Hiring a basement waterproofing professional is a key step to keeping your basement and foundation safe and dry. You can also reinforce this waterproofing with effective landscape design around your home. Here are our favorite tips and tricks for landscaping solutions that complement basement waterproofing.
Making the Grade
The basis of a successful landscape design that keeps water away from your home is proper grading. This means ensuring that there is a slight slope to the land around your home that encourages water to flow away from your house.
You’ll have to put in a little work on the front end to ensure the slope is correct, but gravity will take care of the rest! A properly graded lawn will do a great deal to keep excess water away from your basement and foundation.
Embrace Native Plants
Using indigenous plants is a time-tested method for managing excess water. Native plants thrive more easily than others and their root systems tend to be robust and expansive.
You can strategically plant native species between your yard and the street. Often called a “rain garden,” plants in this location will receive water coming from your home (via grading and drainage systems) and intercept water coming toward your home (from stormwater overflow, for example). Rain gardens are typically created in a slight depression to encourage excess water to flow there.
The strong root systems of native plants will help prevent erosion while absorbing significant amounts of water. The landscaped dip of a rain garden will help collect any extra water, and your native plants will thrive with minimal intervention.
Outside Drains and Trenches
Installing French drains is an excellent way to help water move away from your home. Located under the surface of your lawn, these drains are constructed to let water from the soil flow into a covered channel and away from your property.
Alternatively, you can also construct an open channel, similar to a dry creek bed, that will move excess water away from your property. While this is a less comprehensive solution, it can be a quicker and less expensive choice than installing French drains.
Overall, the name of the game is providing multiple ways for water to move away from your home. While you can’t eliminate all moisture around your property, ensuring that excess water can drain away from your house is key to keeping your basement and foundation dry.
For assistance with basement waterproofing and advice on landscape drainage, call the team at BelowDry Basement Waterproofing today. We are committed to keeping your property safe and dry and we’re here to put our 15+ years of experience to work for you. Our family-owned company is fully licensed and insured. We’re available for appointments seven days a week and we offer 24/7 emergency service. BelowDry Basement Waterproofing—Solving Your Wet Basement Problem For Good.