It’s spring, and as much as you want to enjoy the green leaves and the smell of rain, you have bigger things to worry about, like your patio flooding.
The most common cause of your Patio being flooded is a poor drainage system or no drainage system. This problem is also common to old and new patios. So how do you keep your Patio from flooding?
We have explained some essential solutions to this problem, diving into their causes and the problems that this folding can cause.
My Patio Floods When It Rains, What Causes It?
The main cause of flooding in your Patio is a poor drainage system. Whether it’s rain or a water leak, your Patio will be flooded with a clogged gutter, as the water cannot be channeled away from your surrounding area into a bigger drain. A poorly constructed drainage system
Not having a drainage system also causes your Patio to be swamped with water. This is because, after heavy rainfall, the water cannot roll off into a drain, so it stays that way instead of being drained.
Drainage Systems To Consider
If you do not have a drain in your yard or want to put in more drains, here are options you can consider.
1. Rain Barrel
If you have an empty barrel not being used, you can place it directly underneath your gutter or downspout to collect water instead of spilling it around.
The advantage of this method is that the water you collect is useful and can be used later on; however, this method is not suitable for heavy rainfall as the barrel will overflow.
2. Channel Drain
A Channel drain is a great setup if you aim for a drainage system that adds to the good look of your yard. This drainage system is great if your surrounding area is asphalt or concrete. The water that flows through this channel flows in another direction.
3. Catch basin
This flat drainage system with in-ground pipes leads the water elsewhere. It is better installed just below your gutter to prevent water from pooling around that area, and it should be covered with a mesh to prevent debris from clogging the pipes.
4. Downspout extension
This is another way of channeling water away from the ground below your gutter. You can attach an extension that leads the water to a place farther away from where they flow properly. This method prevents the ground surrounding your gutter from being flooded.
5. Yard drain
This drain is concealed and hidden amid your lawn. If collects water that may remain on your lawn and this water is channeled through in-ground pipes to a bigger gutter. They also have a mesh covering them to prevent debris like dry leaves from getting inside them.
6. Dry wells
You can build a sump pump and connect it to a dry well. This sump pump is a deep hole that collects rainwater and channels them to a dry well through in-ground pipes. The well should be properly covered to prevent any accidents around. This is one option to consider if you wish to store water long-term.
7. French drain
A French drain is created by digging a drainage path in your yard. It is muddy and easy to take up as a DIY project, but you can contact a professional to get the job done.
Another way of constructing a French drain is by putting a PVC pipe in the hole you’ve dug and then covering it with gravel to make it look better. You can also seal the top with some rocks or use the rocks to decorate the edges.
How To Fix Flooding Patio
Here are 6 ways to fix flooding Patio and prevent your Patio from being flooded either by heavy rains or a major water spill. These methods are confirmed and tested to work accurately.
1. Add Gravel to Your Patio
This may seem odd, but it effectively keeps water out of your outdoor space. However, this method is unsuitable for every type of Patio as gravel increases its permeability to water. You can consider this method if you want something easy and a method that does not alter your home aesthetic.
This method can also be applied to cement and flagstone patios, but you will need to carefully cut out sections with gravel. Like the pavers, they help prevent your Patio from being flooded and do not alter your home theme.
2. Alter the Construction of Your Patio
This is a huge step and a renovation of your entire Patio. The aim is to change the slope to be a little down to direct water towards a drain. This way, your Patio is not flooded, and when it rains heavily, it is directed elsewhere.
This job needs to be done by a professional that can alter the slope and still fix your Patio to match the rest of the surrounding area. Another way to do this is by mud jacking, which should also be done by a professional.
3. Installation of a Permeable Surface
This method requires you to seal our patio area with a material that allows water to pass through it easily. If you have a paver patio, you can remove some rows and replace them with gravel, plant grass beneath them, or use permeable concrete made of small stones. The only downside to permeable concrete is that it is rougher than the usual concrete floor.
You can also choose to use interlocks with space between them that can be filled with small gravel or some fine rocks.
4. Clogged drain
Sometimes the smallest issue can lead to the biggest problems. Check your drain properly and ensure the pipes are not clogged with debris or other materials.
You can tell your drain is clogged if it takes longer than usual to drain a small amount of water. If your drain is clogged, you can notice a terrible smell around the drainage area resulting from piling up waste.
Debris floating out the drain is another sign that your drain is clogged. With water not moving through easily, if rises dirt from the drain unto the surface, this dirt float to other parts of the yard. Other signs include a spike in your water bill, wet spots, and unusual lawn features.
5. Improve your soil drainage
If your soil is exposed in your patio design, you should consider improving its drainage as it can help get rid of the stagnant water.
Clay soil is known for having poor water retaining quality. To fix this, add some organic matter or shredded leaves; these materials help improve your soil drainage.
You can also plant water-loving plants that soak up enough water needed to grow. Adding minerals like limestone and gypsum also helps improve your soil drainage and water-retaining capacity.
6. Soakaways
This is another structure that can be paired with a French drain. It is a large hole filled with gravel that is used in storing water from heavy rainfall, the water from this hole can be absorbed by your soil.
It can also store water from other problem areas aside from your Patio. It is recommended that you don’t make a soakaway if you have clay soil because clay soil is not the best for drainage and water-retaining.
Problems of a Flooded Yard Area
Your Patio being flooded with water may seem like a small problem, especially when you can get rid of the water through some cleaning, but this constant water on your Patio has some adverse effects.
It creates a slippery environment that can cause a possible hazard to anyone who falls victim to this. If this water sits for a long time, it can also lead to moss growth, which you do not want on your Patio, especially if it alters its look.
If you have small plants on your Patio, submerging them in water for a long time is a bad idea as they start to die with time, this can cause long-term damage if not controlled.
When this water continues to invade your structural spaces like your foundation or your fences, it makes them weak, and they can collapse if this continues.
Conclusion
Relaxing on your Patio is always fun until it becomes flooded; even after the rain, there is still a lot of water left. Fortunately, this problem can be fixed.
We have explained some ways to keep your Patio from flooding. While some of these methods are easy to carry out, others will require you to take things to the extreme.
A major factor you should consider when looking into this problem is the drainage system in your yard. If you have a poor drainage system or no drainage system at all, then there will be flooding on your Patio, be sure to check that your drain is not clogged by debris, and if it is, clean it up.
Helpful Links:
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- 6 Best Folding Chairs For Soccer Games To Buy
We trust this article helped you find a solution to patio floods when it rains. You may also want to check out 7 C-Spring Patio Chairs to Help Light Up Your Backyard
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