The natural terrain of the local landscape makes homeowners in the Rhode Island and Southeastern Massachusetts region ripe for lawn drainage problems. Pawtucket landscaping should be designed with water flow in mind, grading the earth so that water flows away from your home’s foundation instead of pulling it underneath or inside. Unfortunately, many homes were designed in this manner, causing homeowners to seek out residential drainage systems and other types of yard drainage solutions. If this describes your situation, then keep reading. This article will focus on how to prevent and fix the most common drainage issues that affect homeowners in the southeastern portion of New England.

Solutions for a SOGGY Lawn
Living in a part of the country that gets more than its fair share of rain and weather is part of the problem with local landscaping issues. However, even in areas where there isn’t a lot of rainfall, homeowners can have problems if the grading isn’t properly designed. Water puddling within the lawn or landscaped areas that drain toward the home’s foundation is a recipe for disaster. Mold, mildew and water damage are just the beginning, so its important to nip this type of situation in the bud as soon as possible with one of the following yard drainage solutions.

• SWALE – Do you know what a swale is? While you might not know the word, chances are you have seen these types of yard drainage solutions in action right here in Rhode Island. There are two common types of swales used in New England: grassy and rock. A grassy swale is an area of your lawn that has been graded with the intention of directing water. Even a small one inch drop for every ten feet of property is enough of a grade for water to effectively flow away from the home. A rock-based swale is used often, appearing in front, side and backyards as a dry creek bed made of river rocks and carefully decorated with water-loving plants. Again, even a small drop in a rock-based swale that leads water away from your home and out onto the street or neighborhood sewer grate is beneficial.
• FRENCH DRAIN – This is the most widely-used type of residential drainage systems used in Pawtucket landscaping and across the country. A French drain is made of a perforated pipe that is wrapped in filter fabric to keep particles and mud out that is surrounded by gravel. Yard drainage solutions like this one are meant to direct the water to a drain system rather than dispersing it through the landscape or pushing it out to the street. This system is similar to a traditional septic system in the way that it works which, incidentally, was also first invented and used in France.
• BOG AREA – Many of the native plants in Rhode Island and Massachusetts will benefit greatly from extra water, so Pawtucket landscaping often includes these plants to help sop up extra water from a soggy lawn. Willows, dogwoods and other regional water-loving plants can be added to boggy areas to prevent flooding from reaching your home. Solutions like these can be couple with other types of yard drainage solutions and residential drainage systems for extra protection, particularly during stormy weather when even street sewers can overflow.
• DRY WELL – A relatively new addition to residential drainage systems, a dry well is a sustainable, environmentally-friendly alternative that discharges excess storm water into an underground storage well rather than allowing it to soak into the soil or push it off into the street sewer grates. The water gets into the well through the use of drains and downspouts, eventually filtering out of the well and then back into the local groundwater tables. However, because it is a new type of system for Pawtucket landscaping, it might be difficult to find an installer or it may cost more to get installed.

Common Lawn Drainage Problems… and Solutions!
In addition to these typical lawn drainage problems there are other factors that can cause Pawtucket landscaping to become soggy and flooded or push water toward the foundation of your home. In addition to identifying these problems, we also have provided some simple yard drainage solutions that can help.

#1 – Overflowing Downspouts
What’s the point of having a downspout if there is no place for the water to go? Many homes have gutter systems that empty down into a downspout, but if the water just puddles at the base of the spout and then ultimately ends up as standing water or flowing back toward the home, then it has all been installed for nothing.
SOLUTION – use a grassy swale or plastic corrugated tubes underground to direct drain spout drainage away from your home and off your lawn.

#2 – Grade Issues
Do you know how the grading is structured around your home? If you have flooded areas and parts of your lawn that don’t seem to retain enough water to grow right, chances are you have grading issues. Even if you aren’t over watering your lawn, your neighbors’ sprinkler system could be directing water onto your property, causing lawn drainage problems and flooding at the base of your home.
SOLUTION – Get a professional evaluation by a reputable Pawtucket landscaping service to find out if an underground drainage system, such as a dry well or a French drain might help solve your grading issues. If the grading is extreme, you might need to make some structural changes to your lawn and property to avert the water away from your home.

#3 – Flooding
If you have water in your basement or crawl space, chances are your home has a slope that is pushing water toward your foundation. While some homeowners spend thousands of dollars to treat the problem underground in the basement itself, prevention is usually the best solution.
SOLUTION – Update the grading on your property to move water away from your home. Consider combining this effort with an underground drain or bog area to help soak up any excess water and keep it away from the foundation.

Materials for Pawtucket Landscaping

J&J Materials is located in Southeastern Massachusetts with one location in Seekonk and another in Bourne. Delivery is available for homeowners and property owners throughout Southeastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island, including Pawtucket and Providence. All of the materials that you need to solve your lawn drainage problems, including gravel and stone for residential drainage systems, natural stone edging, mulch, loam and permeable pavers are all available at J&J Materials. Stop by one of our locations and get all of the products you need to achieve your yard drainage solutions to improve your Pawtucket landscaping.