When you live in Barrington Hills, you know how often the weather can change. Going from hot to cold or sunny to rainy so quickly can wreak havoc on your home’s lawn. You can end up with pooling water, eroded soil, or even a damp basement if your yard gets too much stormwater. To avoid having to pay costly repairs to your home or business, you should call a professional yard drainage company.
If your lawn has excess water, you may stress over how to handle it. You and your family can’t enjoy your yard because it’s always soggy, or you can’t install the landscaping features you’d like because you’re afraid they’ll flood. Not to mention eroded soil can make your lawn look unappealing.
For all of your lawn’s drainage problems, call the experts at Ware Landscaping. We help Barrington Hills homes and businesses implement long-lasting drainage solutions that keep excess water away for 10 years or more.
Our Barrington Hills Drainage Services
We provide tailored drainage solutions to Barrington Hills homes and businesses. We can implement several types of drainage systems such as French drains, dry wells, gutter and sump pump combinations, and more. Our goal is finding the best solution for your home and ensuring it lasts for years to come.
When we install a new drainage system for your home or business, we follow a concise five-step process:
Assess. We’ll take a look at your lawn and evaluate your drainage problem for free. Once you hire us, we start digging.
Install a catch and release system. Next, we implement a system to catch stormwater runoff and redirect it to a low point or sewer.
Improve the downspouts. We then redirect the downspouts and ensure they connect to your home’s sump pump, if you have one.
Regrade. Some drainage systems require us to change the grade or slope of your yard to ensure water flows away from the house.
Apply finishing touches. Finally, when your drainage system is working properly, we install new sod throughout your yard so your property looks fresh and new.
Not every project is the same, so our process may vary a bit when we work on your property’s drainage problems. We’re confident that we can devise a solution that meets your needs and keeps your yard in great condition for years to come.
If your lawn is always wet or muddy, it could be due to:
Improper grading or sloping in your yard
Gutters and downspouts in poor condition
Lack of outlets for excess water
Over-irrigation
Poor soil structure
High water tables
Of course, most people can’t tell if their soil has poor structure or aren’t aware if their water table is high. Knowing the causes of poor lawn drainage is helpful — but mostly for your landscaping drainage contractor.
Easy Ways to Know if Your Lawn Has Poor Drainage
If you’re concerned about your waterlogged lawn or think you might have issues with drainage in your yard, you can look for these telltale signs:
Standing water in your yard
Cracks or leaks in your home’s foundation
Areas of your yard appear to be slowly disintegrating (soil erosion)
Bare spots or wet areas in your yard
Drains and catch basins full of debris such as leaves or trash
Overflowing gutters
Moist or wet basements
Any one of these problems could be a sign of poor lawn drainage. If you notice these symptoms at your home or business, you should contact a professional landscaping and drainage contractor for an evaluation.
Three Types of Landscape Drainage Systems
When your lawn is soggy or you’re having problems with excess water and moisture, you can typically choose one of these three types of exterior drains.
1. Dry well
A dry well is a basin installed underground that collects water runoff and slowly releases it back into the soil. Dry wells usually have a base of sand and rock around them. When the well pumps water back into the soil, the sand and rock prevents it from being reintroduced too quickly. The water goes into the soil a few feet underground, rather than on the surface of your lawn.
If you have too much water collecting in an area that is more difficult to redirect, like a driveway grate, then a dry well may be the best solution for you.
2. French drain
French drains are most common in lawns that have low lying areas. To install one, you have to dig a trench around the perimeter of your home, about 10 feet away from the foundation. The trenches contain pipes with gravel to help redirect water to plant beds or other landscaping features that need frequent watering.
It’s best to use a French drainage system when you have somewhere else to divert the accumulated water to.
3. Gutters and sump pump
Gutters are fitted at the base of the roof on most houses. They collect water runoff and send it to a downspout, which releases to a sump pump installed in the basement. The water then gets sent to an area with better drainage.
You typically need to have a basement or underground crawl space to use this drainage solution, because you need to be able to access the sump pump.
Which type of drainage system do you need?
A landscaping professional can let you know which type of drain is best for your property. At Ware Landscaping, we provide a complimentary assessment of your lawn. We inspect everything that could potentially be causing your drainage problems and recommend a solution tailored to your needs.
