What to do When You Have Drainage Problems

Although you cannot control when or how much rain falls, there are things you can do to reduce the damage that rainwater causes to your property. Water can build up in your yard without proper drainage, causing structural problems with your house. So how can you realize the problem and act on it?

Common Drainage Problems on Your Property

• Gutter Spouts – While gutters and downspouts are essential components of a home's exterior, improper installation or maintenance can result in issues. The most common obstacle we usually see is when the gutters overflow or the leader pipes are not directing water away from the house. Instead, the runoff will pool around the home's foundation, causing structural and landscape issues.
• Improper Grading – Normally, lots should be graded so that water flows away from the house through a swale, to a drainage catch basin, or to the curb. Water can become trapped or worse, flow toward the house and into the basement, home, or building if homeowners, landscapers, and builders don't always get their grades right.
• Landscaping – It’s surprising to see that yard work can actually be causing problems, sadly, it is true. Potential issues include bare soil without vegetation, a yard that slopes toward your home, and paved surfaces that direct water to the structure. Sadly, not every person thinks about these things while making changes to the home.
• Roots – Roots may have invaded the pipe rather than a crushed or broken pipe if your drains are backed up. They sometimes squeeze in at joints and quickly grow, breaking the fitting and enjoying the pipe's moisture. They quickly not only block the pipe but also completely fill it, necessitating its removal or the arrival of a septic company to mechanically clean it out.

Drainage Solutions

• Reduce Your Watering – Consider the possibility that you are overwatering your garden or yard before embarking on a costly and time-consuming DIY drainage project or calling a septic company. Try not to water as much and keep an eye on the trouble spots to see if they drain. If this is the case, the soil may be properly draining, but it may not be able to keep up with your watering schedule. If that isn't the case, you'll have to start considering other solutions.
• Extend Your Downspout – The solution you're looking for may be as simple as extending the downspout away from the house so that it does not form a basin in your landscaped areas. However, if you want to divert runoff away from your house, you should make sure it goes into a storm drain or another safe drainage source, not onto a neighboring property.
• Maintenance – If you haven’t had septic tank pumping in a while and you can't remember when it was last done, it could be a sign that general wear and tear is causing drainage issues. Get in touch with a company as soon as possible to find out how well your tank is being maintained and in what condition it is in. If you are in need of septic tank pumping in Cumming, GA, call Septic Blue.