How to Tell If You Have Drainage Problems

Rainy season is here in New Jersey with a good amount of wet weather scheduled to hit the state. While some enjoy the cool and wet weather, your property might not.

Drainage problems during spouts of rain can be really damaging to your property. Not only can it ruin the foundation of your house, but it can also cause plants to suffer from fungal diseases, interfere with septic systems and lead to many other unforeseen problems.

While you might think that the only indication of drainage issues is having a huge puddle in your yard for weeks, it’s possible that you’ve been silently suffering from bad drainage for years without knowing.

So here are a few ways you can detect whether you have drainage problems.

Puddles lasting more than a day

If puddles in your yard last longer than a few hours, it could be signs of a larger problem. Puddles are normal, especially after days of heavy rain. But puddles usually dissipate and drain in a few hours, so keep an eye out for persistent puddles.

Cracks in foundation

Cracks are a natural occurrence from movement and settling over the decades, but if you see some larger cracks in the foundation, it could spell trouble. This is a problem larger than drainage, which needs to be fixed immediately.

Water in basement

Another alarming sign of poor drainage is the appearance of water or water stains in your basement. It could be coming from the fact that your property slopes in the wrong direction, which means the water seeps into your basement.

Crust on the soil

Here’s more about this sign from Scotts:

“Another sign of poor drainage is a white or tan crust on the soil surface during dry weather. The crust is composed of soil salts that have been deposited as water migrated up to the surface, then evaporated. This migration to the surface only occurs when the water can’t drain downward.”

This crustiness comes from evaporation, meaning the water is not going down into the soil and being drained properly.

Soil runoff

If you’re noticing runoff of silt and dirt onto your driveways and walkways during a rainstorm, that’s another indicator. The water is flowing in the wrong direction and needs to be drained.

Check out our page on drainage services to learn more about what we offer.