Does
your yard have standing water?
If you have standing water on your property that doesn’t seem to dissipate or
drain, you’re not alone. Many homes on the Virginia Peninsula
share this problem. Standing water is defined as collecting
water that doesn’t dissipate or drain for 24 hours or more.
Contractors assessing the situation have a number of options to offer. Some are
simple, like French drains and grading swales, while other solutions are more
complicated, such as drainage pipes and pumps. The latter involves costly excavation
and is usually not appealing to many homeowners. Some homeowners, fearing the
worst, opt to pack up and move to higher ground. But poor drainage can even occur
with homes that are built at higher elevations.
 How
can Custom Gardens help me get rid of standing water?
Custom
Gardens recently assisted a customer with their drainage
challenge. Working with a noted Geologist/Professor, soil coring uncovered
what is very common to homesites throughout this area…clay.
While the homesite may appear to have some topsoil, the subsurface
of clay collects and holds water every time it rains. How
did we resolve the problem? A dry well.
A dry well is a 30" x 48" hole
that’s lined with geofabric, filled with free-draining stone
and covered with mulch or topsoil and sod. The
dry well helps water to get below the clay layer and dissipate. In areas with
thick layers of clay, it supplies a reservoir to hold excess water until the
water naturally seeps into the soil. Homes built in areas of Williamsburg with
heavy clay soil, such as Ford’s Colony and Governor’s Land, could benefit greatly
from dry wells. Dry wells are also useful for drying out areas around air conditioners. The
constant drip of condensation creates a wet, muddy area. Installing a drain box
directly under the condensation drip and channeling the water via a drainpipe
that ties into an existing drainage system (or to a dry well) solves the problem.
How much will this solution cost me?
Over
the last several months, Custom Gardens has successfully
installed a number of dry wells for their customers. Depending on the
location and site conditions, a dry well installation starts
at $575.
Have the Dry Wells been effective?
After
each rainfall, owner Dale Bray has visited the dry well
sites to inspect and evaluate their effectiveness. “They’re doing
what they’re supposed to do,” says Dale. “If you or your
neighbors have concerns with standing water, call us. We’d be more than
happy to assess the situation and offer more specifics
on a solution.”
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