Water is a useful resource but no one wants it just lying around. It can do structural damage to your house and it just looks unattractive. It also happens to cause a health hazard. That is why you need to have top-notch drainage systems in your home.
Most people think this is limited to the house proper but it should also include the surroundings of your property. Here are some few tips on how to create a drainage system that will keep your home dry and damage free for a long time.
Have a Drainage Plan
One of the first things you should be doing is to have a drainage plan. Draw your house and surroundings. These include your driveway, lawn, and patio. Once done, you should determine the low points in your property. This is important since water naturally flows downwards, which is why your basement is such a drainage hot spot. This will help you determine the problem areas and see where you should put the discharge points.
Be polite, though. Don’t drain out your water on your neighbor’s property. Additionally, only drain out to the street or the sewers if you have permission from the local authorities.
Build a Creek Bed or a Rain Garden
Water is actually pretty nice to look at. You can take advantage of that by doing some creative landscaping. You can build a creek bed to channel the water away from a low point. The endpoint can either be a rain garden or a dry well. These are actually pretty simple to make and any place selling landscaping supplies in Utah and other states can provide you with what you need.
Creek beds are essentially a drainage ditch but lined with gravel and stones. A normal drainage ditch is pretty unattractive but with the right décor, it can look great. Rain gardens and dry well are the usual destination of these creek beds. These are small decorative ponds that look great both dry and wet. They are filled with water-loving plants that have solid, fibrous roots. The result is a perfect receptacle for excess water until it drains or dries away naturally.
Installing Gutters and Downspouts
Heavy rainstorms are the usual source of water damage to your home. The best way to stop the damage is to have gutters and downspouts installed properly. Good gutters will catch the water from your roof so that it doesn’t come down directly on your walls and foundations. They should also be properly sloped so that they can have a proper drainage point at downspouts.
Downspout positioning is important since this is where all the rainwater will go. Make them large enough to handle all the water coming down and direct the water five feet away from the house. It’s best if the landing point is concrete or something not the ground so that it would be drained away properly.
Have a Central Drain Pipe
A good drain pipe will take all of the water from your home, both inside and outside and flush it down to your drainage point. The best way to do this is to have it underground so that it accepts all of the water coming down from various part of your home and your yard. Direct the drainage line to a sewer exit or something similar.
With the proper drainage systems, water can be diverted to where it belongs. With less standing water on your property, you can be sure that the ground won’t be too soggy nor do you have to worry about structural damage. Just take heed of the tips above and you can enjoy a dry and comfortable home to live in.
