If your yard is plagued with puddles and soggy spots, it might be time to consider drainage solutions. For yard drainage, there are plenty of DIY options you can handle without spending a fortune. Once you understand the causes of your drainage issues, you can find the best approach for improving a swamp situation.
Here is a basic guide to yard drainage issues and DIY solutions to consider:
Before you start researching strategies for improving drainage, take a careful assessment of your yard. There are many factors that can cause drainage issues:
Before you start planning a major landscaping project, consider your current watering schedule and systems. Do you have drip irrigation or sprinklers that run automatically? Do you have a manual watering schedule that you could adjust? In some cases, you might just be watering too much or too often.
If you have an irrigation or sprinkler system, make sure it doesn’t have any leaks. Once you’ve ruled out the possibility of leaking, try adjusting your watering schedule to reduce the amount of standing water in your yard.
If you discover that your drainage issues stem from your gutter downspout, the solution could be as simple as extending it. Extend and aim the downspout away from the home and toward a storm drain or other safe drainage source.
A rain garden is another way to ease drainage issues by creating a place specifically for water to gather. Rain gardens are designed to capture and slowly absorb runoff, all while promoting lush plant growth and beautifying the yard.
For more serious drainage problems, consider digging an artificial creek or swale to route water properly. By digging a long, shallow trench and filling it with gravel or rocks, you can divert runoff towards storm drains without allowing standing water to accumulate in the yard.
These are only a few basic yard drainage solutions to consider. If you’re still having trouble with excess water, it’s a good idea to consult a landscaping professional to find the best option for your yard.
Susan Shuxian Hu has been a dedicated realtor serving in Silicon Valley since 2010. With great passion, outstanding negotiation skills and due diligence, she has helped many buyers and sellers in their real estate needs. Living in West San Jose for more than 14 years, she has broad knowledge in Cupertino, West San Jose, Los Altos and Saratoga. She has enormous patience working with buyers and never tired of showing all possible properties that may fit client’s needs. Clients appreciate her best service to their satisfaction. She specialized in luxurious real estate purchase in Los Altos, Cupertino, Saratoga and Palo Alto. She also helped friend and past client’s referral working in San Francisco, Foster City and far reached Bay Area.
Susan Shuxian Hu was graduated in East China Normal University in Shanghai with bachelor and master degrees in Bio science. She came to US in 1989 and earned her Ph.D. in Molecular Genetics in Texas A&M University in 1996. After one year of postdoc in Southern Florida University in Tampa, she moved back to Orlando with her family and started working in Lucent Technologies. In 2002, Susan moved to California, Silicon Valley joined a start-up company. Since then she worked in high tech Corporation till 2009. Driven by her dream job pursuing, she found her passion working in sales by helping people in real estate after one year of education in De Anza business and real estate law study. Since then, she has been serving many people in Bay Area for their real estate needs.
With bilingual advantage, she has been actively working with Chinese immigrants as well as local engineers and residents. With rich high tech background and connection with Chinese community, Susan has served in luxurious real estate in last a couple of years.