solve these and various other issues with your yard to keep it looking great and functioning well. We are here to be your resource for all things real estate related for life.