Drainage Solutions in Tampa & St. Petersburg

Prevent Foundation Damage with Effective Yard Drainage

Backyard pools and Florida homes--there's no better combination. Unless, of course, you're talking about the kind of "pool" that only appears after tropical storms and torrential downpours. If your backyard floods every time it rains, you might be in need of exterior drainage solutions.

When poor grading, too many plants, and inadequate water diversion frequently cause water to pool around your home, serious foundation damage could be just around the corner. Investing in proper drainage systems is the best way to prevent flooded crawl spaces, basements, and damaged foundations. Unlike landscapers, the yard drainage professionals at LRE Foundation Repair have the knowledge, experience, and equipment to diagnose the root cause of your yard's drainage problem and provide long-term solutions that address the underlying drainage issues. Whether it's a French drain, percolation trench, or simply better downspouts, we can design a custom solution to keep your yard dry and protect your home against water damage.

For a free inspection on a yard drainage system, contact us today. As drainage contractors, we offer an on-site evaluation at no obligation in Tampa, Orlando, St. Petersburg and the surrounding areas.

Drainage Problems

Why is My Yard Flooding?

The first step in finding a solution is discovering the problem. When an LRE Foundation Repair yard drainage contractor visits your home, they'll start by diagnosing your precise drainage problems. To give you an idea of what those could be, here are some common drainage system problems:

Poor Grading

Yard grading is designed to slope away from the home in order to divert groundwater away from the home. Poor grading is considered to be any yard slope that encourages water to lay stagnant after falling--causing large puddles--or to drain towards your home--causing water pressure to harm your foundation walls.

Too Many Plants

Having a large number of plants around your foundation can be dangerous, and not because their roots have the supernatural ability to grow through foundation walls. While it may seem like plants would help control water by absorbing it through their roots, root systems actually draw water and hold it to be absorbed slowly over time. Roots can also cause dense soil, making it more difficult for the soil to absorb water.

Inadequate Water Diversion

Gutters are a necessary part of any home's drainage system. They collect and channel rainwater from the roof away from the house. Without them, water runoff can damage the walls, foundation, siding, and landscaping. However, it's necessary for downspouts to extend far enough away from the home to prevent the soil near the foundation from getting oversaturated.

Identifying Yard Drainage Problems

Heavy spring rains, tropical storms, hurricanes, and poor rainwater drainage contribute to flooding, foundation leaks, wet crawl spaces, mold growth, and structural damage in Florida homes. If you're experiencing any signs of a drainage problem, take action to prevent severe water damage by scheduling a free evaluation and estimate today.

Signs of Poor Yard Drainage:

• Downspouts draining water near the foundation
• Water in the crawl space
• Water entering the home through a concrete slab foundation
• Water pooling on the driveway, walkway, patio, or pool deck
• Mold, mildew, or wood rot in the crawl space

Drainage Systems

How to Drain Water Away From My House?

If you're experiencing any of these rainage problems, LRE Foundation Repair can help you find yard drainage systems to protect your landscaping and your foundation. We offer the following exterior drainage solutions:

French Drain

A French drain can help solve a variety of drainage problems. It disperses water over a large area through a buried, perforated pipe. The EZ-Flow French drain solution is a subsurface drainage alternative to a traditional stone-and-pipe drainage system. This French drain system is ideal for retaining walls, foundation and footing perimeter drains, and landscape drains. The gravel-free EZ-Flow French drain system outperforms traditional systems, saving time and money.

Learn more about French drains from LRE Foundation Repair

Downspout Drainage

The downspout is the vertical drainage channel that extends from the roof to the ground. Water flows through the gutter into the downspout and down to the ground. Downspout extensions ensure that the water drains a safe distance away from the foundation and landscaping, preventing water seepage and erosion. LRE Foundation Repair installs downspout extensions to improve drainage around the foundation.

Learn more about downspout drainage.

Trench Drain/Channel Drain

A trench drain, sometimes referred to as a channel drain, is a surface drainage solution that prevents water from entering your house through doorways and stairways. The drainage system collects water and drains it to a perimeter drainage system and sump pump. A trench drain can help prevent water damage to your basement or garage, keeping your home safe and dry.

As Tampa area drainage contractors, we often get questions asking what the difference is between a French drain and a trench drain because of the similarity in their names. Despite the fact that the names sound close to identical and that they're both exterior drainage systems, these solutions are completely different. A trench drain is designed to remove surface water and a French drain is designed to remove groundwater that has already saturated past the surface. French drains capture the groundwater while a trench drain works to quickly remove surface water before it can soak.

Learn more about the trench drain system.

Catch Basin

A catch basin is placed in the ground near areas of standing water to improve yard drainage and help prevent damage to the home and property. Excess water and sediment drain through a grate in the top of the catch basin. The water collects and drains into an underground drainage system.

Learn more about a catch basin.

Percolation Trench

A percolation trench is a shallow excavated trench filled with gravel or crushed stone. A percolation trench, similar to a French drain or dry well, is used to control stormwater runoff to prevent flooding and erosion. A percolation trench is commonly used to treat runoff from sidewalks and driveways.

Learn more about percolation trenches.

Get a free inspection on a yard drainage system

If you're interested in having an exterior drainage system installed to help protect your home's foundation and your landscaping, contact LRE Foundation Repair for a no-obligation consultation and free inspection today, offered in Tampa and throughout Central Florida.