BEST TIME TO ADDRESS DRAINAGE ISSUES

EARLY SPRING OR THE FALL

Water draining from neighboring yards, damaging retaining walls, and collecting around home foundation.

City culverts that were created long ago and now cannot handle the volume of runoff water the neighborhood produces.

Signs of poor drainage

EROSION - Erosion damages the health of your soil as it washes away many of the important nutrients that it needs. You can tell if you have an erosion problem if you see exposed roots, swampy sections, or gutted out areas in your lawn.
FOUNDATION PROBLEMS - Water that collects near the foundation of your home can end up causing serious damage, including not just leaks in your home foundation, but cracks as well. If you don’t address this issue right away, the foundation is going to experience more and more damage and become more vulnerable, to the point where expensive foundation repairs will be needed.
WATER LEAKS - If there’s water leaking into your basement, it shouldn’t be too difficult to tell, especially if there are water stains as a result. If this is occurring, it means that water is pooling up around the foundation of your home.
PUDDLES AND WET SPOTS - If, after it rains, you notice puddles or wet spots throughout your yard that take much longer to dry up then other areas, it means you have drainage problem. Puddles and wet spots may not seem like a big deal (your yard needs water, after all); however, too much water can drown your grass and plants.
CONSTANTLY RUNNING SUMP PUMP - Sump pumps help to remove water from your basement in the event of flooding. If your sump pump is constantly at work, it means that water could be entering your basement regularly as a result of poor drainage.

Trenching to allow water to flow away from landscapes and foundations is one of many solutions

Removal of an old sidewalk that was creating a dam against home was the solution here. New sidewalk was installed with appropriate drainage solutions.

Causes of poor drainage

LACK OF OR POORLY INSTALLED DOWNSPOUTS - Downspouts are needed to divert rainwater away from your house. If not enough downspouts are installed, this can result in rainwater collecting in certain areas. Sometimes, downspouts may be improperly installed, in which case they may be diverting rain towards your house instead of away from it.
COMPACTED SOIL - If your soil is too compacted (a common problem with our clay soil here in Bloomington), then rainwater or melted snow won’t be as easily absorbed by the soil and it will just sit on top of it.
SIDEWALK THAT DAMS WATER - The sidewalk surrounding the house can be problematic to the space between the sidewalk and the home’s foundation. This is because the sidewalk can effectively work as a dam by retaining the water in that area.
POOR PITCH OR SLOPE OF YARD - If the property on which your home was built has a pitch or slope that’s too steep, it will result in water running down to the bottom area, where it is likely to collect. If your property slopes down to your foundation, you could have serious issues in the form of foundation leaks and damage.
DEPRESSIONS IN THE LANDSCAPE - If there are depressions in your landscape, rainwater is likely to collect here, causing standing puddles or soggy areas that take much longer to dry up.

Drainage solutions

GRADING - Grading around your home can provide another place for water to flow to, thereby ensuring that a steep pitch or slope won’t cause water to build up around your foundation.
ADD/IMPROVE/EXTEND DOWNSPOUTS - Downspouts help prevent rainwater from falling off the roof and down to the ground around your foundation.
DRY CREEK BED INSTALLATION - Creek beds provide water with a place to go and will move it to the surface of your yard. Creek beds can also add another feature to your yard that could improve its curb appeal to boot!

These are just a few of the solutions we offer. Each yard and situation is unique. We will come and work with you to develop the best solution to your drainage issue. Remember, you cannot have a nice landscape if you do not take care of drainage issues first!