Whenever it rains, we have standing water in our yard. Is this a problem, and what should we do about it? -Emily
Standing water and poor drainage in your yard can cause several serious problems, including:
- Attracting and increasing mosquitoes in your yard.
- Causing fungus and other diseases in your lawn.
- Allowing water to seep into your basement or crawlspace.
To fix drainage problems in your yard:
- Fill in any low spots in your yard with topsoil.
- Slope the ground next to the foundation away from your house.
- Make sure planting bed borders aren’t preventing water from draining away from your foundation.
Watch this video to find out more.
Further Information
- Drainage Solutions (video)
- Fixing Foundation Drainage Problems with a French Drain (article)
- Using a French Drain to Remove Standing Water (video)
- Importance of Proper Drainage Around a Home Foundation (video)
VIDEO TRANSCRIPT
Emily Asks: Every time it rains, we have standing water all around the back patio. Is there a way to stop this?
Danny Lipford: Having water pond around your house anywhere is not a good idea, even out in the yard. This can attract mosquitoes, and it’ll certainly encourage fungus and disease growth in your yard. And that means a lot of dead grass, just like we have here.
Even more importantly, you don’t want the water ponding next to your house. That can affect the integrity of the ground; and, sooner or later, you’re going to have some foundation settling. That’s not a good idea. Also, water next to your foundation, can force its way into your basement, creating a really wet basement.
Now, the solution is simply to spread dirt around the perimeter of your house and grade it, so that it encourages the water to move immediately away from the house. Also, make sure your landscaping is not acting as a dam to prevent that water from flowing away.
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