How Do I Protect My Home and Property From Excess Water?
Posted on December 12, 2013Protecting your home and property from excess water is very important as water is a very destructive element and a force to be reckoned with when it is where it doesn’t belong. Most often, excess water can come from either rainfall events or your sprinkler system. The first step is determining how the excess water is getting to where it doesn’t belong. Does your property slope towards your house? Does water from the roof fall directly next to the house? Is your sprinkler system not operating properly? No matter the location of the excess water, the solution always involves redirecting the water.
If your property slopes towards your house, or if you have low areas that collect water, consider re-grading the slope or redesigning your flowerbeds and shrub gardens. If this is not an option for your property, consider installing a sub-grade drainage system, such as a French drain, that will allow the excess water on your property to drain to the street or to a collection point.
For situations where water from the roof falls directly next to the house, a realistic solution is to install rain gutters around your house. It’s great to have gutters at the front and back of the house, but the sides need it too. According to Phillips Gutters (www.phillipsgutters.com), “Directing water is for the benefit of your roof, your brick and siding, your foundation, and your landscaping.” If you already have rain gutters around your house, regularly clean them out along with the down spouts to ensure that when it does rain, your gutter system will function properly and protect your home.
A poorly functioning sprinkler system can also add excess water to your property. A leak in your system will cause large amounts of water to pool and pond near your house or in other areas on your property. Misaligned spray heads may be spraying directly onto your house or fence, causing damage. Water should only be touching soil or vegetation. Your sprinkler system may be set to water too often or for too long. Our clay-rich soils can’t absorb water at a fast rate, so give it time for the water to soak in before starting another cycle. Regularly check your sprinkler system for leaks and problems with the spray heads – you may be able to catch a small problem before it becomes a big one. Also, set your sprinkler system to run according to the watering restrictions set by your city or the North Texas Municipal Water District (NTMWD). Currently in these winter months, the NTMWD allows watering once every two weeks and stated “Landscape experts point out that lawns become dormant during winter months and require less water.” (www.ntmwd.com)
Although every situation is different, and every home and property is unique, there is a solution out there that will help to protect your home and property from excess water.
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