Have spring rains caused puddles on your patio? Avoid serious water damage by getting it fixed!
Have you noticed puddles on your patio after a rain, especially up against your house? This is a serious problem: Standing water can seep into your siding and foundation, causing dangerous and very expensive problems with decay and pests. If you have water that stays against the side of your house, you need to find a solution.
Catch Basins
Catch basins allow for the collection of surface water from lawn areas, shrub beds, and hardscaped areas such as driveways and patios. Catch basins collect water through a grate that has openings to allow water to fall through. The water is collected in a basin or box and is then piped away using gravity. Filters can be installed in catch basins to collect debris and prevent it from clogging the drain pipe.
Install a Channel Drain
This is one of the best solutions for your standing water in terms of both efficacy and cost. Channel drains work well in driveways and along sidewalks. To install a channel drain, you will need to cut out a section of existing concrete or stone in your sidewalk or driveway. This channel should be at the point where the unwanted water collects. You will install the channel drain and grate along the trench that you cut out of your driveway. Once the channel drain is installed, you will backfill with concrete and trowel it to the existing grade. Drainage piping will be connected to the channel drain and gravity will be used to carry the water away. The channel grate comes in a variety of colors to match the concrete or stone in your patio or driveway. Channel grates also come in metals such as brass, and cast iron. Not only does this help prevent water damage as long as you have your patio, it is less expensive than other options.
French Drains
A French drain can be installed along the edge of your patio, driveway, sidewalk, or near the foundation of your home. A French drain consists of a trench that is dug and a perforated pipe is placed in the trench and the trench is backfilled with gravel or some other coarse aggregate. Only to top 3-4 inches is filled with topsoil and sod. A French drain creates a well-drained area for water to easily seep into. French drains are not as effective as channel drains or catch basins for removing large quantities of surface water, they are effective for drying out those areas that always seem to stay wet long after the rains have passed.
Contact a Professional
There are more drastic answers to pooling water, like building a roof over your patio or replacing it entirely, but you need accurate answers and estimates before making major decisions. Contact Irrigation Outlet to learn about available solutions and what will work best for you!
