By Garabedian Properties |
April 6, 2025
It's Spring Cleaning Season is here! Which often involves both inside and outside projects. Most commonly outside projects include weed & feed for the lawn, cleaning up flower beds and fresh mulch.
Continually adding mulch to flower beds over the years can create a serious water threat to many homes. As the mulch builds up over the years the beds can become barriers to water draining way from the home. This can trap water between the beds and homes and during major rain events the water can seep into your home.
Pay close attention to the height of the mulch & soil in your beds adjoining your home.
Garabedian Properties recommends these points to help protect your home -
* Keep paths clear in multiple locations for water to drain out.
* If you have rain gutters that empty into your beds consider extending them via underground pipes to drain out into the yard
* Inspect beds to make sure the soil nearest the home is below the bottom of the brick/stone/stucco. You should be able to see approximately 4-6" of the foundation concrete in most cases.
* Install a French drain with surface inlets between the beds up against the foundation to move the water away from your home.
* Communicate these items to your landscaper so they can be aware of your concerns when working on your property.
* If water drains TO your home (the home is lower than the front yard) then even greater protections should be undertaken which often require a specialized contractor.
If you are unsure, please have a professional give you an onsite evaluation. Water that enters a home from the ground is typically considered a "flood event" and usually is not covered by Home Owner's Insurance.