Soil Erosion Tips to save your yard and Foundation!

Did you know: You are losing 1% of your precious topsoil per year? One of the main causes of soil erosion in your yard is splash erosion. Luckily, most lawn erosion problems are preventable. Here are six helpful tips to tackle erosion problems head on!

1. Employ a rain barrel or other form of water catchment system. Divert water to the garden or store it. Monitor your homes drainage during a storm. If you have a grated drainage system that moves water downslope, keep the drains free of leaves and debris. 

2.  A 'rain garden' can soak up excess moisture and stop runoff by 50%. Look for native plants with absorbent root structures. Plants act as ground covers; whether they're vines, shrubs, trees or grass. Almost every plant can prevent soil erosion around them, but for best results, there should be a large number in one place to hold the soil.

3. Use landscaping or decorative measures that serve a dual purpose like landscape timbers, concrete pavers, liners, rocks or gravel. Use mulch whenever possible in the garden. Bald spots in your lawn can be bad news too. Build terraces or a retaining wall. Any mid-yard structure will do a good job of stopping water and soil from leaving your yard.

4. Install a French drain system around the house foundation or dig a trench, line it with gravel and place a special drain with perforations in it to pull the water away from the house. This works best for raised floor foundations with footings below ground level. Cover the drain with gravel, and then add soil over the gravel. Make certain the trench has a 3 percent to 5 percent downslope to it to allow the flow of water away from the foundation.

5. Add gutters downspouts and diverters to the eaves of your roof to catch rain when it falls and direct it where you want it to go. Set downspouts so that they drain the water from the roof at least 5 feet from the house for homes built on sandy or compacted soil, or at least 10 feet away from the house on soils that expand. The gutters go on the long end of the house eaves, not on the gable ends.

6. Assess the slope around the foundation. The soil should slope between 3 percent to 5 percent within 10 feet of the foundation. If it does not, add soil and a ground cover to keep it in place. If you cannot repair the grade, dig down and add a moisture barrier to the foundation, if possible. Otherwise, create a swale with a slight downslope to channel water away from the house. You can line the swale with concrete or rock. 

Remember a regular gutter cleaning can keep gutters flowing and drains draining. Our crews can also assess the way your system is functioning and recommend repairs or replacement options. Give us a call to book a cleaning after the leaves have fallen.