Get Water Moving in the Right Direction
Water is essential for a healthy landscape.
Water in the wrong place is another story.
Standing water, soggy lawns, erosion, runoff, and drainage problems can make parts of your property difficult to use while creating ongoing problems for lawns and landscaping.
Shelton Lawn Sprinkler Company provides drainage solutions for homeowners and properties throughout Southwest Michigan.
We look at where the water is coming from, where it’s collecting, and how it moves through the property before recommending a solution.
Yard Drainage Solutions
Drainage problems aren’t always caused by one thing.
Property grading, soil conditions, downspouts, neighboring runoff, hard surfaces, landscape changes, irrigation, and low areas can all influence where water travels.
That’s why the first step shouldn’t simply be installing a drain.
The first step is understanding the water.
Signs You May Have a Drainage Problem
Some drainage problems are obvious. Others gradually become noticeable over time.
Watch for:
- Standing water after rain
- Areas of lawn that remain soggy
- Muddy sections of the yard
- Water collecting near patios or walkways
- Landscape beds that stay excessively wet
- Soil washing away
- Mulch repeatedly washing out of beds
- Water flowing across walkways
- Low areas that rarely dry
- Lawn areas that are difficult to mow because of moisture
- Water collecting where it shouldn’t
If the same area repeatedly has water problems, there’s usually a reason.
Standing Water in the Yard
A puddle after a heavy storm isn’t necessarily unusual.
Water that repeatedly sits in the same part of the yard long after surrounding areas have dried may indicate a drainage issue.
Low areas, compacted soil, grading, runoff, or other site conditions can contribute to the problem.
Shelton can evaluate the area and determine what options may help move or manage the water more effectively.
Soggy Lawn Areas
A constantly wet lawn can become difficult to use and maintain.
Grass may struggle, mowing becomes messy, and the area can remain soft long after rainfall.
The source isn’t always rainfall either.
Irrigation leaks, improper sprinkler coverage, grading, and runoff from surrounding areas can also contribute to wet lawn conditions.
Because Shelton also specializes in irrigation, we can consider whether the sprinkler system may be contributing to the problem.
French Drains & Underground Drainage
Depending on the property and source of the problem, an underground drainage system may help collect and redirect excess water.
French drains and other drainage approaches can be useful in certain situations where water needs a controlled path away from a problem area.
The appropriate solution depends on the conditions of the individual property.
Downspout Drainage
Your roof can collect a tremendous amount of water during a storm.
When downspouts release that water next to landscaping or into an already wet area, they can contribute to erosion, standing water, and oversaturated soil.
In appropriate situations, downspout drainage can help carry roof runoff away from problem areas and discharge it where the property can better handle the water.
Catch Basins & Surface Water Collection
When water naturally moves toward a particular low area, a catch basin may be one option for collecting surface water and directing it into a drainage system.
Proper placement matters.
A drainage inlet in the wrong location won’t solve the underlying problem, which is why we first look at how water actually moves across the site.
Grading & Landscape Drainage
Sometimes the landscape itself influences the drainage problem.
Changes in elevation, settled areas, landscape beds, patios, walkways, and other improvements can alter the direction water travels.
Drainage should therefore be considered when planning significant landscape or outdoor living improvements.
Addressing water movement during the planning stage can help prevent problems after the project is finished.
Erosion & Runoff
Moving water can be just as problematic as standing water.
Heavy runoff can wash away soil, disturb landscape beds, move mulch, and create channels through lawn areas.
The goal isn’t necessarily to stop water completely.
It’s to control where it travels and reduce the damage it causes along the way.
Is It Drainage—or Is It Your Sprinkler System?
This is an important question.
A persistently wet area isn’t always caused by rainwater.
A leaking irrigation line, damaged valve, sprinkler head problem, or incorrect watering schedule can create conditions that look like a drainage problem.
Because irrigation is one of Shelton’s core services, we can look at both sides of the equation.
Before adding drainage infrastructure, it makes sense to determine whether the sprinkler system is contributing to the excess water.
Drainage Before Landscaping
If you’re planning major landscaping improvements and already know the property has water problems, address them early.
Installing beautiful new landscaping over an unresolved drainage issue can lead to unnecessary problems later.
Drainage can be considered alongside:
- New landscaping
- Landscape renovation
- Patios
- Walkways
- Irrigation changes
- Ponds and water features
- Planting beds
- Other outdoor improvements
Planning the different systems together helps create a property that works as well as it looks.
Drainage Around Outdoor Living Areas
Patios and outdoor gathering spaces should be places you want to use—not places surrounded by standing water after every storm.
Before constructing or renovating an outdoor living area, we can consider how water currently moves through that portion of the property and whether drainage improvements should be incorporated.
Our Drainage Process
1. Identify the Problem
We start with the area where you’re seeing water and discuss when and how the problem occurs.
2. Evaluate the Property
We look at how water enters and moves through the site, including surrounding grades, landscaping, hard surfaces, downspouts, and irrigation where applicable.
3. Develop a Solution
Based on the conditions we find, we can recommend an approach designed around the property.
4. Complete the Work
Our team installs the drainage improvements and integrates them with the surrounding landscape.
Why Choose Shelton for Drainage Solutions?
We Understand Water
Shelton Lawn Sprinkler Company has worked with irrigation and landscapes for generations.
Understanding how water is delivered to a landscape also gives us valuable perspective when diagnosing where excess water may be coming from.
Serving Southwest Michigan Since 1961
We’ve been helping Southwest Michigan homeowners care for and improve their properties since 1961.
Family Owned
Shelton is a family-owned company with generations of outdoor experience.
We Look at the Entire Property
Drainage often intersects with irrigation, landscaping, patios, grading, and other outdoor features.
Our range of services allows us to look beyond the wet spot and consider what’s happening throughout the surrounding property.
Drainage FAQs
Why does water stand in my yard after it rains?
Standing water can result from low areas, soil conditions, grading, concentrated runoff, downspouts, landscape changes, or other property conditions. An evaluation can help identify the likely source.
What is a French drain?
A French drain is an underground drainage method designed to collect and redirect water through a gravel-filled trench containing perforated pipe. Whether it’s appropriate depends on the conditions of the property.
Can downspouts cause yard drainage problems?
Yes. Roof runoff concentrated in one location can contribute to oversaturated soil, erosion, and standing water. Extending or redirecting downspout drainage may be part of a solution in appropriate situations.
Could my sprinkler system be causing the wet area?
Yes. Irrigation leaks, valve problems, damaged lines, excessive watering, or poor sprinkler adjustment can contribute to wet areas. The irrigation system should be considered when diagnosing unexplained moisture.
Should drainage be installed before landscaping?
If a known drainage problem exists, it’s generally better to evaluate it before completing major landscape improvements. This allows drainage, landscaping, and irrigation to be planned together where appropriate.
Can you help with drainage around a patio?
Yes. Drainage can be evaluated as part of an outdoor living or patio project.
What type of drainage system do I need?
That depends on what’s causing the problem. Catch basins, underground drainage, downspout drainage, grading-related improvements, or other approaches may be appropriate depending on site conditions. The solution should be based on the property rather than chosen before the problem is evaluated.
Tired of the Soggy Yard?
You shouldn’t have to avoid part of your property every time it rains.
If standing water, runoff, erosion, or a persistently wet lawn is making your yard difficult to enjoy, Shelton Lawn Sprinkler Company can evaluate the problem and recommend a practical drainage solution.
Family owned and serving Southwest Michigan since 1961.