After a heavy rain, the last thing you want to see is standing water or a flooded yard. Poor drainage doesn’t just turn your lawn into a swamp—it can lead to foundation damage, basement flooding, soil erosion, and even mold growth around your home. Fortunately, with the right outdoor drainage solutions, you can keep your property dry and protected.

At Plombier Deux-Montagnes, we help homeowners solve water buildup issues with custom drainage systems, grading corrections, and waterproofing solutions. Here’s how to identify common drainage problems—and the best ways to fix them before they lead to costly damage.

Why Proper Yard Drainage Matters

Water that isn’t properly diverted away from your home can:

• Damage your home’s foundation
• Cause basement flooding or crawlspace moisture
• Kill grass, plants, and trees
• Create mud pits, breeding grounds for pests, and safety hazards

Good drainage protects your landscape, structure, and health.

Common Causes of a Flooded Yard

Before you can fix a drainage issue, it’s important to know what’s causing it.

🚨 Typical culprits include:

• Poor yard grading or slope
• Clogged or undersized gutters and downspouts
• Heavy clay soil that doesn’t absorb water
• Runoff from neighboring properties
• Lack of a proper drainage system

🛠️ Not sure what's causing your drainage issue? Plombier Deux-Montagnes offers site inspections to pinpoint and fix drainage problems.

1. Regrade Your Lawn for Proper Water Flow

If your yard slopes toward your home or has low-lying areas, water will naturally pool instead of draining away.

✔️ Solution: Regrade your lawn to create a gentle slope away from the foundation—ideally at least 2% grade (2.5 cm drop per 1.2 meters).

💡 Pro Tip: Regrading should always direct water toward a drainage outlet or safe runoff zone—not your neighbor’s yard.

2. Install French Drains

A French drain is a perforated pipe surrounded by gravel and wrapped in filter fabric. It collects and redirects groundwater away from problem areas.

✅ Best for:

• Wet spots near foundations
• Areas where surface water collects
• Redirecting runoff to the street or storm sewer

🛠️ Installed properly, a French drain is a long-term fix that requires little maintenance.

🚰 Need help designing a French drain? Plombier Deux-Montagnes can install custom drainage solutions that blend into your landscape.

3. Extend Your Downspouts

Short downspouts dump water directly around your foundation. This can saturate the soil, leading to flooding or foundation cracks.

✔️ Fix: Use downspout extenders or buried drainage pipes to carry rainwater at least 1.8–3 meters (6–10 feet) away from your home.

💧 Bonus Tip: Connect your downspouts to a rain barrel or a dry well for an eco-friendly solution.

4. Build a Dry Creek Bed

A dry creek bed is a shallow trench filled with rocks or gravel that channels water across your yard during storms. It’s an attractive and functional solution that works with your landscape design.

✅ Ideal for:

• Diverting surface runoff
• Preventing erosion on sloped properties
• Managing overflow from gutters or downspouts

🪨 Choose native stones and plants to blend the feature into your yard naturally.

5. Install a Catch Basin and Drainage Grates

If water pools in specific locations (like under downspouts or patios), a catch basin with a grate can collect it and direct it to underground piping.

✔️ Often used in combination with French drains or dry wells
✔️ Keeps leaves, debris, and sediment out of the pipe
✔️ Helps protect driveways, patios, and walkways

💧 Ideal for both residential and commercial properties.

6. Aerate and Improve Your Soil

Heavy, compacted, or clay-rich soil doesn’t absorb water well, which leads to surface flooding.

🌱 Improve drainage by:

• Aerating your lawn each spring and fall
• Mixing in organic compost or sand to loosen soil
• Installing a rain garden with native, deep-rooted plants

✅ Healthy soil absorbs more water—and supports stronger, healthier landscaping.

7. Use Permeable Paving and Gravel Paths

Hard surfaces like concrete driveways and patios can create excessive runoff. Consider replacing or supplementing them with permeable alternatives.

🏡 Examples:

• Permeable pavers
• Gravel or crushed stone walkways
• Grass pavers or porous asphalt

These materials allow rainwater to soak into the ground, reducing overflow.

8. Install a Dry Well

A dry well is an underground chamber that collects and slowly disperses excess water back into the soil.

✔️ It works well in combination with:

• Gutter drainage systems
• French drains
• Catch basins

🚰 It’s a smart solution for areas with limited slope or no access to storm drains.

When to Call a Professional

If your drainage issue persists—or if you’re not sure where the problem is—it’s time to bring in a pro.

📞 Call Plombier Deux-Montagnes if:

• Your yard floods regularly after rain
• Water is seeping into your basement
• You see erosion around your foundation
• You need help designing a full outdoor drainage plan

Final Thoughts

Preventing a flooded yard starts with smart drainage planning. From grading your yard to installing French drains, catch basins, or dry wells, there are effective ways to protect your property and improve your landscape.

Let Plombier La Prairie help you design and install the right outdoor drainage solution—so you can enjoy a dry, safe yard no matter the weather.