French drains are usually installed at homes that have issues with standing water in the yard, pooling water after heavy rains, or even water seeping into the house’s foundation. A French drain provides an easy channel for excess water to flow through, redirecting it away from the house and low-lying areas to spots with better drainage.
How do I add drainage to my yard?
If your yard has drainage issues and you want to install a system to address it, the best thing you can do is call a landscaping company. They’ll have the expertise you need to devise and implement a drainage solution that not only solves your yard’s drainage problems but also keeps those problems from coming back for several years afterward.
What is the most effective drainage system?
A French drain is one of the most effective drainage solutions for homes and businesses. It’s excellent for diverting water and can be used on properties that have improper grading. That doesn’t mean it’s the best solution for every property, though. If you want to ensure your drainage problems go away and stay away, consider contacting lawn drainage specialists.
How to fix a wet area in your yard?
To fix a wet area in your yard, you can try several things. Aerating the lawn helps water soak in better. You can also fill in any low spots where water collects. Regrading, or adjusting the slope of your yard, helps water flow away. Installing a French drain can move the water elsewhere. A rain garden is another option to catch water in one area. If the problem is bigger, you can switch to permeable pavers that let water pass through or plant wet-tolerant plants that thrive in soggy areas.
How do you deal with a waterlogged yard?
To deal with a waterlogged yard, start by aerating your lawn to help water drain better. You can also add topsoil and sand to improve drainage. Using moss killer and fertilizing the lawn will promote healthier grass. Creating a dry pathway helps water move away from wet areas. Collecting rainwater can also reduce the problem. Overseeding your lawn will thicken the grass, and if needed, you can dig a French drain to help water flow out of the yard.
Ware Landscaping can solve your drainage problems
A soggy lawn is stressful to deal with. Don’t let it ruin your enjoyment of your outdoor space and call our experts at Ware Landscaping at 630-557-8170. We provide free evaluations so you can know exactly what the causes of your poor drainage are before you decide to hire us.
“I contacted Mike at Ware Landscaping for help with fixing my flooded backyard and garage. Mike gave me an honest assessment of my situation and recommended the right system to fix my problems (a lot of issues). Ware Landscaping installed drainage, underground downspouts, underground sump pump lines, driveway drains and surface drains in the yard to fix all my problems.. The team was very professional and always asked for my approval on work being done before it was completed. They did a great job and we are very pleased!”
Jim Kristof
I recommend him without any hesitation.
“We had a water problem in our basement that Mike Ware completely eliminated by removing both our sump pump water and downspout water away from the home. He was professional and highly motivated to solve the problem and do it the right way. I always felt like a priority and that my project mattered. I recommend him without any hesitation.”
Michael Swider
FANTASTIC JOB!!!
Ware Landscaping did a FANTASTIC JOB!!! I needed my entire backyard regraded and they filled it in with more than 2 truck loads, installed a French drain and put new beautiful green sod on top. They also power washed and reset my front retaining wall. Communication from the beginning was always very good. We always knew when they were coming out. The project was completed on time as well. They also called on their own a month after the project to check on the sod and were willing to replace some spots due to the June heat wave. Would recommend Ware Landscaping to all!!!”
Dan Malloy
The entire crew were incredible, so friendly, knowledgeable, and paid attention to every detail.
“Mike, Greg and the rest of the crew made our back yard dream a reality with a drainage system to remove the stream that flowed through the middle of the yard, which flooded every rainstorm and stuck around for weeks. To complete the look in came a perfectly designed beautiful hardscape patio that we can’t wait to use this summer. The entire crew were incredible, so friendly, knowledgeable, and paid attention to every detail. Highly recommend!”
Katie Jankowski
The crew was fast, friendly, and tidy.
“We had a wooden deck for a front porch that was starting to age. When we removed it we saw that there was a concrete slab underneath it that was pitched toward our house, creating an issue with standing water up against our foundation. We had Mike come by to advise us on the best solution, and he suggested permeable pavers. We were able to come up with a custom design with him that day. The crew was fast, friendly, and tidy. I’m sure they do much bigger jobs than our little patio, but this project made a huge difference for our home.