12 JunErosion Control for Residential Construction
Erosion control can be challenging on any construction site. Mitigating erosion and managing runoff on residential construction projects, however, comes with a unique set of challenges.
Whether you’re building a single family home or a developing new subdivision, erosion control must be mitigated during all phases of construction. Set your site up for success by selecting the right residential erosion control products from the start.
Our Product Recommendations
Perimeter Control Products: Silt Fence and Compost Filter Sock
Inlet Protection: Dandy Curb and Dandy Curb Sack
Soil Stabilization: 70/30 Hydromulch and Biodegradable Erosion Control Blankets
Establishing Vegetation: Colonial Heritage Quad Fescue, Contractors Mix and Biotic Earth
Residential Erosion Control Products for Perimeter and Sediment Control
Start by securing the construction perimeter with silt fence or silt sock. These sediment control products trap sediment laden runoff by capturing the pollutants and allowing filtered stormwater to flow through. A secure perimeter is especially important on new construction home plots because the ground is typically flat and lacks vegetation which means runoff will freely flow from site to street if not mitigated.
Silt Fence for Sediment Control
Historically, silt fence has been the first choice for sediment control around construction sites. Silt fence establishes a clear perimeter around the site, but more importantly, the temporary fence controls sediment. Silt fence’s woven polypropylene yarns retain sediment and allow a filtered release of stormwater.
When considering your options of silt fence, always consult your project specifications, engineers, and local regulations before purchasing.
- Silt Fence Pre-Attached with Oak Fence Posts: ideal for small installations
- Logo Silt Fence: ideal for high visibility developments
- 400EO Silt Fence: install along tree line for additional delineation and sites that need a higher performance fabric
- Commercial Silt Fence: standard fabric for most sites and available in black or orange
Silt Fence is a reliable choice for residential erosion control perimeter control. If you are looking for an alternative solution, however, consider silt sock for your project.
Compost Filter Silt Sock for Perimeter Control
Although silt fence is the popular choice, temporary fence is subject to a lot of wear and tear on subdivisions. The temporary fence often gets trampled, run over and collapses. If your fence fails during a rain event, sediment laden runoff will freely flow into streets or streams. If your temporary fence is compromised when an inspector arrives on site, that could result in a fine for you.
The alternative to silt fence is compost filter silt sock. Silt sock traps runoff sediment in its mulch matrix. Silt Sock is manufactured in diameters up to 24-inches but the common sizes for residential construction include:
- 8″ x 200′ continuous pallet
- 8″ x 10′ wattle
- 12″ x 110′ continuous pallet
- 12″ x 10′ wattle
Pallets of compost filter silt socks are very versatile. If you purchase a pallet and have leftover product, tie off sections of the wattle and use it for inlet protection, check dams or any location where you need to dissipate sheet flow and filter stormwater.
Installing continuous pallets is fast and simple but it does require equipment. Compost filter silt sock is easy to repair and replace if a blowout does occur. You can also reinforce silt fence with a line of silt sock for even more greater sediment control.
Inlet Protection for Residential Erosion Control
Perimeter sediment control products are the first line of defense for capturing runoff pollution. The second step to reducing runoff pollution is protecting inlets.
It is critical to protect your inlets through all phases of construction. That includes existing inlets like curb inlets and new inlets where a stormwater pipe is installed.
More than likely you will need a combination of curb inlet and drop inlet devices. These residential erosion control products trap silt and sediment before pollutants enter the stormwater system.
When you’re considering what inlet protection devices your development needs, consider how your devices were treated on previous projects. Like silt fence, inlet protection devices are often run over by equipment and abused during construction. Choose an inlet protection product that is easy to maintain and tough enough to last the duration of the project.
Curb Inlet Protection
We recommend the Dandy Curb for residential construction projects. The Dandy Curb is a tube wrapped in orange monofilament fabric. Attached to the front of the tube is a Velcro pouch. Add clean stone to this patch to weight the Dandy Curb in place and pre-filter debris.
The Dandy Curb is designed to fit most curb inlets and is stocked in the following sizes:
- 6-foot
- 8-foot
- 10-foot
- 12-foot
The Dandy Curb should be installed with one foot of overlap at each end of the gutter pan. For example, a 4-foot gutter opening will need a 6-foot Dandy Curb.
