May 17, 2015 | by Sara Speen

Adding a retaining wall to your garden is the only safe way to prevent soil erosion on your property. There are homes around Ann Arbor MI that suffer from soil erosion from snow runoff in the spring, and rains in the summer make the erosion even worse. Consider how retaining walls may be placed at your home to prevent soil problems from getting out of control.

 

#1: Place A Wall By Your Half GarageIMG_0667

Homes that are built with half basements and half garages must use retaining walls to prevent erosion from the yard above. The yard often stops at the driveway, but there is a steep slope where the driveway ends. The retaining wall you install will prevent runoff from flooding the garage, and the soil in that part of the yard will be held in by the wall. Losing soil could cause problems with the foundation of your home, and the soil could seep into the garage during rain storms.

#2: Use A Wall Behind Your Property

Homeowners in Ann Arbor MI who have properties that back up to creeks or brooks must use a retaining wall to prevent severe loss of soil in their backyard. The soil in your backyard could fall away from the property so fast that the topography of the yard will change over time. Losing your backyard is a major blow to the value of your home, and you may have a hard time selling the house at all with such a major erosion problem.

#3: Get Creative

Functional Retaining Garden Wall

A retaining wall can be used to do more than hold back soil and water. A retaining wall can be apportioned to create steps that will lead from one part of your property to another. These steps all act as parts of the wall, and the result is the same. You get access to different parts of your property, and you are preventing soil erosion from taking hold at your home.

#4: Professional Installation

You may think that a small retaining wall is easy to install by yourself. The materials are readily available to you, but the process of installing a retaining wall is anything but easy. You must hire a professional contractor who has the manpower and experience to install the wall properly. The soil behind the wall will be packed and/or moved. The wall will be installed in a structurally sound manner, and the existing design of your home or lawn will be taken into account. These are steps that you cannot take by yourself when you need a retaining wall.

A retaining wall is the saving grace of many homes and lawns. You must stop soil erosion at your home before your home is adversely affected, and you should contact a contractor who can construct a retaining wall in the style you prefer. Walls may serve as steps in your backyard, barriers to snow runoff or design features that protect your foundation. Consider your options before you begin building your new retaining wall.

Get your yard looking its absolute best with custom landscaping solutions from Twin Oaks. Find us online at https://www.twinoakslandscape.biz/, visit us in Ann Arbor, MI at 4100 South Maple Road, or call us at (734) 213-6911.