While buying or remodeling a house, we pay a lot of attention to the interiors, but overlook the exteriors. If you are fortunate enough to have a backyard, you can enjoy gardening or just throwing a barbecue party. However, to do that you need a fairly dry backyard. If you have a mushy water-logged yard, then you are in need of effective backyard drainage solutions. Installing a proper drainage in your yard, will not only help to keep the yard dry, but will also save you any structural or foundation damage to your property. One of the most important consideration while installing backyard drainage systems is to decide the exit point for the water. A good yard drainage solution is one that allows water to be re routed from the yard into a dry well or sump. Make sure that the exit point for water from the drainage system is not into your neighbor's property or on the streets outside. Drainage Solutions for the Backyard Given below are some popular and effective drainage solutions for backyards that you can choose from. Some of them are quite labor intensive and might require the services of a professional. Before you start installing a drainage system, make sure that you take the required permissions from the local municipal body. There are many laws pertaining to drainage systems, so you should be well aware of them if you want to save any hassles later. Dry Well One of the least expensive and simple drainage solutions for yards is to install a dry well. A dry well is basically a hole or ditch that is dug in the ground. It is installed at the lowest level of the yard, so that the standing water can flow towards the hole. To construct a dry well, all you need to do is dig a 3-4 feet deep hole in the ground and then line the hole with landscape fabric. Next, fill the hole with gravel until you are eight inches from the ground. Wrap the landscape fabric over the hole and place sand over the hole. Your dry well construction is complete. Water from the backyard will percolate through the gravel and your yard will be dry. French Drain A very good water drainage solution is to install a French drain. For installing a French drain you need to study the slope and elevation of the backyard and determine the lowest point in the yard. Now, mark the course of the drain through the yard and dig a trench through the marked area. The trench should be at least a feet deep. Line the trench with landscape fabric and then fill the trench with gravel. Finish with a layer of sand and saw dust. Depending upon the size of your backyard, this drainage solution might take more than a day to complete. This is one of the most effective drainage solution for your yard or lawn. Improving Top Soil If your drainage problem is not severe and your backyard is wet and soggy instead of being totally water logged, you can try improving the quality of top soil. When you have clayey and compacted soil in the yard, water cannot percolate through the ground, and it causes the water to stand on the ground. The best solution in such a scenario is to dig up a few inches of the top soil and replace it with a mixture of sand, gypsum, saw dust and other organic material this will make the soil more well drained and you will have a dry yard. Sump Pump Another good solution for backyard drainage problems is to install a sump pump. A sump pump dispels water away from the water logged location and pumps it out. It is generally of two types- automatic and manual. The accumulated water is drained out by pumping it away from the yard, by using pipes. The water is then re-routed to a dry well or a storm drain. These were some drainage solutions that you can consider for your yard. Installing an effective drainage solution is imperative if you want your property to look neat and your yard water free.