Why Are There Drains in the Yard?

Function

• One of the most common yard drains are French drains. Despite the name, French drains were introduced by Henry French, a judge and farmer who wrote about farm drainage during the mid-1800s. In French drains, a pipe with small holes is placed into a shallow, underground trench where water flows. If the pipe is installed properly, excess water that flows above the trench eventually seeps through the lawn into the pipe, which carries the water into the street or nearby sewer.

Benefits

• In addition to keeping your lawn free of mud and standing water, yard drains prevent surfaces from becoming slippery and unsafe. Water can pool and eventually run onto front walkways or back patios if left unchecked. Also, drainage problems can lead to insect issues, creating ideal breeding conditions for mosquitoes and other pests. Unlike downspouts, which sometimes dump water against the home’s foundation, yard drains lead water away from the property. This avoids additional issues, such as wet or flooded basements. Finally, yard drains keep lawns and gardens healthy and aesthetically-pleasing.

Considerations

• Before installing a yard drain, figure out where the water is coming from and where it needs to go. For instance, some cities have separate sewers for surface and underground water, requiring run-off from homes to enter a surface water system. Moreover, digging yard drains is intensive and expensive work. Decide whether it makes sense to dig the trench yourself then hire a landscaping professional to install the actual drain. You will also need to determine if your yard requires a perforated curtain drain for surface water, a deep or footing drain to catch water around the basement level or an interior drain to catch water seeping through your basement walls.

Alternatives

• Before spending significant time, money and effort installing a yard drain, research cheaper alternatives that can provide solutions to your drainage issue. For example, wide gutters with extra downspouts that lead away from your home's foundation can alleviate flooding and excess water. According to "The Family Handyman" magazine, slopes that lead to homes and small depressions in yards also cause pooling and excess drainage from rooftops. However, the magazine’s experts suggest that ensuring the soil slopes away from your home can be another method for diverting water away from your foundation.