GInstitute Home Improvement and Remodelling

When you have drainage problems, you will need to work on repairs until you correct them. That’s why it’s so important to know what to do whenever water flow gets stopped or stuck up on your roof, or starts to enter your house.

Set a Goal

Examine your drainage trouble and determine if this is something you can fix by yourself. Sometimes, your drainage problem is a simple as a clogged gutter or drain, which merely needs to be cleaned out. Such blocked gutters can cause water to build up in the foundation of your home, which can then lead to a damp basement and potential mold or mildew problems. As a matter of maintenance, always check and clean out gutters and downspouts, and don’t let leaves, twigs, seeds, and other such things build up.

However, if you’re plagued by a creek or ditch, which never fails to overflow after a heavy rain, your options are limited, unless your drainage correction goal reaches beyond correcting your property. In most cases, however, the best solution is to dig yourself a ditch, which gives water drainage the most possibilities before it exits your property.

If a Ditch is Required

Since gravity causes water to flow downward, the end of your ditch should be at the lowest point on your property, and that place where water builds up most during big rainstorms, should be the top. Also, keep in mind that a ditch, which is low in the middle, could lead to a breeding ground for mosquitoes.

Consider an Alternative to a Ditch

If you’re set against having a ditch on your property, you may want to consider filling the ditch with gravel. And once you have done so, you might then cover that gravel with particular sorts of cloth or screen, which delay root growth in the gravel. However, eventually root growth in the gravel will slow down drainage.

Consider Using Pipes

You may also choose to place pipes in your ditches. If you do so, keep in mind that if you put in thin-walled pipes to save money and then later need a plumber to clear the pipes, the plumber’s rooter will tear them up.

Be Aware of Drainage Maintenance

After a while, the drainage path you’ve dug might not do the job very well anymore. If so, you can dig another ditch nearby to your original one. However, due to land erosion, this next ditch might require an alternative path.