Homes are not always located on flat lots. In fact, landscapes can feature hills and valleys, necessitating some extra steps when installing certain features.
Retaining walls are often utilized to improve the functionality and safety of a property. Retaining walls are typically recommended to eliminate soil erosion and improve drainage, says Design One Landscape Corporation.
Over time, soil erosion or drainage issues can eat into the structural integrity of a home and cause cosmetic damage and unhealthy conditions, such as mold growth. Here’s a look at six instances when installing a retaining wall can be advantageous.
1. Remedy a slope in the yard: Retaining walls help make sloped areas functional. The wall will help flatten the slope so that water and soil do not flow downward.
2. Make the yard easier to traverse: A retaining wall can make it easier to walk around a sloped yard. Rather than contending with the hill both uphill and downhill, particularly if it’s steep, the retaining wall can be installed to create flat areas that are easier to navigate.
3. Manage water runoff: Retaining walls can hold back or redirect water to help prevent flooding. A wall can be used to keep water away from the foundation, where it may enter the home.
4. Prevent soil erosion: Along with keeping water back, the retaining wall also will stop soil erosion and runoff so it doesn’t cause an unsightly condition in the yard, or prove dangerous during severe weather.
5. Prevent sink holes: By helping to manage water runoff, retaining walls can reduce the risk of sinkholes. According to Slaton Bros, Inc., a retaining wall service provider, sinkholes occur when enough water pools beneath the surface of the ground to weaken it to the point of not being capable of supporting the ground’s surface weight.
6. Improve curb appeal: Retaining walls also may serve cosmetic functions. They provide additional surfaces upon which to place container plants or additional decorations. Retaining walls also can provide backdrops to shrubs and separate grassy areas from patios or swimming pools.
Retaining walls marry form and function. Homeowners with sloped yards or drainage issues should consider installing retaining walls to address these issues.
-Metro Creative Connection
