Tips to Prepare your Home or Land for Spring

With spring approaching in Tennessee, most of our properties have experienced some rain and ice issues this past winter. Maybe you’ve had problems with a flooded driveway or yard, or you are preparing your garden for the planting season and realize you have a leak in your barn waterline. Now is the time to think through each of your projects and determine whether they are DIY-worthy or if you need the help of a contractor. Read on to find commonly asked questions and answers for water-related property concerns.

How do I correct the areas around my house or property that have eroded or hold water?

One of the main causes of this issue is excessive rain runoff spilling into one area instead of dispersing evenly. This water could be coming from a main road, a long driveway, downspouts, a freshly dug up area in the yard, or a different source. To determine where this problem is stemming from, it’s helpful to spend some time outdoors when it’s raining or follow the path the water made after a large rain. If you need help with this, you can reach out to an expert in plumbing and excavation to walk you through potential causes and solutions.

Here are a few ways you can get these resolved:

1.      If your downspouts are a problem, you might need to have them elongated or moved to ensure that the water is diverted further from your home or driveway.

2.      If you have uneven ground surrounding your structure, garden, or driveway, you could hire an expert excavator to come out and properly level your land, ensuring the slope is always away from your property. Since the land in Tennessee is rocky, uneven, and clay-like, this issue is very common and leads to numerous properties experiencing improper water drainage.

3.      If the slope surrounding your property can’t be resolved by land grading, you might benefit from using a French Drain system. This system uses underground piping to help collect and divert water away from the problem area.

4.      If part of your driveway is repeatedly washed away after heavy rains, avoid needless spending by finding and flattening any divots on your property. Note that fixing the uneven ground yourself might not fix the problem if its linked to a larger issue, but it’s worth a try to DIY!

How can I make water easily accessible for my garden or livestock needs?

Making water easily available for all your garden and livestock needs is a must for any local gardener, homesteader, or large-scale farmer. Dragging a hose or carrying buckets isn’t something you want to do multiple times a day during the hot summers!

There are many possibilities when it comes to water availability, and some are more environmentally friendly. Read on for a few options.

1.      Install a Rain Barrel system near your gutters.

This is a great option if you have a place to do so, and it doesn’t take much work. Some of the benefits to a rain barrel system include:

•      It’s cleaner water than the city supplies.

•      It’ll save money on your local water bill.

•      It helps the environment by using/reusing a naturally produced source.

2.      Install a hose.

If you have the option to do it, running a new hose line from your house to your garden/barn area could be the easiest option available to you. Some of the benefits include:

• It’s less strenuous than carrying water in buckets or watering cans.

• It’s cheaper than other options, depending on how far away the garden is.

• It’s something you can do without much assistance if you have the proper waterspout available.

3.      Install a Frost-Free Hose Bib (Outdoor Residential Hydrant/Spigot):

This is a great option if you don’t have water closely available to your garden or barn area. This process consists of running a new waterline off your existing connection to an area that is more convenient. You typically see these hydrant-type spigots in parks, on farms, at cemeteries, or anywhere there isn’t an easy water connection from an existing structure. Some of the benefits of this hydrant installation include:

•  It's the closest option for readily-available water.

• It’s easy-to-use and serves multiple purposes, like attaching various hoses to this connection to water your garden, run an automated water system, provide water to your livestock, or even wash your car.

• It has less winter maintenance and won’t allow the water to freeze.

Now that you’ve spent some time determining what your drainage issues are, you can decide the best course of action! If you are looking to implement any of these solutions at your home and need help, reach out to Orlowski Plumbing & Excavation to talk through your options.

Helping you stay informed on, make confident decisions about, and move forward with your installation is our specialty!