Ask The Charlotte Home Inspector » Lawn and Garden

Standing Water

admin — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 22:26:10 +0000

Question: What might cause standing water in my yard?

Answer: If your yard, or some portion of it, remains wet and soggy for extended periods after periods after a rain shower, it probably means the natural drainage ways have been blocked and have settled, and there isn’t enough grade in your yard to allow water to drain properly.

Most yards were originally graded so that water was able to flow from the front of the home to the street and from the back of the home into a ditch or storm sewer. Patios, walkways, mounds of mulch or planted beds, and even tress can add to the raising of the ground surface.

If this is the case, you may need to consider installing subsurface drainage around your yard. In addition, you should take a good look at ht landscaping around your home. Many homeowners who like a manicured yard are often tempted to mound mulch in plant beds, around trees and against their home’s foundation, for aesthetic purposes, as well as keeping away weeds or undesirable ground cover. How could this affect your yard’s drainage?

Unfortunately, this practice may produce the unintended result of encouraging water to pool in different areas of the yard. If water pools around the foundation, it can cause considerable damage to the home.

The fill around your home should be compacted and graded to slope away from the home for a minimum of ten feet, making the frond six inches lower than the ground surface at the house wall. This will drain surface water away from the wall and help prevent water from standing against the wall. Planting and mulching around outside wall should be done carefully to preserve drainage away from the wall.

Following these tips can lead to a dryer yard and a dryer home.

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Charlotte Home Inspector Finds Tree Too Close To The House

admin — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 21:44:42 +0000

Recently Charlotte home inspector found a birch tree too close to the house in the Piper Glen section of Charlotte NC. When you see the damage that a trees surface roots can do to a sidewalk, it may seem reasonable to infer they could damage a buildings foundation in a similar fashion. However, most tree roots are found in the top 6 18 inches of soil where there is a favorable balance of moisture, oxygen and nutrients. While roots can damage a relatively thin layer of pavement overlying the soil as they grow, most foundations in western Pennsylvania are much deeper. The surrounding soil at such depths stays too wet for too long a time to support much root growth. And many homes have eaves that keep the soil right near the foundation dry year round, another situation that is not conducive to root growth. It is true that the change in soil moisture near a foundation is the most damaging, especially in times of severe drought such as we experienced in 1988. Fortunately, it is rare that we experience such severe drought conditions in western Pennsylvania. And as much as gardeners complain about our clay soil, it’s much more stable for building foundations than sand is. Trees and shrubs planted near a foundation can compound the situation because they will take up any available moisture during such major drought events. When the soil around a foundation dries out completely, it shrinks away from it and makes the foundation less stable.

When planting trees near your house, it best to plant them away from the house at a distance slightly greater than the expected crown radius at maturity. This not only keeps the majority of roots away from the foundation, but also keeps branches from damaging the siding or roof as they move in the wind.

Of course, you will need to do a little research on that cute little treasure you just bought at the nursery if you are unsure of its mature size. Better yet, do your research BEFORE you visit your local nursery so you do not wind up falling in love with a tree that you do not have room to accommodate when it is mature. http://www.homeinspectioncarolina.com

Time to Aerate and Seed Your Lawn!

admin — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 15:39:23 +0000

Every season, lawn will be challenged by, varying temperatures, drought conditions or crazy insects. You should realize that even the best turf will stress and thin and this is why you need to aerate and seed annually.

Garden Superstars for Spring 2008

admin — Sat, 12 Jan 2008 02:32:07 +0000

From show-stopping roses to containers rich in history, Spring 2008 promises to be an exciting year for garden lovers.

A New Breakthrough in Gardening

admin — Tue, 25 Dec 2007 01:16:37 +0000

Whether you have an extensive greenhouse or a small container garden in your home, you want your plants to do well. Common knowledge tells us that plants need water, sun and nutrients to flourish. But according to recent studies, surprisingly, there is another crucial element for successful gardening: oxygen.

Oxygen in a plant

Remember to Feed The Birds This Winter

admin — Tue, 25 Dec 2007 01:11:45 +0000

Bird feeding is a hobby shared by millions of people around the world. Viewed by many as lovable outdoor pets, birds are delightful to watch. One of the best ways to view these outdoor pets is by feeding them. Birds need to eat year round, which is why it

Selection of Your Lawn Care Machine

admin — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 21:12:16 +0000

Lawn mower has become one of important equipments for your lawn. Lawnmower is used to cut grass to an even length on a smaller scale. Mower machine is really one of the most valuable and time-Saving power tools.

There are different types of electric model of mower available in the market which will sure make your work as simple as you want it. You can easily choose one of them according to your requirement. These electric models have very strong batteries which can mow at least a half acre before it needs to be recharged. These electric models are really quiet eco friendly as they don’t produce any noxious fumes.

A proper mower for your lawn is the first step to get a beautiful lawn in your home. If you have a very large yard, a riding lawnmower or lawn tractor will probably make most sense. If your yard is small to medium sized, perhaps a walk behind mower with high wheels will work better, especially if your yard has any steep slopes. If it’s a small yard, you might be able to get away with an electric mulching lawnmower or even a reel type push mower instead.

Nowadays there are various types of designs available in the market which have reel blades and cut at the front of the mowers, suitable for those in the profession of maintaining lawns. If there isn’t a golf link to mow then the rotary type model is good and perfect for your lawn. The mowing blades are usually found below the deck below the seat and can give you some vibration. With a well-cushioned seat, it will not trouble you. Rotary lawnmowers are powered either by electric or gasoline. The rotary mower is a mowing deck, steel or aluminum that houses a single rotating blade.

Before you chose a lawn mower, decide whether you want to buy an electric or gasoline driven mower. Each type has its own ups and downs. You can also find smaller riding lawnmowers that will work with your lawn as well. The fundamental workings are similar to the larger ones but the major difference will be the size and the power of the machine itself. If you have an even, smooth yard, you also won’t need very much horsepower. If you have a very hilly area, however, you will need a lot more. If your lawn is undulating, a lawn tractor is a good option.

Electric or gasoline hover mowers are operated by using a single long blade, rather like the rotary mower, but it is designed so that the rotation of the blade creates a down draft that lifts the mower off the ground.

Besides all these, a lawn tractor will also help you in cleaning your lawn. Tractor has 10-15 horsepower and can work well. Considering that a car has 150 ‘ 300 horsepower, it seems that it’s a lot less energy, but you don’t need that much. You will pay more for more horsepower, just like with a car. Make sure you really need it first.

Lawn tractor blades usually cut between 38 ‘ 42 inches and can cut the lawn quicker. However, it will be faster cutting your lawn, about 10% faster and with greater precision but it may be more expensive if you have a machine that can mow larger plots of land.

Not only this, you can get a garden tractor with 20 horsepower and up to 60″ mowing blades for a powerful, efficient machine. If you need to haul dirt or tree parts with an attached trailer, you can use this more efficiently and also it will sure give the desired result.

Before buying any mower you must check the area of your lawn because if you have a very low or even zero degree turning radius then it will cost a lot more. If you don’t have a lawn that is difficult to negotiate, you probably won’t need it. So, be careful while buying a lawnmower.