Improper Grading – One of the most common mistakes contractors make is not providing enough change in elevation to allow for surface drainage. Proper grading goes hand-in-hand with drainage solutions.

Settling – Sink holes and settling create areas that do not drain off. Settling itself can be a result of poor subsurface compaction, soil type, or buried debris and/or roots decomposing. Sometimes filling in a sinkhole without determining the problem will put you right back where you started.

Constant Source – An area that has a constant source of water will continue to be an issue even if surface drainage is adequate. Underground springs are more common than most people realize, and when the water table is high, they can be very persistent in your yard, crawl space, etc. Your air conditioner’s condensation line is another common source of water, especially during the warmer months due to its continuous activity.

Inadequate Drain System – Some drain systems prove to be inadequate over time for many reasons. Sometimes they get stopped up, clogged, crushed, or buried. Other times the size, location or even type of system that was originally installed was not sufficient to handle the need. This includes the use of corrugated pipe. Corrugated pipe should never be used on any drainage project.
Fixed Elevations – When working around structures, driveways, sidewalks and roads, there are always limitations for where water can drain.

Proper Grading – If surface drainage is possible, grading is often the most inexpensive and most effective solution to correcting an area with poor drainage. Piping can only hold so much water at one given time.

Catch Basins – Catch basins are simply a reservoir for collecting surface drainage or runoff. Anytime your source of water is above ground, a catch basin can collect the water so that it can be piped away underground. Basins are used primarily when grading is either not possible or when it would create an undesired / unusable space.

French Drains – Often misused and certainly overused, French drains in the landscape are primarily needed to collect water that’s underground, seeping to the surface. They can also be very effective when placed along a foundation or crawl space to allow an escape for excessive moisture under and around the home. French drains use a combination of perforated pipe, filter fabric, and gravel to capture the water, which can then be piped away.