Properly functioning drainage systems are vital for protecting your property from water damage and preventing excess moisture that can lead to mold and mildew growth.
While DIY drainage system installation may seem like an easy way to save money, there are several reasons why it's important to hire a professional drainage contractor rather than take a DIY approach.
The Risks of Improper Drainage System Installation
Improperly installed drainage systems can cause numerous problems down the road. Some of the main risks include:
Flooding: If drainage pipes are positioned at the wrong angle or diameter, it can lead to clogging and water backup during heavy rains. This flooding can cause extensive damage to your home's foundation and interior.
Erosion: Without proper drainage to route water away from your home, the soil around your foundation can be slowly washed away. This erosion can eventually cause your home's foundation to crack or collapse.
Excess moisture: Poor drainage will allow water to pool around your home's foundation. This leads to excess moisture intrusion into basements and crawlspaces, which promotes mold growth.
Sinkholes: Over time, improper drainage that allows water to pool underground can form dangerous sinkholes. This occurs when the soil beneath your home is washed away, causing the ground to collapse suddenly.
Cracking walls/foundation: If too much water accumulates around your home's exterior walls or foundation, it can cause cracking and structural damage over time. Proper drainage is crucial for diverting water away from these vulnerable areas.
Hiring an experienced, professional drainage contractor helps mitigate all of these risks by ensuring your systems are perfectly designed and installed to move water safely away from your home.
Expertise in Drainage System Design
Drainage system design is far more complex than most homeowners realize. Professional drainage contractors have extensive expertise when it comes to assessing your home's unique drainage requirements and designing the ideal system to handle runoff based on factors like:
Soil Composition and Grading
The soil type present around your home along with the slope and grading of the land significantly impacts what type of drainage pipes and structures are needed. Clay soil requires very different drainage than sandy soil.
And if the ground around your home is very flat, extra French drains or catch basins may be required. Most homeowners lack the detailed understanding of soil hydrology needed to make these major drainage decisions.
Roof Size and Runoff Volume
The amount of water running off your home's roof during rainstorms must be accurately estimated and accounted for in your drainage design.
Larger roof sizes and steep pitches produce much more rain runoff that all must be collected and diverted safely away. Drainage pros carefully calculate your home's roof runoff volume and flow rate to properly size gutters, pipes, and drainage beds.
Municipal Code Compliance
Most municipalities have strict codes and standards in place for drainage systems. These specs involve sizing, pipe materials, outlet positioning, subsurface drainage beds, and more.
Navigating the complex code compliance issues is much easier left to the drainage experts than attempting to learn codes yourself as a homeowner. Improper drainage that violates local codes can also lead to lawsuits or require expensive re-installation.
Future Landscaping Plans
Will you be installing an irrigation system? Planning to build a swimming pool or pave over green space in the future? All of these types of landscaping plans can impact drainage and should be incorporated into an effective drainage design.
A pro can analyze your property and talk over any future plans to design appropriately, whereas DIYers often fail to account for landscaping changes down the road.
As you can see, the technical sophistication involved in proper drainage system design is likely beyond the expertise of the average homeowner. Professional drainage contractors have the specialized engineering knowledge combined with years of field experience needed to evaluate your home's unique situation and architect the perfect custom drainage solution.
Professional-Grade Drainage Materials and Construction Quality
Hiring a professional drainage company doesn't just buy you better design work - it also gives you access to commercial-grade drainage materials and enhanced construction quality control.
Commercial-Grade Pipes and Catch Basins
Professional drainage contractors always use thick, durable, commercial-grade PVC or HDPE pipes rated to last for decades underground.
They also install professional catch basins and yard drain boxes rated for very heavy vehicle loads rather than flimsy plastic residential models. Investing in pro-quality piping and inlet materials upfront significantly extends the lifetime of your drainage system.
Careful Installation Process
Large drainage installation projects involve careful positioning and connection of hundreds of feet of pipes snaked underneath your property. Achieving the correct 1/4 inch slope per foot gradient on all pipes requires precision measurements best left to experienced crews.
