If you’ve ever walked across your lawn after a good Maryland rainstorm and felt your shoes sink into the mud, or looked out your window and wondered why your neighbor’s yard seems to drain perfectly while yours looks like a swamp — you’re not alone.
I’m Bob Carr, and after more than 42 years helping homeowners fix yard drainage problems across Anne Arundel, Prince George’s, Montgomery, and surrounding counties, I can tell you one thing: most drainage issues look complicated on the surface, but almost every one of them comes down to water not having a place to go.
When we fix that — when we give that water a path, a destination, and a little helping hand from gravity — everything changes. Lawns recover. Basements dry out. Mosquitoes disappear. And your property value climbs instead of sinking.
Let’s walk through the real-world solutions we use every single day at TLC. I’ll explain them in plain English, just like I would if I were standing in your yard right now with a shovel in one hand and a notepad in the other.
1. The First Step: Understanding Where the Water’s Coming From
Before we even talk about drains or pumps, I always tell homeowners — don’t start digging until you know the story the water’s trying to tell you.
Grab your phone, wait for a good soaking rain, and take a slow walk around your property.
Where does the water first appear?
Which direction is it flowing?
Does it collect by the foundation, at the edge of the patio, or in the middle of the lawn?
How long does it take to disappear?
If the answer is “hours or days,” that’s a red flag. Good drainage means your yard should shed standing water within an hour or two after a heavy rain.
Nine times out of ten, we trace the issue back to one of three culprits:
1. Roof runoff not managed properly (short downspouts, missing extensions, clogged gutters).
2. Flat grading that lets water sit instead of flow.
3. Heavy clay soil that simply can’t absorb the rainfall fast enough.
2. The Easy Wins: Gutters, Downspouts, and Extensions
I’ve lost count of how many “major drainage projects” we’ve solved with a $30 downspout extension.
It sounds too easy, but think about it — one inch of rain on a 1,500-square-foot roof is nearly 1,000 gallons of water. If that water dumps right next to your foundation, you’re just asking for trouble.
We recommend extending each downspout 6 to 10 feet away from the house, ideally sloping downhill. You can use buried solid PVC pipe or surface extensions that blend into the mulch.
Add a splash block or catch basin to disperse the flow and prevent erosion. Then, check that your gutters are clean and pitched correctly so water doesn’t overflow in heavy storms.
That simple setup alone can solve half the wet-basement calls we get every spring.
3. When Water Won’t Soak In: Regrading and Aerating
If your lawn holds water like a sponge, chances are the surface just isn’t sloped properly.
A healthy yard should fall away from your foundation at about one inch per foot for the first 6 to 10 feet. That gentle slope gives gravity a head start.
When TLC does a regrading project, we’ll often bring in a skid steer, laser level, and clean fill topsoil. We reshape the land ever so slightly — not enough for you to notice visually, but enough for water to find its way to a safe outlet.
We also core-aerate and top-dress with compost, especially in older lawns with compacted clay soil. That allows water to soak in instead of running off like it’s hitting concrete.
Regrading is the foundation (pun intended) for almost every drainage system we install. Without proper grade, even the best French drain in the world won’t perform as well as it should.
4. The Workhorses: French Drains and Curtain Drains
A French drain is simply a perforated pipe buried in a gravel trench, wrapped in filter fabric, and sloped to daylight (or another outlet). It collects water and carries it away underground.
Here’s how we build them the right way at TLC:
– Depth: 18–24 inches.
– Trench width: 12–18 inches.
– Slope: 1 inch per 10 feet of run.
– Material: Washed #57 gravel (no fines).
– Pipe: 4-inch perforated PVC, not the flimsy black corrugated stuff.
A curtain drain is the same idea, just shallower (12–18 inches deep) and placed upslope of the problem area — like a trench-sized gutter that intercepts water before it gets to your house.
Both are incredibly effective when installed properly. I’ve seen yards go from marshy to mowable overnight after a good French drain installation.
5. Catch Basins and Solid Pipes: Giving Water a Place to Go
If you’ve got low spots that turn into puddles after every storm, a catch basin system might be your best friend.
Think of these as storm drains for your yard — small plastic or concrete boxes with grates on top that tie into underground solid pipes. They collect surface water and send it off to a discharge point or dry well.
They’re ideal for patios, driveways, or lawns where you can’t regrade without messing up existing features.
We often combine basins with downspout tie-ins, so all your roof and surface water uses the same efficient pipe system to exit your property.
