Easy to Notice, Hard to Correct
It took the Colorado river somewhere between five and six million years to carve the Grand Canyon into the awe-inspiring natural spectacle we all know and love today. It’s common knowledge that water is an incredibly powerful force.
Rest assured that it is not going to take five or six million years to damage your yard, your beautiful new landscaping, or your home’s foundation itself. Improper, clogged, or damaged drainage can cause a cascade of negative effects that, if dealt with quickly, will not pose any major lasting problems. If, however, drainage issues are not corrected, remediation can be expensive and will likely involve more than just drainage.
Pooling Surface Water
Usually occurring around downspouts, water can begin to pool above the surface of your grass or mulch wherever a clog has formed in your drainage system. Especially after heavy rain, these pools can grow quite large and can be slow to dissipate on their own.
Unlike man-made ponds and lagoons that are landscaping elements on one’s property, all a giant rain puddle will do is kill grass and nearby plants and, during the warmer months, provide a home for mosquito larvae.
If you are beginning to notice patches of dead grass where you know drainpipes are, or if mosquitoes and other insects are becoming a major problem at outdoor gatherings in your yard, the drainage system may be a culprit. These consequences are mere inconveniences compared to how water can ravage a yard and a home but are cause enough to take action.
Soggy Ground, Erosion, and Even Rivulets
Patches of soggy ground are more difficult to notice than above-ground pools of water forming after heavy rain. A common scenario is when kids run over a patch of grass and tear it to shreds, leaving behind a muddy mess. Other times, you may run over a patch of soggy grass with a lawnmower and have a few moments of dread as you turn and the wheels dig into the ground.
The culprit here is subsurface water buildup, and it doesn’t take people or foot traffic for damage to occur. Over time, water will erode the soil and, especially on hills, begin to form small rivulets. Once this occurs, the process will only accelerate. This is generally a landscaping drainage issue, caused when proper precautions were not taken to facilitate water flow.
Even a partial clog caused by an improper drainage system can have devastating consequences.
Foundation Staining and Water Intrusion
Lawn damage and ruined landscaping are one thing. Foundation damage, on the other hand, can affect the structural integrity and habitability of a home.
Over time, hydrostatic pressure alongside foundation walls can cause water to leak into basements through micro, small, and eventually large cracks. This is a problem that, once noticed, will only get worse until the issue has been dealt with. Unfortunately, foundation damage is one of the most common drainage problems that homeowners face, and it’s difficult to spot until the problem is bad enough to necessitate repairs.
If you start to notice water stains that weren’t there before or even small cracks, it’s a good idea to have someone come out to check the health of your foundation. Sooner is always better than later.
So, What Can Be Done?
Prevention is the most powerful tool available, and nothing says prevention like the most effective drainage solution on the market today: a Hydraway Drainage System. Hydraway is technically superior to traditional perforated pipe systems that are installed for most residential properties and sets itself apart in one dramatic way. Hydraway has a 0% failure rate. That’s right. When properly installed, a Hydraway system has never failed. Its needle-punctured filter fabric is clog resistant and enables water to flow smoothly and unimpeded into the system.
Whether you are building a new home, starting a new landscaping project, or undergoing a major foundation repair, consider Hydraway to prevent future drainage issues.
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