Jeff Halper offers the following royalty-free article for you to publish online or in print. Feel free to use this article in your newsletter, website, ezine, blog, or forum. ----------- PUBLICATION GUIDELINES - You have permission to publish this article for free providing the "About the Author" box is included in its entirety. - Do not post/reprint this article in any site or publication that contains hate, violence, porn, warez, or supports illegal activity. - Do not use this article in violation of the US CAN-SPAM Act. If sent by email, this article must be delivered to opt-in subscribers only. - If you publish this article in a format that supports linking, please ensure that all URLs and email addresses are active links. - Please send a copy of the publication, or an email indicating the URL to [email protected] - Article Marketer (www.ArticleMarketer.com) has distributed this article on behalf of the author. Article Marketer does not own this article, please respect the author's copyright and publication guidelines. If you do not agree to these terms, please do not use this article. ----------- Article Title: How Important Are Drainage Sysmtems In Houston Texas Author: Jeff Halper Category: Landscaping Word Count: 569 Keywords: drainage systems, drainage contractors, French Drainage Author's Email Address: [email protected] Article Source: http://www.articlemarketer.com ------------------ ARTICLE START ------------------
Sitting at about 39 feet above sea level with 21 major bayous in the greater metropolitan area and recipient of regular tropical storms, Houston landscapes pretty much demand drainage systems. Like irrigation systems, drainage systems are the workhorses of your property, helping your plant material to flourish and your home to be safe regardless of Mother Nature's antics. Drainage Systems: Parts and Pieces Gutter downspout connections. Downspout connections are designed to take water from the gutters to the landscape drainage system. These connections are made of plastic, metal or brass and sometimes have a side cleanout with a see through grate so they can be easily inspected for clogs. Catch basins, or yard drains. Catch basins can be placed under downspouts when it is undesirable or not possible to tie into the gutter. They tie into a PVC main drain line instead and carry water out through the landscape drainage system. Catch basins are usually a plastic or concrete box that uses a plastic or metal drain grate cover to filter out leaves and other waste debris. Channel drains. These long narrow strip drains are used between main structures and paving or at the edge of a patio or deck. French drainage. Designed to take water away from saturated soil, French drains are small ditches that are filled with undersized rocks or gravel. Deck drains. Deck drains are installed in patios, decks and walkways so that water is either sloped toward drains or drained into the landscape beds. They have special drain covers, usually decorative, made of metal, brass or stone. Deck drains are smaller in size than catch basins and are only intended to drain patio surface areas. When installing a yard drainage system, it is recommended to hand dig trenches around trees to minimize damage to them. It is best to tunnel under tree roots by using compressed air. This tree preservation method exposes tree roots so they are not torn. Alternately, pressurized water can be used to dig deep trenches and expose roots, which also minimizes damage. Drainage Systems: Affect on Other Systems Drainage systems and irrigation systems can work in concert with each other. Landscape designers or landscape architects can develop a whole system approach so that the nuts and bolts of both systems are hidden as much as possible. When that is not possible, the use of custom decorative drain gates can be used to reduce the negative visual impact. The design and location of the two systems should be seamless with the rest of the landscape design. Drainage systems impact residential landscape maintenance as well. Since they drain water from low lying areas, they prevent standing water that can cause slippery surfaces, mosquito breeding grounds and drowned landscaping. A proper landscape drainage system is essential for the care of your lawn as it moves water off of your property in a timely manner, thus encouraging healthy grass and allowing your maintenance crew to perform their regular lawn service duties. Expertise Required In Houston, storm drainage issues are very serious due to our flat topography, dense clay soils, and heavy forested lots compacted by years of construction that have increased impervious surfaces. These factors have caused more streets and homes to become flooded during the heaviest rainfalls. Consequently, local ordinances are beginning to follow the model used by the Memorial Villages that require minimum pipe sizes, flow rates, temporary drainage systems, engineered drainage plans, calculations, topographic maps, and as/built plans. Jeff Halper has a passion for landscaping and landscape design, for more information about landscaping and gardening visit http://www.exteriorworlds.com ------------------ ARTICLE END ------------------ [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
