What to Do When Your Yard and Home Are Flooding

​​‘Tis the season in the North-Western US. You know what I’m talking about. Rains until you can’t walk in your yard because you leave 4” deep tracks from your footsteps. So much rain, your neighbor hand digs a trench to divert water into your yard and toward your foundation. For 42 years, I have lived in Clark County, Washington. For ALL of those years, it has rained and rained and rained. I am often puzzled by the lack of rain in other areas of our beautiful country, and how I can send some lovin’ in the form of liquid sunshine their way. But, that’s a whole other story.

What can a homeowner do during the Fall, Winter, and Spring when the Northwest is in the deluge season (as I like to call it)? Here are a few suggestions that will help when water becomes a problem in your yard:

1. Don’t be ‘that guy’ who digs a trench to your neighbor’s fence so the water can drain onto his/her property. I guarantee this will create hard feelings and conflict on the long term. Face it, the land here cannot handle the amount of water we get 3 seasons out of the year.
2. To circumvent the coming deluge, call a professional before the rainy season. Have them assess potential challenges you have in your yard. Often, estimates and assessments can be done for free. Ask them to grade the most serious and potentially damaging items first.
3. Hire someone who has lived in the area and performed drainage system work for more than 10 years. There are a lot of contractors in our area that have moved here in the recent past. They DO NOT know how to address our extreme water and soil conditions. I have pulled out failed systems after only 1 year from other contractors in our area. It makes me sad that someone would claim they are a “master” of drainage when they use a 1” pvc buried under 6” of dirt and expect it will handle the runoff from the roof, yard, and gutters, and charge the customer $12,000.
4. Be proactive. If your yard seems a little spongy, or you are at the low point in the neighborhood, call a professional. The water can damage your foundation and get into your crawl space or basement, causing a myriad of issues.
5. Plant trees that like water, but be cautious. Trees that like water can also have roots that will damage the pipes around your home and in your yard. Know where your pipes are and call a locate service to tell you where the pipes are. In Vancouver, Washington, and the surrounding areas, like Battle Ground, Washougal, Camas, Hockinson, and La Center, you can dial 811 and request a free locate before you dig in your yard.

When your yard becomes the mud fest like the picture above, it will end up costing you more than in a drier month. Excavators have a hard time digging in mud and keeping the mud out of your new drainage system when it’s being inundated with mud and water.
​
Our company is always here to support our community and help those find resources that may be available. We provide free estimates in Clark County, and free assessments of how to make your yard as flood proof as possible.