By Brian Coffey, owner of Innovative Construction
Standing water in the yard, a soggy spot that never dries out, or a damp crawl space after every heavy rain. If any of that sounds familiar, you’re not alone. Southeast Kentucky gets plenty of rain, and between hillsides, clay soil and rocky ground, water doesn’t always go where you want it to. The good news is that most drainage problems can be fixed.
Signs you have a drainage problem
Puddles or soggy areas that stay wet for days after it rains
Water pooling against your foundation or running toward the house
A damp or musty crawl space or basement
Erosion, washed-out gravel or ruts in the driveway
Mildew or rot on the lower parts of siding, decks or porch posts
Why standing water causes so much damage
Water that sits near your home works its way into foundations, crawl spaces and framing. Over time that can lead to mold, wood rot, settling and cracked concrete. Fixing drainage early is almost always cheaper than repairing the damage it causes later.
Grading: getting the slope right
Often the first fix is grading, which means reshaping the ground so it slopes away from your home or building. Even a small change in slope near the foundation can make a big difference in where the water ends up.
French drains: moving water where you want it
A French drain is a gravel-filled trench with a perforated pipe that collects water underground and carries it away to a safe spot downhill. It’s a great fix for low spots, soggy yards and runoff coming down a hillside toward your house. A well-built French drain is mostly invisible once it’s finished.
Other drainage fixes
Depending on your property, the right answer might also include downspout extensions or buried downspout lines, swales that guide surface water around a building, or hardscaping and retaining walls on steeper ground. The best results usually come from combining a few of these.
Plan drainage with your next project
If you’re adding a deck, pole barn, garage or patio, it’s the perfect time to fix drainage too. We handle site prep, grading, French drains and hardscapes with our own equipment, so drainage gets built into the project instead of becoming an afterthought.
Dealing with water problems on your property? Request a free quote or call or text (606) 310-0516. We’ll come take a look and give you a straight answer on what it will take.
