You rely on your home’s Denver sprinkler system to keep your lawn in good condition. But sometimes, all that water can do more harm than good. When this happens, your lawn will show signs of root rot and won’t be able to grow to its full potential. Though it can be an issue with your sprinkler system that’s causing the excess water buildup in your soil, that’s not usually the case. Often, it’s due to bad drainage on your property. Without proper drainage, your yard can’t get rid of excess water easily. Luckily, bad drainage is easy to spot if you just know what to look for. Here are some of the most common warning signs. 

Pooling Water Around Downspouts

Your home’s gutters are designed to funnel excess water from the roof away from your home. When they’re working properly, all that water should flow away from your home’s foundation and toward a designated drainage area. But if you have drainage issues, you’ll notice puddles and pools of water collecting around the base of your gutter system’s downspouts. That water can lead to fungus growth and root rot around your landscaping as well as increase the risk of foundation problems around your house. You’ll need to call your roofer to get the gutters fixed to deal with this type of drainage issue.

Soggy Patches in the Grass

Poor drainage doesn’t always show up in obvious places. Sometimes, it surprises you when you’re walking across the lawn in the form of a soggy and slushy spot in the grass. Take a walk around your yard and pay attention to the way the grass feels under your feet. If it’s sturdy and doesn’t leave your shoes soaked between watering sessions, you’re likely in good shape. But if you notice a squelching sound with every step or end up stepping into a puddle in the middle of the yard, you have a drainage issue. The best thing you can do is contact your local landscaping pro and get them to take a look at your lawn. They may be able to add drains around your yard to reduce the amount of buildup you see.

Your Foundation is Becoming More Visible

Your home’s foundation is one of the most important structural elements of the house. Under normal conditions, it’s partially underground and often gets covered up by your landscaping. But if you have drainage issues in your yard, the soil around your foundation can start to wear or erode away. When this happens, you’ll notice the foundation itself becoming more visible on the outside of your home. Over time, your foundation can start to absorb water and weaken. When this happens, you’ll see an increase in cracks along the exterior, elevated moisture levels indoors, and possibly even mold growth inside. 

Consistently Wet Walkways

You know what your walkways look like immediately after the sprinkler system kicks on. They’re likely wet, especially along the edges that border your lawn. After a few hours, the water they absorb should dry. If you notice that parts of your walkways take an extremely long time to dry or are almost always damp, you likely have bad drainage in your yard. Even if your lawn is in otherwise good condition, you’ll want to get this fixed as soon as possible. Letting your walkways stay wet encourages the concrete or pavement to break down quickly. This results in costly repairs and could force you to redo your driveway or sidewalks far sooner than you otherwise should need to.

Warped Floors

Believe it or not, poor drainage in your yard doesn’t just impact the health of your landscaping. It can also creep into other areas of your home. Over time, this excess moisture can cause the floors inside your home to bow or warp. While it’s not necessarily a safety issue, it can make your home feel like a funhouse. If it’s addressed quickly enough, you may be able to save the floors themselves. But if you leave it to sit too long, that warp could end up being permanent. This could force you to have to replace your flooring, costing you hundreds of dollars that you otherwise shouldn’t have to spend. 

Topsoil Moves After Rainfall

When your yard has proper drainage, rainfall soaks into the soil and hydrates your landscaping. This helps you save money on your watering bill, but it also helps keep your garden beds in good shape. When you have poor drainage in your yard, you’ll likely notice piles of soil, mulch, and dirt collecting on your walkways or even on your lawn. That’s because it floats away on the water that doesn’t soak into the ground. Soil erosion can be a serious problem if you let it continue for too long. Over time, the roots of your plants will get exposed and will become more susceptible to the weather, pests, and plant diseases. Getting your drainage issues fixed will help preserve the life of your garden beds as well as the lawn itself.

The Best Thing You Can Do Is Check

When it comes to monitoring your yard’s drainage, preventative maintenance is key. Check your yard a few days after every major rain storm and be mindful of the way your walkways look every day. If you notice any of these signs, take the next step and get the damage repaired as quickly as you can. The sooner you get your bad drainage fixed, the healthier your plants will be.If you think your drainage issue is due to a flaw in your home’s sprinkler system, don’t ignore it. Contact the team at Water Solutions Sprinkler Service as soon as possible. We’ll inspect your system for any signs of leaks and loose connections that could be contributing to the water buildup in your yard.

If we find any damage, we’ll help you make sure the problem gets fixed once and for all. Remember, you should be able to rely on your sprinkler system to keep your lawn lush without worrying about puddles and mud throughout your yard.