Top 3 Reasons You May Have Standing Water in Your Yard

If you have purchased a new home, or recently added fencing or landscaping to your home, and are noticing standing water in your yard, you may have one of the following three problems.

The top 3 reasons you may have standing water in your yard are:

1. A heavy rain event occurred within the past 48 hours.
2. Fencing is blocking proper drainage flow.
3. The initial grading plan was changed.

Proper grading occurs when an engineer takes careful consideration to plan out the original site. The landscaper then takes those plans and ensures that the final grade is established properly. Altering the original site grading without first consulting a professional landscaper could render the landscaping part of a homeowner warranty void. Improper grading could possibly lead to washouts (portions of land get washed away) and/or water damage to the exterior and interior of the home.

If you notice standing water in your yard there may be a grading or drainage problem which is most likely caused by one of the issues listed below.

1. A heavy rain event occurred within the past 48 hours.
   A properly graded yard with adequate drainage swales will ensure that water will not remain standing 48 hours after a heavy rain event. It is however, normal to see some pooling water immediately after a large storm.

2. Fencing is blocking proper drainage flow.
   Fencing that is placed low or close to the ground may affect the proper drainage of water. If a homeowner chooses to install his or her own fence, it’s important for them to consider the drainage pattern in the yard and not install the fencing in such as way as to block the natural drainage of the yard.

3. The initial grading plan was changed.
   A change in grading caused by landscape beds or other type of landscaping may increase the likelihood of standing water or other drainage issues. It is critical when adding or modifying the landscaping of your yard to take the original grading and drainage into account. If you block the drainage away from your home with new landscaping, you may end up with water damage to your home’s siding and interior.

A beautifully landscaped yard is a wonderful addition to a new home as well as a neighborhood. Keeping the above information in mind will ensure that you enjoy a home and yard free of any water drainage related issues.

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