How to Ensure Proper Drainage in Your Backyard

The monsoon storms in Arizona can pour an alarming amount of water onto your property in a short amount of time. Is your backyard equipped to handle the precipitation? If you’ve previously had problems with water drainage, consider talking to a professional landscaping company before the next big storm hits.

Ensure that your backyard is graded properly.

Good drainage starts with the proper grading. The slope of the ground should always go down as it moves away from the house. Ideally, the slope should be between two and five percent. This means that for every 10 feet you move away from your home, the ground elevation decreases between two and five inches. New construction builders should have the ground properly graded before they sell the home, but if yours isn’t graded correctly, you can consult a landscaping company to find out about your options.

Check your downspouts.

If you’ve noticed standing water or soggy areas in your yard, the problem could be something as simple as a misdirected downspout. Check each of your downspouts to see if they are pointing toward a low part of the yard. If so, redirect them. If you have a sump pump in your basement, you should also check the direction of the discharge pipe.

Install new gutters.

Plenty of homes in Arizona are built without any gutters at all. Gutters might seem superfluous in a desert region. However, if you don’t have gutters, the water from the monsoon rains pours straight down off the roof. It pools around the walls, causing foundation damage. It may even wash away smaller, shallow-rooted plants that are located close to your home. If your home lacks gutters, consider installing them as a way to get a handle on your drainage issues.

Since 1985, residents and business owners in the Tucson area have turned to Santa Rita Landscaping for exceptional service and unbeatable expertise. Our award-winning services include rough grades, finish grades, and landscaping to ensure proper drainage. Call (520) 623-0421.