Why Does My Yard Flood Every Time It Rains?

Exterior drainage systems represent one of the most effective ways to prevent standing water, protect your landscaping and avoid property damage due to excessive rain. If your yard keeps flooding every time it rains, it means that the situation requires professional attention.

Why Does My Yard Flood Every Time It Rains? 

Recurrent yard flooding causes soil erosion, dead grass, damages to your landscaping, problems with the foundation of your home, as well as inability to use your yard. In case there is nowhere to go, water will start accumulating in low places, creating a number of issues for you in the future. Finding out the reason of poor drainage at an early stage can help you to find a solution which will enhance not only the look but also functionality of your landscape.

In case your yard becomes wet after a rainfall and stays wet for a longer period of time than necessary, a professional drainage assessment will help you to find the reason and solve the problem before it turns into something really bad.

Common Causes of Yard Flooding

Each property is unique but still there are a few drainage problems causing most of the flooding issues.

Common causes are:

• Improper grading which leads water towards your home and not away from it.
• Compacted soil which makes it impossible for water to soak into the ground.
• Low areas where water can accumulate.
• Damaged or blocked drainage pipes.
• Discharge of water from downspouts too close to your house.
• Heavy clay soil with poor drainage characteristics.
• Landscaping changes which make water flow differently.

Not addressing drainage problems of your property will lead to a further development of these issues, especially when the frequency of rainfall is high. Professional contractors will assess the slope, the condition of soil, drainage system of the yard and water flow before finding the most effective solution.

Effective Exterior Drainage Solutions

It doesn’t matter which drainage solution to choose; it all depends on the cause of the flooding and not only on eliminating standing water. Choosing the right customized drainage solution will help you to protect your landscape from the negative influence of water in the future.

Common drainage solutions are:

• Installation of French drains.
• Using catch basins and channel drains.
• Yard grading and re-sloping.
• Extensions of downspouts.
• Use of dry wells for excess water flow.
• Creating swales which help to move storm water.
• Retaining wall drainage system which will release water pressure behind retaining walls.
• Drainage repair or replacement done by drainage repair contractors.

There are many cases when a project includes a combination of different drainage solutions. For example, yard regrading together with French drain installation gives much better results than each of these solutions separately. Professional installation of drainage systems also ensures that they will work properly no matter what the weather is like.

Did You Know?

Sometimes small grading problems cause the accumulation of thousands of gallons of rainwater on the property.

Looking for Exterior Drainage Systems in Your Area?

In case you need to have professional exterior drainage systems installed, contractors will help you to choose the most effective solution for your home, landscaping and outdoor living spaces.

When Should You Contact a Professional?

You should contact a professional if you see the following symptoms:

• Standing water which lasts for more than 24-48 hours.
• Collecting of water near your home’s foundation.
• Soil erosion after a rainfall.
• Presence of soggy areas where grass doesn’t grow.
• Leaking of water into your basement or crawl space.
• Water accumulation near retaining walls.

Solving drainage problems at the very beginning can help to avoid more complex and expensive repairs and also to keep the value of your property.

In case you have a flooded yard, it means that rainwater is not managed properly. Regardless of whether the problem is caused by improper grading, poor drainage, compacted soil or runoff of water from other areas, ignoring it can cause bigger problems in the future. Creating professionally designed exterior drainage systems helps you to protect your home, improve your landscape and have a yard which will stay functional no matter how it rains. Correct drainage solution will give you lasting protection and peace of mind during each rainy season.

Please call RFC Excavating & Landscape Construction now at (973) 304-0500 and get a consultation for professional exterior drainage systems.