Water Pooling in Your Yard After Rain? How to Fix Stormwater Drainage

Where Your Stormwater Is Meant to Go

Rain that lands on your roof should never end up sitting in your yard. It runs along the gutters, down the downpipes and into underground stormwater pipes that carry it to the street or another approved outlet. Some homes send roof water to a rainwater tank first, with the overflow piped away.

Stormwater and sewer are two separate systems, and they need to stay that way. Your stormwater pipes carry rain. Your sewer pipes carry waste from toilets, showers and sinks.

Common Causes of Water Pooling Around the House

Most pooling comes from one of a handful of problems, and plenty of properties have more than one.

• Overflowing gutters: leaves and debris block the gutter, so water spills over the edge instead of reaching the downpipe.
• Downpipes that stop at ground level: a downpipe that isn’t connected to a stormwater pipe empties the whole roof’s runoff at the base of your wall.
• Blocked or broken stormwater pipes: silt, leaves and tree roots build up underground, and older pipes can crack or sag.
• Blocked pits and grates: surface pits fill with soil and leaves and stop taking water.
• Ground that falls towards the house: paving, garden beds or new landscaping can slope the wrong way and send water back to the walls.
• Pipes that can’t keep up: some older systems were never sized for the heavy downpours a Central West summer storm can bring.

Why You Shouldn’t Ignore Pooling Water

Pooling water causes damage slowly, so it’s easy to put off until the repair bill is big. Water that sits against your house can soak into walls and subfloors, leading to damp, mould and timber rot. It softens the soil around slabs and footings, which can lead to cracking. Out in the yard, it washes soil away, drowns lawns and leaves soggy patches that never seem to dry.

What You Can Safely Check Yourself

The easiest way to find a drainage problem is to watch your roof water during rain, from the ground. Stay off the roof and ladders in wet weather.

• Watch the gutters. Water spilling over the front edge points to a blockage or a gutter that has lost its fall.
• Follow each downpipe. Check whether it disappears into the ground or ends at the surface.
• Clear the grates you can reach. Leaves sitting on a pit grate are an easy fix.
• Take a photo of where the water collects. It helps a plumber find the cause faster.

How Do I Find the Stormwater Pipes on My Property?

Start with any drainage plans you have, then follow the pipes from both ends. The building approval documents for your home may include a drainage plan. Where a downpipe enters the ground shows where a pipe starts, and pits or a kerb outlet show where it finishes. A plumber can trace the section in between with a drain camera. If you plan to dig, lodge a free enquiry with Before You Dig Australia first, so you know where other underground services run.

How a Plumber Fixes Stormwater Drainage

A plumber finds the cause first, then fixes the part of the system that’s failing.

• Finding the problem: a CCTV drain camera shows blockages, roots and broken sections underground, so nobody digs up the yard on a guess. Here’s why CCTV drain inspections are a game-changer.
• Clearing blockages: high-pressure water jetting clears silt, leaves and roots out of stormwater lines. It’s the same equipment used for blocked drains.
• Repairs and connections: damaged gutters and downpipes are repaired or replaced, and loose downpipes get a proper stormwater connection.

Why Dubbo Homeowners Call Us

Matt Diamond Plumbing looks after gutters, downpipes and stormwater connections for homes across Dubbo and the surrounding towns. The team has the gear to see what’s happening underground and fix the cause, not just the puddle.