After rain events, clean off the front pouch and remove sediment build up.
Drop Inlet Protection
For drop inlet protection, we recommend the Dandy Sack. The best thing about the Dandy Sack is that it hangs below the grate.
This means it can withstand vehicle, equipment and pedestrian traffic.
The Dandy Sack is designed to fit most drop inlets but can be custom manufactured to fit your specific grate. Common sizes include:
- 30″ x 30″
- 32″ x 32″
- 36″ x 36″
To maintain the Dandy Sack, simply remove the grate and the bag to clear out sediment build up after storms.
Residential Erosion Control Products for Soil Stabilization
Throughout construction, especially multi-phased housing developments, you will need to stabilize soil after land disturbance. You have two choices for soil stabilization: rolled erosion control blankets and hydromulch. Since most subdivisions are developed over relatively flat land, erosion blankets are a reliable and easy choice. However, hydroseeding also has its advantages since it allows you to cover greater land area.
Stabilize with Erosion Control Blankets
There are endless options for erosion control blankets and the selection ultimately comes down to the severity of your slope and erosion.
Residential developers that are concerned about degradability, however, should select a biodegradable erosion control blanket. These environmentally friendly erosion control blankets are 100% biodegradable which means they will fully degrade over time.
Biodegradable erosion control blankets include:
- All Natural Single Net Straw Blanket
- All Natural Double Net Straw Blanket
- Curlex I FibreNet
- Curlex II FibreNet
- All Natural Straw/Coconut Erosion Control Blanket
For flat and low velocity areas like home lawns, you might also want to consider a net free blanket. Curlex® NetFree doesn’t have a net at all which means there’s no risk to wildlife and no threat to mowing entanglements.
Hydroseeding Residential Construction Sites
After the site work is complete and curb and gutter is in, subdivision lots begin to develop independently of each other. On large subdivision projects, one section may even develop months after another. That means you need to have ground cover during those months of inactivity. Ground cover is the key to reducing erosion and preventing runoff pollution on construction sites.
Hydroseeding is the best way to get fast and widespread ground cover for inactive lots, backyards, subdivision entrances and paths.
Since most developments won’t be dealing with severe slopes or high velocity channels, our 70/30 Hybrid Blend Hydromulch is a great economical base mulch. Sometimes BMPs embankments or hilly green space might require a higher performance product. For those situations, choose EarthGuard Fiber Matrix.
Establishing Vegetation on Residential Construction Proejcts
The last – and most important – key to controlling erosion is establishing vegetation. You will most likely have to seed throughout construction in order to abide by local regulations for ground cover after land disturbance. Adjust your seed mix to the application and add a biotic soil amendment when you can’t get grass to grow.
Grass Seed for Subdivisions and New Developments
Most contractors prefer a seasonal Contractor’s Mix Grass Seed for an economical and effective grass seed. Our Contractor’s Mix Grass Seed works great for hydroseeding green space, entrances and medians. When it comes to homeowners’ yards, select a higher quality seed like our Colonial Heritage Four Way Fescue. This quad fescue blend performs great in the Mid-Atlantic and will result in green lush yards that look great for move-in time.
Biotic Soil Amendment for Depleted Soils
Grass needs healthy soil in order to establish and thrive. Construction activity depletes soils which can make it difficult to establish vegetation during project close out.
For sites that need an extra nutrient boost, consider Biotic Earth, a hydraulic biotic soil amendment.
Biotic Earth is a top soil and compost alternative that gives the soil a healthy dose of key nutrients like peat moss, good bacteria and Mycorrhizae. Since Biotic Earth is applied hydraulically, it is faster and easier than applying compost by hand.
Choosing the Right Residential Erosion Control Products for Your Project
Like all construction projects, there isn’t a one size fits all answer for erosion control. The products you choose should equate to the size and scope of your plans.
Save yourself time and stress by selecting smart residential erosion control products that can withstand wear and tear. Integrate these products into plans so there is a solution in place if an erosion control or stormwater management issue arises.
Ask us for a quote for residential erosion control products before you start your next project.