| Soil erosion is a costly problem, so it is | | | | When you place these on large areas of bare |
| very important to plan ahead when buying a | | | | ground, you are doing the best thing possible |
| home. Making sure soil erosion control and | | | | for rain damage prevention and soil erosion |
| rain damage prevention are done right during | | | | control. |
| the original landscaping and building of your | | | | |
| home will lead to a nicer overall yard and | | | | - When your home landscaping is complete, |
| keeping your yearly maintenance costs down. | | | | permanently seed or sod your entire yard. |
| | | | This will stabilize the soil for the life of |
| The by-product of soil erosion is sediment. | | | | your yard. |
| You've seen this after a hard rain on your | | | | |
| sidewalks and driveways. Sediment from soil | | | | Now that we have covered many soil erosion |
| erosion is the largest pollutant in our | | | | control methods, we can move to the rain |
| lakes, rivers and streams. If your yard | | | | damage prevention of your home. |
| sediment clogs up your storm sewers, it can | | | | |
| cause flooding. Any uncovered land on your | | | | When a house is built, water that lands on |
| property, no matter how large or small an | | | | the roof generally runs off and is taken to |
| area, is susceptible to rain damage and soil | | | | the ground through gutters and downspouts. |
| erosion. | | | | Gutters should be properly fitted from the |
| | | | start and pitched toward the downspouts. |
| Sediment from yards can also be a major | | | | Keeping the gutters sloping to the downspouts |
| source of phosphorus in lakes and streams. | | | | will accelerate water flow, and will allow |
| When you get excess phosphorus, there is a | | | | the water to flow easily. To keep this all |
| higher likelihood of unhealthy algae blooms. | | | | from leaking, any joints in the gutters and |
| These algae blooms cause an awful smell, and | | | | downspouts should be caulked. |
| can kill fish and other water life. Rain | | | | |
| damage prevention along with soil erosion | | | | Downspouts are normally found on the corners |
| control is the better way to keep our | | | | of the house. All downspouts should be |
| waterways clear and the environment clean. | | | | properly fitted with screws and sealers. At |
| (Not to mention it is much more cost | | | | the bottom of the downspout, piping situated |
| effective to prevent the damage than to try | | | | underground is connected and all water will |
| to restore something after it has been | | | | be taken away from the house through |
| damaged.) | | | | subsurface drainage. |
| | | | |
| There are key ways to keeping your yard | | | | Although this design for rain damage |
| looking better. Some common ways of planning | | | | prevention and soil erosion control has been |
| for soil erosion control and rain damage | | | | around for many years, sometime it can be |
| prevention are: | | | | very costly. If any maintenance is needed, |
| | | | whether due to leakage or clogging, you can |
| - Cover all stock-piled soil you have on your | | | | be looking at a hefty bill. |
| property. When these soil stock-piles are not | | | | |
| in use, keeping them covered with a weighted | | | | Now enters the "new kid on the block" for |
| plastic tarp will help with soil erosion | | | | rain damage prevention and soil erosion |
| control. | | | | control. There is a product on the market |
| | | | that actually extends your downspout far |
| - Plant a temporary vegetative cover on your | | | | enough out into your yard to help keep your |
| unfinished yard. When you have an area of | | | | home safe from rain damage and soil erosion. |
| your yard that is bare and won't be touched | | | | Rainguard Downspout Extensions are placed on |
| for a while, just plant something temporarily | | | | the bottom of a downspout and they roll out |
| to help hold the soil in place. Annual rye | | | | when it rains to drain the water away from |
| grass is a good choice for this. | | | | your home. What is especially nice about |
| | | | these extensions are that they roll back up |
| - Use mulch. Any areas of soil that are | | | | and out of the way when it is not raining. |
| exposed and next to a hard surface, like a | | | | |
| sidewalk or driveway, should be covered and | | | | So, as you can see, you have many options for |
| stabilized by mulch or mulch and a temporary | | | | soil erosion control and rain damage |
| vegetative covering. There are many types of | | | | prevention in property you own and maintain. |
| mulching products, including straw, straw | | | | A rain storm does not have to be a problem |
| netting blankets and wood fiber blankets. | | | | for you or your environment. |