Professional drainage teams take the time to properly bed pipes and surround them with clean gravel aggregate to encourage optimal water flow. DIY installations more often have leaks and misaligned components that limit functionality.
Structural Support Around Inlets
Surface yard drains and catch basins require proper structural support underneath to prevent the inlet structure from sinking or shifting over time as vehicles drive over them.
Drainage pros always properly compact soil and gravel and even pour concrete pads under inlets to reinforce them. This structural integrity helps inlets last longer and drain more efficiently into the pipe system beneath.
Professional Inspection and Field Testing
Throughout the installation process, professional drainage contractors perform various field tests to check their work. Smoke tests check for leaks, camera scope exams assess pipes for proper connections and flow, and water flow examinations verify smooth drainage function.
Professionals always double-check their work to correct any issues before completing a drainage job. Homeowners rarely perform these types of thorough system examinations when attempting DIY drainage installation.
Liability Coverage and Warranties on Work
Another major benefit you gain from using a professional drainage company is liability insurance coverage and warranties should any problems arise.
Insurance Protection from Damage
Reputable drainage installation pros always carry substantial liability insurance policies to cover repairs in the unlikely event incidental property damage occurs to underground utilities, foundations, or other home systems. Homeowners attempting complex excavation and drainage work on DIY projects have no such insurance protections in place.
Warranties on Materials and Labor
Professional drainage contractors also provide consumers with multi-year warranties on drainage materials and labor. Should any issues arise with shifting pipes or early component failures, they are obligated to return and fix problems free of charge during the warranty period.
No such assurances or financial protections come with DIY installations performed by homeowners. Paying for professional work gives you peace of mind knowing costly repairs will be covered.
Ongoing Maintenance of Drainage Systems
Many homeowners fail to consider long-term operation and maintenance needs when opting for DIY drainage installation. Professionals provide continued maintenance support and advice most homeowners lack on their own.
Professional Cleaning and Inspections
All drainage systems require periodic cleaning, inspection, and occasional repairs over their lifetime. Tree root intrusion, small sinkholes, silt buildup, and component failures can happen despite proper initial installation.
Homeowners attempting DIY drainage work often struggle to evaluate problems and perform necessary maintenance. Professionals offer continued service contracts and maintenance packages to keep systems operating optimally for decades.
Technical Guidance on Operation
Professional drainage technicians also become a trusted guidance resource for homeowners on ongoing system operations.
They can interpret signs of trouble and provide tips on keeping yard drains clear through proper landscape care and inlet protection measures. Homeowners without professional training lack this kind of reliable technical support network for drainage upkeep.
Proper Repairs and Upgrades Over Time
During a drainage system's life span, sections may need partial repairs or full upgrades to keep pace with changing runoff volumes. Tree planting, patio additions, or other landscape alterations also often necessitate drainage modifications. Professionals have the experience to know exactly how to tweak or upgrade systems to match evolving property conditions.
Homeowners attempting complex drainage excavations risk damaging properly functioning components already buried underground.
By establishing a customer relationship with a professional drainage installation company upfront, you gain the convenience of a reliable support team always available for maintenance and repairs down the road.
Conclusion - Let the Drainage Experts Handle It
When all the factors around drainage system design, quality construction, liability coverage, and long-term operation are considered, it makes overwhelming sense to hire professional drainage contractors rather than attempting a DIY installation as a homeowner. The upfront cost savings of a DIY project can quickly become erased by expensive repairs or flood damage from inadequate drainage function.
Protect your property and avoid headaches by letting qualified drainage professionals properly assess, design, and install your drainage system from start to finish. Their advanced expertise in all technical and legal aspects of drainage construction simply isn't matched by the average homeowner.
The old adage "you get what you pay for" definitely applies to something as crucial as home drainage systems. When dealing with complex exterior drainage, leave it to the pros!