Month: February 2014

Not All Landscaping Companies Offer French Drains in Rockville MD

You may have heard that a “French drain” can prevent ground and surface water from penetrating or damaging your home’s foundation. You should be aware that not all landscaping companies offer French drains; and depending on where you live in Maryland, a permit must be obtained by a licensed contractor like East Coast Landscape Design, before digging begins.

A French drain is a trench that is filled with gravel or rock or containing a perforated pipe that redirects surface water and groundwater away from an area. (Sometimes, a lightweight gravel substitute is used to wrap around the perforated corrugated pipe and covered with filter fabric.)

Landscaping companies in Rockville MD install French drains around a home foundation in two different ways: installed underneath the basement floor on the inside perimeter of the basement, or buried around the foundation wall on the external side of the foundation. French drains are also used to relieve ground water pressure behind retaining walls in your landscape.

For more information on French drains and other ways to manage drainage and erosion, please contact the experts among landscaping companies in Rockville MD, East Coast Landscape Design. Our Senior Geotechnical Engineer provides consultations and specializes in drainage and erosion control engineering, in accordance with the requirement of the local government and the state of Maryland. Please contact East Coast Landscape Design today.

Posted on Author mdlandscaperCategories landscaping companies

Landscape Design to Prevent Flooding at Bethesda MD Homes

Flooding – it’s a huge problem for many homeowners – but did you know that great landscape design can prevent flooding in Bethesda MD?

Flooding in your home happens when your landscape can’t handle the water through proper drainage. This occurs due to having the wrong soil, soil erosion, a yard that slopes toward the home, plants that don’t capture the water, and a lack of water drainage through hardscaping.

If at all possible, flood prevention systems should be installed during the construction process. Unfortunately, water drainage is often overlooked, because many drainage problems don’t present themselves until after the home is built. So what landscape design changes can be done after construction in Bethesda MD?

  • Plants: plant flower beds in areas where the water tends to collect.
  • Catch basins: a drainage system that collects the water runoff at the edge of the landscape feature, such as the patio, driveway, or lawn and brings the water to a collection point through the use of underground drain pipe.
  • Dry streambeds: create a path for the water, directing it away from your house.
  • Retention ponds: this drainage system is located at the lowest point of the property to collect the storm water runoff.
  • Regular inspections: it’s important to have your landscape inspected by a qualified landscaper, such as East Coast Landscape Design, anytime you see a pattern of flooding.

For more information on landscape design in Bethesda, MD, that prevents home flooding, please contact East Coast Landscape Design. Our consultation will outline how to protect your home and create lasting beauty and value. We use erosion control applications to Maryland state specifications.

Posted on Author mdlandscaperCategories Bethesda MD, landscape design