Drainage Ideas for Around the Perimeter of the House

French Drains

• French drains are trenches that direct water down a slope. French drains can run from underneath gutters around the house to an area that can use more water. To build a French drain, dig a 2-foot-deep trench from an area where water pools near the house to a better area for the water. The trench must have a downward slope of at least 1 percent. Line the trench with geotextile cloth and place a perforated polyvinyl chloride -- PVC -- pipe along the bottom of the trench. Next, fill the trench in with gravel.

Subsurface Drains

• If the soil around the house is composed of heavy clay, subsurface drains help water flow downward through the layer of clay. To build a subsurface drain, dig a hole with a 4- to 6-inch diameter and a depth of 2 to 5 feet. Fill at least the bottom foot of the hole with gravel. Ideally, subsurface drains will be almost completely full of gravel or a gravel and sand mixture. The gravel allows water to flow through it much more quickly than heavy clay soil does, preventing water pooling around the perimeter of the house.

Gutter Downspout Placement

• Pay attention to where gutter downspouts lead, and install downspouts if house gutters do not already have them. Place downspouts above French drains, underground drains, ponds or above plants that could use the extra water. Avoid having downspouts pour right next to the home's foundation or to garden areas prone to problems with mud.

Creating a Pond

• If the house's yard does not have a good place for water to go, consider creating a pond for French drains and other ditches to flow into. Check local regulations and safety information regarding artificial ponds in the area before building one. Some jurisdictions require pond-builders to obtain permits, and others have restrictions on pond locations. Pick the pond location. A location downhill from the perimeter of the house makes it easy to divert water from the house foundation to the pond. If you choose to dig the pond yourself, ensure that the perimeter of the pond is level. Choose a pond liner, such as a flexible PVC liner, and then fill the pond in with water. Have French drains and gutter downspouts drain into the pond.