Yard Drainage & Landscape Drainage

We offer several solutions for yard drainage problems.

Landscape Drainage

The importance of proper landscape drainage cannot be overstated. Poor drainage at the foundation can cause water in your basement, and uncontrolled water flow can cause erosion. Damp areas or standing water in your lawn and landscape can damage the root system and stunt the growth of your trees and plants. Too much moisture can also affect your plants’ resistance to pests and disease.

Custom Drainage Solutions

We offer custom drainage solutions to homeowners and businesses throughout Hampton Roads, Virginia.   The type of drainage recommended will depend on many factors such as amount of water, exit placement, grade, and your budget.  ​

Factors to consider first:

• Are there any irrigation or LED landscape lighting wires/ pipe in the way of the drain?
• Can I grade the yard or should I install a drainage box?
• Is there lots of trees around that have roots?  This could making running drain pipe especially challenging.  
• Would grass clippings and debris potentially clutter the drain box? 
• Are there any gas lines or major utilities running in the path of the drain?
• What is my budget?  Can I just fill in the area with more soil?
• How accessible is the area?  Can a truck drive to the low area and dump dirt? 
• Is there a place for the water to drain?  If not you may need a sump pump. 
• What is the cause of flooding?  Are there downspouts that could be re-directed instead that are causing the majority of flooding? 
• Are you in a wetland area where any type of work is not allowed?  In this case, you may be better off letting nature reclaim the lawn/bed. We can install native grasses and plants in those areas to help speed up this process.  ​

Some common yard drainage solutions include:

• Installing French drains after hand-excavating around the foundation of your home
• Re-grading lawns
• Changing the slope by adding soil/rock around the foundation
• Connecting downspouts to underground drainage systems (Dry Wells)
• Installing dry river beds to assist with storm drainage
• Creating a grassy swale
• Installing a water garden/feature
• Sometimes a combination of services is required.  

French Drains? What are they and how do they work?

A French drain is a water drainage system made from a gravel-lined ditch with a length of pipe that routes water away a low lying area that pools water (or away from a house, patio, driveway, and into another lower level area. French drains can be used for different drainage solutions to solve drainage problems with groundwater, stormwater, etc. The French drain system prevents excess water from building up after heavy rain and flooding in areas where it can do damage and to patios, walkways, building foundations, basements, retaining wall. Bloom has installed miles and miles of French drain over the years and we are one of the top drainage installation companies in the area. We are proud to say that our customers are very happy, we have no complaints following our jobs. About 1/3 of our drainage projects involve fixing the drainage issues of other companies. Drainage is not easy and requires knowledge of how water moves. Bloom guarantees that the drainage will work and your drainage issue and yard flooding will be resolved. Most drainage in Hampton Roads can be resolved with French Drains.

French Drains? FAQ

Why are they called French Drains- The French drain was first detailed in an 1859 book written by Henry French, a judge and farmer who resided in Concord, Massachusetts. His book and work in agriculture helped to popularize the idea specifically to drain excess water away from crop fields in order to improve the crop yield and prevent flooding. The word French drain has nothing to do with the country France. The system was named for Henry French and has been used since his time to improve crop field drainage, reduce yard saturation, and help protect housing foundations. Today French Drains are one of the top drainage solutions on the east coast.

Will the French drain clog up and stop working over time. – Not if installed by the experts at Bloom, we will ensure that he fabric covers the entire pipe to prevent even fine sediment buildup, the fabric will be well secured in place so that it stays on there for many years to come. You can expect our French drains to work for at least ten years. The most important thing is to make sure there is fabric that prevents dirt and sediment from getting inside the drainage pipe, the pipe that takes all the water away. Failure to install a fabric around the pipe, or installing it fast and leaving holes exposed, or leaving the fabric not 100% secured, means that over time sediment can clog the pipe and impact drainage. If a low quality pipe is used then overtime it could get crushed and that could also cause the drain to fail. Not adding enough gravel around the pipe to protect it… all these factors are important. Be sure to work with our experts, French drains are not always easy to install, and our team will be best equipped to help you with your project.

Do French Drains Require Slope ? - Yes, they work with gravity, and will only work if there is a slight inclination between the starting and ending point. That is why we will always recommend that French drains take the water from a low point to a high point. If this is not possible, then our firm will recommend a different kind of system such as a drain box and pump.

How French Drains Work?

Please check out our blog page with detailed how to instructions. The basic principle of a French drain is to provide a path of least resistance for water to travel instead of building up and flooding the soil/ walkways, patio, etc. This is achieved with a hollow, perforated drainage pipe, usually 4 or 6” black pipe, that can collect and carry the water from the yard to a designated drainage location, like a municipal wastewater drain or just a lower lying area where water can then flow away. The drainage pipe is wrapped in water-permeable fabric to prevent weeds, dirt, and other debris from obstructing the perforations in the pip, thus blocking water flow. Additionally, the pipe is covered in several layers of stones or gravel, and this gravel can then also be wrapped by more fabric. By replacing soil with stones or gravel, you help the water flow down into the drainage pipe because it's much easier for water to move through the larger gaps provided by packed stone than it is for the water to flow through densely packed soil. In our region the soil is often times clay, and this acts as a water barrier.