Poor drainage around your home or yard can contribute to mosquitoes breeding. Some mosquitoes can bring health risks literally into your own back yard. Malaria, West Nile Virus, and canine heartworm are diseases all associated with mosquitoes. It is important to eliminate standing water and seepage to control mosquito larvae.
Causes of Poor Yard Drainage
Improper sloping around your home may cause water to pool in holes or depressions. Also, if your yard sits at a lower level than neighbors' yards, their water may naturally drain toward your yard. Soil type will also contribute to poor drainage. Clay soils will be more likely to hold water than sandy soils. Hard, compacted soil is also more likely to keep moisture from being absorbed appropriately. French Drain Installation Nashville
How to Install a Nashville French Drains
A Nashville French Drains may be a solution to your drainage problems. A Nashville French Drains, also known as a rock drain or a land drain, is simply a trench covered with gravel that directs surface or groundwater away from an area. In some cases, a Nashville French Drains may be more effective if a perforated drain pipe is laid in the trench with rock above and below. This allows water to seep through the rocks above or below into the pipe and be directed away.
While installation is not difficult, be prepared for investing quite a lot of time and labor if you plan to do it yourself. You may want to determine if hiring a contractor will be the best option for you. Many contractors will have trenching equipment and they can complete the job in just a few hours. However, as their fees include the cost of the equipment, their labor, and insurance, this may be a pricey option. You may also be able to rent trenching equipment for a reasonable daily rate.
Before you begin, determine where the water should drain. Depending on how serious the drainage problem is, you will also need to determine how large of a trench you will need to dig and if one or more perforated drain pipes should also be installed. There must be an appropriate slope to drain the water away from where it pools. Consult with neighbors if the drain will be close to their property line or if the drained water will impact them. Call the appropriate utilities to have them come to mark where cable, electrical, gas or water lines may be. This process may take a few days, so plan accordingly. Furthermore, be sure to find out if you will require a permit to install a drainage system. Water that drains into a storm drain must be free of contaminants and sediment. Many Nashville French Drains direct water into a dry well or rain garden. A dry well is a pit filled with gravel. A rain garden is a depression where plants absorb water directed there. Both can store excess water safely until the water is reabsorbed into the ground water.
To install the Nashville French Drains, dig an appropriately sized trench with an adequate slope. If you are doing this yourself, test how fast water drains on the angle of your slope. Place a layer of washed rock or gravel on the bottom. Install one or two perforated drain pipes if there is heavy water flow which needs to be diverted quickly. Then place another layer of washed rock or gravel over the top of the perforated drain pipes. Replace soil as needed.