With the clay soil and heavy rains in the Pacific Northwest, drainage a big issue that homeowners have to think about in order to keep yards being used the way they were supposed to be designed, landscapes looking fresh and healthy year round, and to prevent structural damage to structural foundations. At Blue Whale, we address drainage problems for many homeowners in the Hillsbor area every year and use many different techniques to combat these problems.
A properly installed drain can address the following problems:
-Helps plants thrive because they are not drowning in water
-Prevents standing water that can lead to slippery surfaces
-Prevents mosquito infestations
-Maintains utility and appearance of lawn
-Prevents soil erosion around home foundation
French Drains - Lake Oswego, Oregon:
French drains are typically used in landscapes in order to address soggy lawn or problems in landscapes withstanding water. Water travels downhill on slopes via the quickest route and without proper drainage, will collect at low points in the landscape.
French drains are a great solution that can collect standing water and redirect it to a more suitable location (dry well, street outlet, etc). The French drains that we install are perforated pipes enclosed within a tube sock (to filter debris from coming into the pipe) and are installed under 8" of drainage gravel. Drains placed underneath landscape will be protected with landscape fabric accordingly in order to prevent root intrusion.
Channel Drains and Catch Basins/Grates:
Channel drains are used in areas where water needs to be evacuated rapidly in an efficient and durable manner (generally hardscaped surfaces):
-Walkways
-Driveways
-Garages
-Patios
-Swimming Pools
-Tennis/basketball courts
Catch basins are important parts of many drainage systems. They use metal or plastic cover grates in a variety of colors and patterns in order to collect debris and channel water into the main drainage pipes.
Dry wells, sump pumps:
Most of the drains that are installed redirect water using gravity--pipes are installed in a way that waterthat travels from a high point to a low point is redirected to another low point. A lot of the times, the water is effectively directed to a street drain or a green space. However in certain scenarios, it is necessary to install a dry well--a big container that collects water and slowly disperses it into the surrounding landscape.
As a last resort, sump pumps are sometimes necessary--sump pumps contain a sump basin that collects water and then electrically pumps the water to a suitable outlet point.
At Blue Whale Sprinkler Service, we take a holistic look at your whole Lake Oswego property's landscape drainage and do our best to apply fixtures and functions that work together for the value and improvement of your entire property. We rely on experience and tested techniques and not guesswork to help service homeonwers in the Beaverton area and do our best to specifically access:
-Where excess water may be coming from
-Required water flow away from the area to prevent flooding
-Whether the water can be drawn away with a sump pump or by gravity
-Which type of drain would be most effective
-Determine if the drain should be subsurface or at grade
If you have a water drainage problem in your landscape and would like to schedule a free consultation, feel free to contact us today!
Blue Whale Sprinkler Service proudly provides drainage systems installation services for homeowners in the Lake Oswego area and Portland and surrounding cities.