A driveway should move rain to the street or the alley. When it holds a puddle, sends water into the garage or runs it toward the house, something is off with the slope or a panel has moved. On Dallas clay, standing water does more than leave a stain. It soaks the ground under the slab and starts the swelling and shrinking that cracks it. Call (469) 257-3979 and we will check the fall with a level.
Where the water comes from
- A panel that sank and now holds a bowl of water
- A driveway poured with too little fall, or none, toward the street
- Downspouts that empty onto the slab or right beside it
- A yard that slopes onto the driveway from the side
- An alley that sits higher than the garage apron
- Sprinklers that spray the slab every morning
What we can do
Repour with the right fall
When the slope is the problem, the fix is new concrete set to the right grade. We set forms with a level and string so the water has somewhere to go, then pour. Sometimes that is one or two panels, and sometimes the whole driveway.
Fix the edges
A slight crown or a cross slope can push water off the side into a bed or the lawn instead of toward the garage. Where the alley is higher than the garage, we can rework the apron so water stays in the alley.
Deal with the downspouts
We can move a downspout outlet or carry it past the end of the driveway as part of the job. We do not install full yard drainage systems, so for a yard that floods we will tell you to bring in a drainage company.
Call and we will check the slope and the panels.
Why it matters on clay
The Houston Black clay under much of Dallas takes in water fast when it is dry and cracked, then holds it once it is wet. That means water that gets under a slab tends to stay there. The ground swells, the slab lifts, and then it drops again when the clay dries out. Keeping water moving off the driveway is one of the cheapest ways to make a slab last. Our Dallas clay guide goes deeper.
Questions about Driveway Drainage in Dallas
- Can you just add a drain to the driveway?
- A trench drain across the slab can help at the bottom of a steep driveway. Most of the time, fixing the slope works better and needs less upkeep.
- Water runs into my garage. What causes that?
- Usually a panel near the garage that sank, or an alley or street that sits higher than the garage floor. We check the levels and show you where the water wants to go.
- Will mudjacking fix the slope?
- Lifting can level a panel that sank in one piece. It cannot change the overall fall of a driveway that was poured flat.
Call or send the form. We walk the driveway with you, measure it and write the price down before we leave.