6. Driveway and Hardscape Drains
One of the most common calls we get in the fall is: “My driveway floods the garage.”
The fix is almost always a trench or channel drain installed across the driveway apron. This narrow, grated drain captures sheet flow before it sneaks under your garage door.
For patios and pool decks, we sometimes install slot drains — low-profile linear channels that blend seamlessly with pavers or concrete. They’re sleek, effective, and maintenance-friendly.
7. Green Solutions: Rain Gardens and Dry Wells
Not every drop of water needs to be piped away. Sometimes it’s better to let nature handle it.
A rain garden is a shallow, landscaped basin planted with deep-rooted native perennials. It temporarily holds runoff and lets it slowly infiltrate into the soil.
A dry well, on the other hand, is an underground chamber filled with stone that temporarily stores stormwater until it soaks away. It’s great for tight lots where you can’t run pipe downhill.
Rain gardens and dry wells are eco-friendly, attractive, and often qualify for county stormwater credits here in Maryland.
8. When Gravity Isn’t Enough: Sump Pumps and Discharge Lines
If your property sits lower than the street, or if you’ve got a naturally high water table, sometimes gravity just isn’t on your side.
In those cases, we install sump pump discharge systems — essentially giving your yard its own “heart” to move water uphill.
The key is routing that discharge line far enough away so it doesn’t loop right back to the sump. A solid PVC line running 50–100 feet, ending at daylight or a dry well, usually does the trick.
And yes — if your sump pump runs constantly, that’s a sign you need better yard drainage to begin with. The two systems work hand in hand.
9. Real-World Example: How We Saved a Backyard in Bowie
The homeowners had a backyard that stayed mushy for days after every storm. They’d already spent money on re-seeding, aeration, even French drains — but the problem never truly went away.
We reshaped the yard with a gentle 2% slope, built a curtain drain along the fence, added extensions to both neighbors’ downspouts, and tied everything into a pop-up emitter 40 feet downhill.
Two storms later, they called me: “Bob, we can mow the backyard again!”
10. Maintenance: The Secret to Long-Term Success
Even the best drainage system needs a little TLC.
Here’s the checklist I give every homeowner:
– Clean gutters and downspout strainers every spring and fall.
– Check pop-up emitters for clogs after major storms.
– Flush French drains annually using a garden hose from the cleanout.
– Keep mulch, leaves, and soil from covering catch basin grates.
– Re-seed and re-mulch around rain gardens each year to keep them healthy.
A few minutes of maintenance keep everything flowing for decades.
11. Common Myths About Yard Drainage
– “I can just drill holes in a pipe and bury it anywhere.” Nope — slope and gravel are everything.
– “A French drain will dry my basement.” It can help, but basement water usually needs interior drainage too.
– “Rain gardens are just decorative ponds.” Not at all — when built right, they drain quickly and improve water quality.
– “Once it’s installed, I’m done forever.” Maintenance matters.
12. How TLC Designs Drainage Systems That Actually Work
At TLC, we approach every yard like it’s a puzzle. No two are alike.
We start with a site evaluation — laser level measurements, soil percolation tests, downspout mapping, and sometimes even camera inspections of existing drain lines.
Then we design a system that matches your property’s needs, combining multiple methods if necessary — a regrade here, a catch basin there, maybe a short French drain feeding a dry well.
13. Why Fixing Drainage Is One of the Smartest Home Investments You Can Make
Good drainage doesn’t just make your lawn look better. It protects your foundation, keeps termites away, prevents mold, preserves your landscaping, and makes mowing enjoyable again instead of frustrating.
It’s the difference between a soggy eyesore and a dry, usable yard where your kids can play and your dog doesn’t come back in covered in mud.
14. Ready to Take the Next Step?
If you’re tired of wet spots, standing water, or mildew odors, let’s fix it once and for all.
At TLC, we’ve built and maintained thousands of yard drainage systems across Maryland, DC, and Northern Virginia. Whether you need a simple downspout extension or a complete French drain network, we’ll design it, install it, and stand behind it.
You can schedule your free on-site drainage evaluation right here:
👉 TLCincorporated.com/drainage
We’ll inspect your property, diagnose the problem, and show you a plan that’s clear, fair, and guaranteed to work.
From the desk of Bob Carr
When it rains, you shouldn’t have to worry about your yard turning into a swamp. You should be able to sit back, listen to the rain, and know that your drainage system is quietly doing its job.
That’s peace of mind — and that’s what TLC is all about.
Until next time, stay dry and stay safe out there.
—Bob Carr, President, TLC Incorporated