Outdoor drainage systems are an essential part of your yard. They provide the water with a way to leave your yard so that you avoid flood damage to your house or pool. Water is an essential part of most plants’ survival, and this need can be fulfilled with simple outdoor drainage systems. Drainage systems for the yard make plants happier, improve the health of grass, and even contribute to saving water.

What Is a Drainage System?

Outdoor drainage systems are underground pipes connecting all parts of your property, so water does not pool up anywhere else on the surface (like during heavy rains). It works by directing the water into one main pipe first; this then directs it into smaller pipes beneath each driveway or sidewalk.

Types of Drainage Systems

There are several drainage systems for the yard from which you can choose. All of them are working day and night to keep your home dry, but knowing a little about them can be very helpful when it comes time to make that choice for your house.

1. Surface Drainage Systems

Surface drainage systems for the yard are the most common way to alleviate excess rainfall. They are often used in place of a modern storm drain system since they are generally less expensive and easy to install and maintain. Surface outdoor drainage systems come in two forms: open ditches and piped channels. Open ditches drain water from paved areas such as streets, parking lots, and driveways into natural waterways utilizing gravity or pumping. Piped channels are essentially a pipe running along or under a street lined with pipes underneath the pavement that redirects stormwater away from the home’s foundation or garage.

2. Subsurface Drainage Systems

Subsurface drainage systems for the yard are on-site stormwater management (OSWM) infrastructure where outdoor drainage systems are transferred from a building foundation to an underground perforated drain pipe to an on-site detention/retention basin. After the storm event, the water is conveyed through an outlet facility and discharged into natural channels or artificial pipe systems leading to receiving waters. Subsurface outdoor drainage systems can be connected to centralized sewer systems through pump stations that increase in speed automatically when rain events occur.

3. Roof Load Systems

Roof load systems are used to remove water from a roof. Water is collected and either diverted, dispersed, or directed into another area, such as a gutter system. These systems can be categorized into several different types based on their components.

4. Slope Drainage Systems

Slope outdoor drainage systems are an ideal solution for sizeable sloping land areas. These systems are composed of perforated drainage pipes buried beneath the lawn to direct water away from the building site and natural vegetation. These systems often rely on gravity to work, so the more length and height you have in your slope, the greater the potential for water to flow out of the system.

The Importance of Drainage Systems for the Yard

Outdoor drainage systems are a crucial part of any landscaping project.

1. Prevents Soil Erosion

Soil erosion is a severe problem for the environment, especially in areas where the land is susceptible to wind and water erosion. The best way to prevent soil erosion is to maintain sound outdoor drainage systems for the yard in your yard. Drainage systems can be as simple as a few holes in the ground or a more complex system with underground pipes and pumps.

2. Prevents Standing Water

Standing water poses many potential problems for your yard, including mosquito breeding grounds, a breeding ground for disease-carrying insects, and unsightly stains on your lawn’s surface. Standing water also attracts other pests such as rats and mice. As the water evaporates, it can also suck nutrients from the soil and deplete your lawn. A well-designed outdoor drainage system effectively prevents standing water and its associated problems in most areas while also reducing the amount of water you use to maintain your landscaping.

3. Prevents Water Damage

Water damage is a severe problem. It can lead to mold and mildew, which can cause all kinds of health issues. But water damage also poses a financial risk; if your home’s foundation gets damaged, you could be looking at thousands of dollars in repairs.

An outdoor drainage system can help prevent these problems by keeping excess water off your yard and out of your foundation. With a drainage system, you’ll never have to worry about being stuck with an unsightly puddle in your yard or replacing your floors or walls because they’re damaged by water.

4. Ensures a Wholesome Living if Effectively Managed

Well-managed outdoor drainage systems are essential to wholesome living. A drainage system is a network of pipes, channels, and other components used to remove water from a place or an area. A drainage system is essential for any place where there is water. If you have a lawn, you will require a drainage system.

Drainage systems for the yard are also used in parks, gardens, and lawns to remove excess rainwater from the ground surface. Without these systems, it would be impossible for people to enjoy their gardens or lawns because they would be flooded by rainwater every time it rained heavily. Without adequate drainage systems, your home or business could also get damaged due to flooding.

Sound outdoor drainage systems will ensure that all water is safely removed from your yard without accidents due to excess moisture build-up on the ground surface or lawn area.

5. Protect Your Home’s Foundation

A properly designed and installed drainage system can help prevent water from sitting in your yard and causing damage to your home. But did you know that it can also help preserve the structural integrity of your foundation?

Drainage systems for the yard are designed to move water away from a specific area or structure. This is called “abutment,” which means that the water is diverted in such a way as to give it somewhere else to go. This allows for a natural drying and prevents pooling.

A well-designed drainage system will allow water to flow freely through it and away from the structure being protected by it. This allows for proper drying before any damage occurs.

6. Increases the Value of the Property

If you have a yard, you probably know how important it is to have outdoor drainage systems. It keeps your yard looking good, but it also increases the value of your property.

If you’re looking to sell your house, having an excellent drainage system can help increase your property’s value by 8%. This is because having good outdoor drainage systems mean that water will be able to flow out of the yard and into the street without causing any damage or erosion.

7. Keep Your Plants Healthy

Drainage systems for the yard are essential for keeping your plant’s roots healthy. If you’ve ever had to water a plant sitting in a saucer of standing water, you know how frustrating it can be. You want to give your plant the right amount of water, but it just seems like the more you give them, the more they soak it up. That’s because they’re not getting enough drainage.

