3 Crucial Tips for Improving Your Stormwater Drainage Design
If your home does not have an efficient stormwater drainage design, you might experience a lot of problems when it rains. The inefficient flow of water could lead to flooding of your property. The resulting stagnant water could cause damage to your residential foundation, the driveway and your landscape. In addition, accumulated stormwater causes surfaces to be slippery, increasing the risk of slippage for both vehicles and pedestrians. Here are simple tips to help you improve your stormwater drainage setup.
1. Conduct a Review or Audit
You should begin your improvement efforts by identifying the problems with your stormwater drainage design. In general, you will be able to identify the source of inefficiencies by determining where water pools on your property during rainfall. For instance, if your entire property tends to flood after rain, the problem is likely to be the lack of sufficient sloping. If your drains are clean, but water tends to build up around them, there is a chance that your drainage channels are too small to handle the runoff efficiently. Evaluate these types of issues and find the causes of the problem.
2. Repair Worn-Out Drains
If your stormwater drainage system is old and worn out, you should plan for immediate repairs. Often, drainage channels and other similar features fail prematurely because small problems are ignored. For instance, if you have concrete drain channels, you should seal the cracks. Otherwise, the cracks will keep expanding, and over time, the entire structure will fall apart. Remember, the cost of repairing minor damage is lower than replacing the complete system. You should also check on the state of the drain grates. These grates are essential for preventing the flow of debris into your drains. Therefore, you should replace them if they are damaged to prevent blockages.
3. Consider Installing New Drains
You should consider the possibility of installing new drains or replacing your old ones if the stormwater runoff is problematic on your property. For instance, this is an ideal solution if your current drains are not allowing the rainwater to flow away fast enough. If your drains are in good condition and optimally located on your property, you will only need to expand their size to increase their inefficiency. On the other hand, if there are certain areas on your property which do not have a drainage channel, you will need to build new trenches to promote the flow of water. It is essential to note that expanding and building drains can be challenging, so consult an experienced contractor for professional help.