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Water, Water Everywhere -- 3 Tips For Improving The Drainage In Your Front Yard

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If you suffer from poor drainage in your front yard, you're probably tired of dealing with a soggy lawn and unsightly puddles around your hardscaping. But, how can you fix the problem so that your front yard is a joy instead of a chore during the wintry season? Here are 3 tips for any size drainage problem.

Improve the Slope. Whether it's the lawn itself or the hardscaping (like the paver driveways or walkways) that fills with water, managing the slope can vastly improve the situation. To begin with, the driveway should not be in a lower-lying area of the yard, and then it should gently slope away from the house to allow water to flow in the correct direction. You may be able to better angle the driveway's slope away from the lawn as well, perhaps steering water toward the other (less used) side of the parking area. Improving the slope of the yard can be done in a similar manner... and is probably a lot easier since you're only working with greenery and soil.

Use Pavers. A lot of hardscape features -- like the driveway, porches, and paths -- leave no room for rain water to be absorbed into the ground and disappear. A good solution is to use a more permeable hardscaping, like pavers and flagstone. You can even get rid of a large and unforgiving driveway built with concrete and replace it with a more eco-friendly paver driveway that provides a nice place for cars to park while allowing water to be better absorbed between the pavers instead of running off into your yard. The same solution can work if you have a large porch or planted area near the front of the house.

Add a French Drain. A French drain is a method of diverting water underneath the ground, and it can often be done on your own. It's basically a trench dug into the problem area that leads water to a safer place. Line the trench with pebbles or crushed rock, then place a flexible perforated pipe in the center. Cover with more crushed stone and replant the soil above it. Water absorbs into the rock and then into the perforated pipe, where it can be carried to a better location you've selected (often near the road, for example).

No matter whether your drainage issues are large or small, you can find a great solution that will result in a happier yard and a happier homeowner.


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