Waterfront property is a major win—as long as the water is supposed to be there. Standing water in your yard is both an eyesore and a significant problem that affects the well-being of your lawn, the stability of your home’s foundation, and even the health of you and your family. Due to high annual rainfall, Nashville homeowners should understand the causes and solutions for standing water. Knowledge is essential for maintaining a beautiful and safe property, and Greenway of Nashville will help you understand what standing water is, see why it’s a problem, and provide effective strategies on how to get rid of standing water in a yard for good.

Standing Water Issues: Why Bad Yard Drainage Is a Problem

Standing water refers to any water that doesn’t drain away or evaporate within a reasonable time after a rainstorm or irrigation. It can accumulate in low-lying areas of your yard, around your home’s foundation, or in areas with poor drainage. This water often stagnates, becoming a breeding ground for pests like mosquitoes, which can carry diseases such as West Nile virus and Zika virus. It can attract other pests like rodents and snakes, making the yard a hazard to your health, as well as scary to spend time in.

Standing water can also cause lawn and garden damage. Excessive water can drown grass and plants by suffocating their roots, disrupting the oxygen exchange necessary for healthy plant growth. The resulting root rot leads to your expensive plants dying or trees becoming dangerously unstable. It’s not just organic matter that the liquid can damage. Prolonged exposure to standing water can weaken your home’s foundation, causing cracks and other structural issues. Water can also seep into your basement, leading to mold growth and other water damage problems. Once the foundation of your home is affected, it’s extremely costly to repair and impacts everything above it.

The sight of standing water on your property is generally not appealing. Pools of water in your yard can create muddy, unusable areas and detract from the overall appearance of your landscape. For those who pride themselves on the appearance of their home and landscape, standing water detracts from the view.

Causes of Standing Water in Your Yard

One of the most common causes of standing water is poor grading. If your yard is not properly sloped or leveled, water will not flow away from your home and can accumulate in low spots. This can be a natural slope that was there when the home was built, or it can be one that developed over time due to the impact of erosion. Drainage systems like French drains that were improperly installed can exacerbate this issue, failing to redirect water efficiently. Obstructions such as leaves, debris, and other organic matter can block natural drainage paths. This can occur in non-natural drainage solutions like gutters, downspouts, and yard drains as well, leading to water accumulation.

Certain soil types, like clay, have poor drainage capabilities. Clay soil tends to compact easily, preventing water from percolating through and leading to surface runoff and pooling. Having a clear understanding of the soil composition on your property affects what drainage approaches will best solve your standing water problem.

How Do You Deal With Standing Water on Your Property?

The right approach is likely a combination of methods and depends heavily on your location, soil type, and topography. Options include:

• Grade Your Yard: Proper grading is essential for effective drainage. Your yard should slope away from your home’s foundation at a slope of around 5%. This encourages water to flow away from your home and prevents it from pooling near the foundation. If the grade is too steep, though, it can lead to erosion, so finding the right balance is essential.
• Install a French Drain: A French drain is a trench filled with gravel or rock containing a PVC pipe that redirects surface water and groundwater away from an area. This is particularly useful in areas where water tends to accumulate and can help prevent standing water from forming. French drains should be carefully planned for proper placement, size, and installation to ensure proper working order so the approach doesn’t backfire.
• Create a Swale and Rain Garden: A swale is a shallow, broad depression designed to guide water runoff as well as provide some extra surface area for absorption. It is planted with native shrubs, perennials, and flowers to create a rain garden that helps to filter the water and improve soil infiltration. Rain gardens not only manage water but also add beauty and biodiversity to your yard.
• Maintain Gutters and Downspouts: Regularly cleaning and maintaining your gutters and downspouts ensures that water is directed away from your home. When heavy rains occur, any blockage in the gutter system will cause an overflow that settles right at the foundation. Degraded gutters leak and lead to the same problem. Extending downspouts away from the foundation helps prevent water from pooling near the base of your home.

Greenway Knows Exactly How to Fix Standing Water in a Yard

When it comes to solving a standing water issue, enlisting professional services from Greenway of Nashville of Nashville is the foolproof way to go. Ongoing damage, an improper approach, and an ineffective installation are risks with DIY attempts, often leading to bigger problems. Greenway of Nashville’s professional landscapers have the expertise and equipment to accurately assess your yard’s drainage needs during a free consultation. Yard drainage is one of our specialties, and you reap the benefits of the years of experience we bring to your property.

During the no-obligation consultation, we’ll work with you to understand the specific issues you’re facing. We then develop a customized plan that may include regrading, French drains, or other appropriate measures. Managing standing water is crucial for maintaining a healthy, beautiful, and safe yard. The complexity and labor involved in proper grading and drainage make our professional intervention your best path forward for work done right the first time. You get to put this project on auto-pilot and won’t have to worry about getting it done on your own.

Don’t Stand for Excess Water

Greenway of Nashville offers expert grading and drainage services tailored to your property’s needs. With our help, you will eliminate standing water issues and get back to enjoying your outdoor space. Schedule your free consultation with this easy form and take the first step toward reclaiming a yard that drains like it’s meant to.