Sloped Piedmont yards and flat, wet Coastal Plain yards need different fixes. We find out which one you have and give the water a legal outlet.
Drainage problems in the Baltimore area follow the ground. On Piedmont lots north and west of the city, water runs down slopes and seeps along the top of the weathered rock until it reaches a basement wall. On Coastal Plain lots to the south and east, the problem is low ground and a high water table, so water has nowhere to soak in. The fix starts with knowing which you have.
Our tools are regrading, swales, French drains, curtain drains, buried downspout lines and dry wells. Dry wells and infiltration trenches work well in clean sand around Glen Burnie, but poorly in tight clay or on shallow rock. A curtain drain above the house suits sloped Piedmont yards, and regrading with a swale fixes many flat, soggy ones. We pick the simplest one that will actually move the water.
The outlet comes first. Water cannot be pushed onto a neighbor's lot, and in the city, roof and sump water should not go into the sanitary sewer. Near tidal water, Critical Area rules affect what can be built. We find a legal outlet for your lot and design the system back from it. That outlet is often a curb, a storm inlet or a swale to a stream buffer.
Drainage solutions in Baltimore: common questions
Why does my Baltimore basement leak after every storm?
Usually settled backfill, downspouts at the wall or water seeping along the rock from uphill. Regrading, piping downspouts away and a drain usually fix it.
Will a dry well work in my yard?
In clean sand, often yes. In tight clay or shallow rock, it fills and stays full. A simple test settles it.
Can my downspouts go into the sewer?
Not into the sanitary sewer. They should discharge to the yard, a storm outlet or another approved spot.
How it works
- Free estimate: Call, text or book online. We walk the site with you.
- Written quote: Scope, equipment and price in writing.
- Utility locate & plan: We have utilities marked and plan access, haul-off and erosion control.
- Dig, grade & clean up: We complete the work, grade the site and haul away spoil.