You might think that if you’re watering your plants enough, they should be fine. But if there’s nowhere for the water to go except back into the soil, your plants will end up sitting in a pool of their waste, which is not suitable for them.

8. Stop Mold and Mildew

Drainage systems for the yard are essential, and they are necessary if you have a lot of humidity. The system is designed to prevent flooding and drain water away from your yard. It helps to keep mold and mildew away, which can cause damage to your home. Water can be a problem because it will sit on top of the ground and create a place for mold spores to grow. This can be dangerous because people or animals may inhale the spores in the area, leading to respiratory problems or other health issues.

9. Prevent Bugs and Termite Damage

You’ve probably heard that insects and termites love to live in damp environments. While it’s true that they thrive in wet areas, your yard can be a great place to live if you have the proper outdoor drainage systems in place.

Drainage systems for the yard will help prevent water from collecting around your house and create a breeding ground for bugs and termites. If you have good outdoor drainage systems, then there is no place for water to collect and breed these pests. You’ll be able to keep them away from your home, which means you can enjoy a pest-free environment without putting extra effort into keeping it clean or treating pests regularly.

10. Increases Microbial Decomposition

The soil around your yard is full of microorganisms that constantly decompose organic matter. If your soil is saturated with water, these microbes can’t break down the organic matter as quickly, making your grass or garden less healthy.

If you have a drainage system in place, you reduce the risk of flooding and allow the microbes to do what they do best: decomposing those leaves and other plant matter back into nutrients for your plants, which means a healthier lawn or garden.

11. Drainage Improves Physical Properties of the Soil

Drainage systems for the yard improve the physical properties of your soil. The most important of those is water retention, which is why it’s so essential for your drainage system to retain water and move it away from the surface of your yard.

The second most important physical property is compaction, which refers to how much weight a substance can support before becoming saturated. Drainage systems help prevent compaction by allowing water to seep into the ground instead of pooling on top of it.

12. Maintains Proper Soil Temperature

Keeping your yard at the correct temperature is essential for your plants to grow and thrive. The soil in your yard needs to be held at a specific temperature to provide the right conditions for your plants. If it gets too hot, they will burn up and die; they can’t get enough nutrients if it gets too cold. Drainage systems for the yard help prevent both of these problems.

Soil drainage systems keep your water moving throughout your yard so that it doesn’t sit on top of your soil and bake it dry or freeze it solid. This allows for proper moisture levels in the ground so that plants can take up the water they need.

13. Promotes Increased Leaching

Drainage systems for the yard are essential for your yard because they promote increased leaching. This is important, especially if you have a yard that doesn’t have a drainage system already built in.

Leaching happens when water goes through the soil and then back into the ground. This means that it will not stay in one place for too long to cleanse the soil of any impurities.

This can be helpful for people who don’t want to use pesticides or other chemicals on their lawns but still want to keep it looking nice without constantly fighting off pests and diseases.

14. Removes Toxic Substances

Drainage systems for the yard aren’t just for getting rid of excess water—they also remove toxic substances from your yard. When rain or snow falls on your lawn and plants, it can wash away harmful chemicals released by fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides. And without a good drainage system, that runoff will end up in your water supply.

15. Better Root System

Your yard is a lot like your body. The roots of your plants are just as important as the leaves, and they need to be able to breathe to thrive. A sound drainage system will allow the water that comes down through the soil to easily escape out of the bottom of your yard, giving your plants plenty of air and ensuring that the moisture stays where it belongs in the ground.

16. Allows for Water Reuse

Water is a precious resource. We need to use it wisely and responsibly, and that’s especially true when we’re talking about the water drains from our yards. When we allow water to flow directly into our soil, where it then evaporates, we lose out on an opportunity to reuse that water in other ways. If your yard has a drainage system installed, you can save this water for reuse by redirecting its flow toward some purposeful end.

You can direct the runoff toward a garden bed or a rain barrel. Rain barrels collect rainwater runoff and store it for future use on your plants and lawns, so you can use this water again and again without losing it to evaporation or runoff.

Causes of Drainage Problems

There are several common causes of drainage problems. These can be solved by regularly cleaning your drains and hiring a plumber to clear the pipes.

1. Incorrect Yard Slope

The most significant cause of drainage problems is an incorrect yard slope. The soil should be graded so that water will drain away from the foundation and walls of your home or building, not towards it. This will also help prevent other possible problems such as standing water, puddling, and pooling.

2. Downspout and Gutter Issues

Downspouts and gutters are designed to keep rain and melting snow from backing up into your home. Downspouts direct rainwater away from your home’s foundation, preventing flooding problems like basement or crawl space. Gutters direct water away from the roof. Downspouts should be connected to a rain barrel or storm drain to ensure that water flows out of your property, not onto it. Contact a professional maintenance company if you notice any issues with these drainage systems for the yard.

3. Compacted Soils

A lack of water drainage causes compacted soil. This can create a situation where the water or moisture that collects in the soil does not drain due to the high density of the aggregates in the soil. This causes a “mat” that can eventually lead to problems such as flooding or poor air circulation leading to fungal or bacterial growth.

In Conclusion

Outdoor drainage systems are an essential part of any garden. They ensure that water flows out from the area, preventing flooding and pooling of water. While they’re not difficult to install, choosing the proper drainage system for a particular area is essential.