drainage.danieldean.comDrainage and Yard Drain Solutions | Daniel Dean

281-356-DIRT service@danieldean.com Facebook page opens in new window YouTube page opens in new window Drainage by Daniel Dean Lasting solutions to yard drainage Drainage Problems Standing Water Poor Grading Around Home Hardpan Low Spot in Yard High Water Table Run-off Water Drainage Solutions Grading Culverts Swales Berms Inlets and Underground Pipes Case Study Videos Contact Search: Drainage Problems Standing Water Poor Grading Around Home Hardpan Low Spot in Yard High Water Table Run-off Water Drainage Solutions Grading Culverts Swales Berms Inlets and Underground Pipes Case Study Videos Contact Contact Us Estimate My Job Standing Water Don’t let ruin your property Daniel Dean has over 30 years experience providing lasting solutions to yard drainage to include surface (or open) and subsurface pipe drainage systems. The difference between surface and subsurface drainage Surface drainage is the removal of excess water from the surface of the land. Subsurface drainage is the removal of water from the root zone, and is usually accomplished by deep open drains or buried pipe drains. Standing Water Standing water ruins a healthy lawn and landscaped plant. Turf grass suffers from root rot, though moss never gets too much water. So poor lawn drainage will eventually grow more moss than grass. Most yard trees and shrubs are also damaged from water saturated soils, and will suffer from root rot and lack of oxygen. Standing water is not only an eye sore, but also can become a serious health problem: Problems with lawn drainage prevents family gatherings and outdoor activities until the soil has completely dried out. And like a child finding a puddle, your dog runs through it and tracks mud everywhere. Walking on a wet lawn can cause soil compaction, which is also bad for your plants. And, sitting water close to your house’s foundations may seep into walls, causing mold and cracks after drying. Standing water is not only an eye sore, but also can become a serious health problem: • bacteria thrive in a moist environments • it often ends up contaminated by human or animal waste • it promoted ugly green scum • if pets or small children drink even a tiny amount of this water, they can become very sick • many insects, especially mosquitoes, breed in standing water, and mosquitoes carry Zika virus, West Nile virus, and some varieties of encephalitis. • vermin, such as mice, rats, possums are attracted to watering holes, and they also carry disease and spread their waste What Causes Standing Water? Poor grading around home A positive slope prevents water from standing too close to the home. If you don’t have good grading around your home, standing water is just a matter of time. The terrain around your house should always slope down from the building. Most homes may be initially built with proper grading, but in time the soil settles enough that it begins to dip lower than the surrounding soil. Water finds the path of least resistance, and run downhill into this depression, and absorbs into the dirt around the foundation. A well drained property slopes gradually away from the house, at a descending elevation of 6 inches over the initial 10 feet (or 5% slope) surrounding the foundation, walkways, and driveway, and another foot of slope over the next 100 feet. This is called a positive slope and is in most instances is enough to prevent water from standing too close to the home. Grading a property to have a positive slope to push water away from the home is not necessarily a ‘do-it-yourself’ job unless you have the right equipment and experience. Manually, it can be quiet labor intensive. Often you will need to check for utility lines (underground cables) or piping before the and dirt is moved. Some areas require a digging permit before leveling your yard. The basic formula for calculating slope is rise over run. It’s possible to use a stake and string, and a carpenter’s leveler to calculate slope. Or, you can have Daniel Dean survey your property to determine the correct yard slope. Daniel Dean will removed the top 6 inches of topsoil, grade your yard to to the correct slope–taking into consideration of surrounding water shed and topography–and spread grass seed to keep the soil in place. Bad subsoils The types of subsoils on your lot can greatly affect the water conditions of the property. There are certain soils that are nearly impossible to dry out once they get wet. The best way to find out more about the soil in your yard is to have a soil test done. Your soil type… a simple test Dig 12 to 20 inches through your top soil to reach your subsoil. Gather a handful of this subsoil and squeeze the soil tightly in your hand and then release your hand and see what happens. If the soil forms a tight ball and keeps its shape, you have a high clay content. If the soil forms a loose ball but crumbles when you touch it, you have loam. And if the soil immediately loses its shape, you have sand. Clay packs neatly and resist water and they drain very slowly Loam soil holds moisture and promotes plant growth Sandy soil can be compacted tightly and it drains well. There is less sandy soil in the Houston area than loamy and clay soils. If poor subsoils were used to backfill around your home, the best solution is a soil correction. These are not cheap, but are a long term fix that prevents water from slowly damaging your yard. The best way to find out more about the soil in your yard is to have a soil test done. Daniel Dean can provide a soil test to determine how your yard will drain. He has years of knowledge on drainage systems and can look at your property holistically and create a drainage solution that fixes your drainage problems. Hardpan Acid reducing agents, such as gypsum, can help loosen hardpan clay. Hardpan is a layer of soil just below your topsoil, and is compacted so tightly that water cannot penetrate. A soil tester can determine if hardpan is present. Another indication is where plant’s roots grow horizontally, or where water remains days after a rain. There are different types of hardpan. Some occur through acidic mineral deposits, such as iron oxides and calcium carbonate. Soil heavy in clay and sodium are easily compacted. Constant use of heavy machinery or traffic also cause hardpan. To prevent standing water and have a healthy plant life and soil microbiome, hardpan needs to be dealt with. Breaking through hardpan often requires heavy machinery, such as a chisel plow, broad fork or backhoe. After hardpan has been broken up, soil amendment should be used to promote further dissolution and encourage organic soil matter. Organics like manure, compost or peat improve drainage. Acid reducing agents, such as gypsum, can help loosen clay. Daniel Dean has the right equipment to deal with hardpan soil. And, in his 30+ years of experience in commercial and residential drainage, he has solved many types of hardpan problems. Low spot in yard If you live at the bottom of a hill or in areas of low elevation, water can collect and not drain. If you live at the bottom of a hill or in areas of low elevation, water can collect and not drain. Your property then becomes the catch basin for all the water from higher elevations. If you’re considering increasing the elevation in the low area by adding fill sand, you may be creating a bigger problem by pushing uncontrolled water to another area. Depending on where you live, some property border regulated areas, such as wetlands where soil types and existing vegetation take priority, or habitats for endangered species or green zones that have to remain untouched. Low spots in yards often require regrading or a drainage plan. Daniel Dean has created solutions for low spots in yards by creating berms and swale to redirect water, drains, dry wells, retaining walls, catchment basins and ponds, underground pipe, etc. Additionally, Daniel Dean can help with the draining planning that will keep you friends with your neighbors and safer...