What Are the Biggest Advantages of a French Drain?
Clay Creek is ready to share the best french drain tips with New Market, Owings Mills, and Westminster, MD. If you are like most homeowners, having the perfect curb appeal is tops on your list. You may be thinking that having a lush green lawn with perfectly trimmed trees accented by vibrant blooms flowing out of your flowerbeds is all you need to have that star quality. Or maybe you think having hardscapes like a patio, fire pit, or deck illuminated by outdoor lighting will make your home stand out from all the others on the block. But there is something else to consider: and that is making sure your yard doesn’t have freestanding water, which is a critical sign that your yard is in trouble and the quickest way to take away any curb appeal. There are several reasons why excessive water may be appearing on your property. It could be from a gutter downspout flowing in the wrong direction coming off your house or a sump pump discharging into an area of your yard that wasn’t graded properly, so it can’t handle the overflow. Whatever the reason is, our experienced team is ready to help you identify the problem and provide you with the best ways a french drain will benefit your yard.
How can you tell if your lawn has too much water?
Of course, the most obvious way is when you walk across your lawn and see puddles of water, along with noticing that the grass, is spongey too. Another sign that your lawn is in trouble is that it turns yellow or a lighter shade of green. Always remember having a lush green lawn is a sure sign that your grass is healthy, so never settle for anything less!You may notice areas of thatch, a combination of dead grass and debris that can damage your yard and eventually lead to replacing your lawn. Keep in mind that if excessive water sits in your yard, it can suffocate your grass and remove its oxygen. It will also create an unhealthy atmosphere for your trees and plants by allowing diseases and insects to cause damage too. Have you ever noticed how mosquitoes find the best playground when there’s freestanding water? Not to mention how weeds just love to feed on excessive water and turn your beautiful lawn into a meadow of weeds. Remember, the key to a healthy yard is finding the right balance between regular watering and proper lawn maintenance.
Can a french drain help move water away from my home?
Did you know that one of the highest costs you can incur as a homeowner is water damage? When water builds up to close to your foundation, it can create hydrostatic pressure and create a crack in your foundation. Once you have an issue with your foundation, the water can get in your basement and cause extensive damage, along with creating a hazardous condition by having mold form. The average homeowner spends approximately $3,000.00 a year on water damage: we suggest you don’t join this club!Not sure what the best solution is to get rid of the water? That’s where our knowledgeable team can jump into action and install a french drain. What is a french drain? It is a trench lined with rock or gravel where a perforated pipe is embedded to allow the water to flow freely from the entire length of the yard instead of having it sit in one area.
What will give the best results when installing a french drain?
You want to run a french drain starting at the highest point of your yard and then gradually have it flow to the lowest point, allowing gravity to do its job. So be sure to slope the trench one inch for every eight feet. The trench should also be twelve inches in width and have a depth of 18 to 24 inches. Be sure to add some rock to the trench along with landscaping fabric to deter weeds. Once that is complete, add your pipe, which should be PVC as it will work better than a flexible pipe, and to top it off, put some more rock. To ensure you get the best result try to be a few inches below the yard’s grade.
What helpful tips should I know before I add a french drain?
When starting any outdoor project, you want to be sure that you will get the best results and enhance the exterior of your home: so we thought we would give you five of the top french drain tips to get you started and take your yard to a new level.
When choosing the stone, you want to use round rock as it will help ensure that the flow of water is appropriately draining into the ground.
Never dig a trench before you check with the local utility company as you never want to hit an electric or gas line which can cause a hazardous condition for you and your family.
You always want to make sure that the french drain is not running off into your neighbor’s property or flooding a street, as the last thing you want to happen is having someone from your township or a neighbor coming to complain.
Always try to keep the aesthetics when installing a french drain as you never want to take away from your curb appeal. A good suggestion is to add plants tolerant to moisture like Cutleaf Coneflowers or Gold Ground Cover.
Are you looking for the perfect tip when adding a french drain? Then let our knowledgeable team do the job for you. Our years of experience have given us the ability to know exactly where in your yard will benefit the most from a french drain, along with keeping you within your budget. We are determined to enhance your home and help keep that perfect curb appeal.