Better Yard Drainage

Drain water away from your home and dry out your soggy yard with this in-ground system.

Drain the Water

If you happen to be among the unlucky 60 percent of homeowners who have some type of water problem in their yard, you've got two options: Sell your house and buy one of the homes from the other 40 percent, or roll up your sleeves and deal with it.

Most wet yards can be drained effectively. It's rare to have unsolvable water problems such as a low water table that pushes water up from below. If you're in this sorry situation, however, consult a pro?it's nearly impossible to fix unless you have a sump pump and a place to dump all that water.

In this article, we'll familiarize you with the products available and show you a step-by-step method of getting rid of excess rainwater and draining it clear of the house. We can't guarantee that a system like this will dry up all your water troubles, but it'll definitely help.

Determine The Source Of Your Water Problem
In most cases, it's pretty obvious where the water is coming from. Often there's a slope approaching the house, a depression in the yard that causes pooling, or excess roof water draining next to the foundation. You can take care of minor foundation drainage problems by making sure the soil slopes away from the house. Also, properly installed gutters, with a well-directed downspout that empties clear of the foundation, can be very effective. If you've already zeroed in on those solutions and still need help, stick with this article.

Find A Place To Drain Excess Water
Assuming your lot isn't shaped like a large salad bowl with the house at the bottom center, look for a spot that's lower than the house to drain the excess water. If one of those spots is right next to your neighbor's garage, resist the temptation. If the lay of the land isn't obvious, use a line level with stakes and a tape measure (see Photo 6) to check for water escape routes. Remember, you might not be able to use all the techniques we show, so pick those that best meet your needs.

Some soils are tough-going: The soil we dug up for our 70-ft. long trench and dry well was among the worst (next to solid rock) for digging. The mostly clay soil (a poor-draining type) was full of 4- to 8-in. a far cry from the ideal sand soil. The digging took me and a helper two solid days of backbreaking labor. With any luck, yours will be a lot easier to dig, but be prepared. Get a large chisel-point bar (Photo 1) to pry stones out of the way just to make room for each shovelful.

Dig a hole deep enough to accommodate your dry well and the overflow tube. Haul away most of the dirt, but keep some handy to partially refill the hole.

Dig the trench deep enough to drain downhill from the side of the dry well. You'll also need at least 3 in. of crushed rock to add to the bottom of the trench to promote water absorption.

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When my son joined the Marine Corps, his cousin was already an Army officer. The two were home on leave at the same time, and had a wonderful time exchanging stories. But after hearing one Marine joke too many, my son finally chastised his cousin with: "Man, haven't you learned what ARMY stands for?""No, what?" "Ain't Ready for Marines Yet."

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