How to Identify Drainage Problems on a Commercial Property

If you’ve been showing up to work wearing hip waders, maybe you already realize you have a drainage problem on your commercial property.

Is there a sign out front directing people to a fishing tournament? Seven families of ducks have moved in? All good signs it’s too wet out there.

But identifying drainage issues isn’t always that easy. 

How to tell you need help with commercial property drainage? Grab your kayak and let’s take a look.

Is Your Property Draining Properly?

If your landscaping water management is under control, you won’t see anything alarming.

1. No big puddles forming. After a rain, they evaporate.
2. Downspouts should direct water well away from your buildings.
3. No telltale line of muddy silt on buildings.
4. No buckled asphalt.
5. No dampness or mildew odor in your basement.

When all goes well, a property will flush excess rainwater through the public sewers, or towards naturally occurring outlets such as rivers or lakes. If on-site, rain gardens and retention ponds are also very important locations for water to be redirected towards.

Your parking lots, walkways and basements should be nice and dry. No pools of standing water. No need for drainage solutions. 

But maybe your building is built on a slab foundation. Lots of buildings in this area are. 
As buildings settle over time, the ground settles with them. 

Cue the ducks.

Identifying Drainage Issues: What’s Wet Out There?

If your property has drainage problems, there are some pretty obvious signs:

• Lawn mowers will leave wet, muddy tracks — even though it hasn’t rained in two or three days.
  
  
• Plants might be dying, flooded from too much water. If water backs up into planting beds, it can cause root rot.
  
  
• You might notice paths or other hardscape areas start to sink if excess water has washed out the soil underneath. If foundation soil is washed out, pavement can cave in and become uneven — a major tripping hazard.
  
  
• Is your mulch migrating? When soil doesn’t drain properly, rain runs off in sheets, carrying piles of mulch who knows where.
  
  
• You’ll notice permanent wet spots on asphalt. Or water oozing up through cracks in the asphalt.
  
  
• You might smell mildew.
  
  
• Water stains appear in your basement.
  
  
• Cracks in your foundation grow larger or wider over time.
  
  
• When water doesn’t flow properly off your property you might notice frost heave — buckling concrete or asphalt that happens when water is trapped underneath then freezes during winter months.

Commercial Property Drainage: Why It Matters

Excess water can cause serious damage to your commercial property. It can damage your building’s foundation, erode and crack sidewalks, driveways and retaining walls.

Too much water creates mold and mildew and causes cracks in interior walls and exterior surfaces. Damp conditions can even encourage mosquitoes and rodents to breed.

Excess water is a safety issue, too. You don’t want residents, visitors or customers tripping on damaged asphalt or wading through puddles to get to your entrance.

Furthermore, excess water can wreak havoc on your landscaping, leading to weakened plants and unsightly decay. Saturated soil can suffocate plant roots and promote harmful fungal growth, transforming once-lush greenery into a dreary, lifeless display. This not only impacts the aesthetics of your property but could also lead to costly landscape restoration efforts.

Commercial Drainage Solutions

If your property is soggy, damp or mildewy, there are some fairly easy commercial drainage solutions.

• Installing French drains along the building foundation to capture excess water.
  
  
• Extending downspouts so water flows away from the building.
  
  
• Re-grading low spots so water flows away from buildings.
  
  
• A retention or detention pond to collect excess water then release it slowly. What’s the difference between these two drainage solutions? Retention ponds are pools of water that fluctuate in response to rain and runoff. They collect water and release it slowly, at a nice, easy rate that prevents flooding or erosion.
  
  
• Detention ponds are usually dry, except when excess rain fills them up. They’re designed to hold water temporarily, then slowly drain it to another location.
  
  
• Bioswales, landscape elements that provide a path for water to run through slowly, rather than rushing off into a storm sewer or local waterway. Gently sloped troughs, they’re planted with plants and flowers, providing a path for water to run through slowly and efficiently. This commercial property drainage solution offers a bonus: the plants and soil in the bioswale clean the runoff before it enters the water table.
  
  
• Rainwater harvesting systems that capture excess water for reuse. Commercial properties like apartment buildings, shopping centers  and office buildings, with their often large, flat roofs, are great for rainwater harvesting. When rain falls onto a roof, a system of gutters and pipes channels it and stores it.

Need Drainage Inspection and Repair in DC, Maryland, or Virginia? Trust Level Green

Ducks are cute. But they shouldn’t be swimming right up to your front entrance. 

The experts at Level Green Landscaping can analyze your commercial property and figure out solutions for all your water management needs, providing commercial drainage solutions in Maryland, DC, and Virginia. 

Plan ahead for your drainage issues and you’ll avoid major repair costs, insurance headaches and stress by ensuring that your property functions properly when heavy rains hit.

We can help.

Our focus is on commercial properties like offices, mixed-use sites, HOAs, municipalities and institutions in Maryland, Washington DC and parts of Virginia.

Contact us at 202-544-0968 or by filling out the form online. You can also request a free consultation online to meet with us one-on-one.

We’d love to hear from you.