Watch CBS News

Angie's List: Adding A Water Feature To Your Home

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Water seems to have a calming effect on people. So after a long, busy day, relaxing by a bubbling fountain or a soft waterfall appeals to a lot of us, which is why so many homeowners are now adding water features to their backyard landscaping.

"Adding water features to your landscaping is becoming very popular. While it helps to clean the air, the real benefit people find is through the relaxation it has," said Angie's List founder Angie Hicks.

Koi ponds, in particular, have become very popular in recent years. In a properly maintained pond, the fish can survive for 10 years or more, but a waterfall is an essential element.

"It serves a couple purposes. One, it's very beautiful… and the noise, but it also provides water movement for the actual pond. That's very important to have water movement. It's going to keep away the mosquitoes," said landscaper Jeff Burhenn.

Join The Conversation On The KDKA Facebook Page
Stay Up To Date, Follow KDKA On Twitter

An elaborate pond costs about $50,000, but a nice, smaller one can be done on a $5,000-$10,000 budget. If you want the calm but not the fish, pondless waterfalls are also becoming popular.

"It's very pleasing to the eye and you think – where's the water going? That's a lot less maintenance for a homeowner because there's no pond, and it still provides the… I think, the peace," Burhenn said.

A freestanding fountain is also an option. All these water features will help beautify your space, reduce your stress and even help separate your home from your neighbors' when you go to sell.

"I believe this will increase the value because there's some wow factor to it. You walk back here and, if you were looking at this house, people go 'that's pretty cool," Burhenn said.

If you do put in a pond, experts recommend checking the water about once a week with a test kit available at many stores. Angie says you should also consider having an auto-fill mechanism installed to replace the water that will naturally evaporate. It will add about $300 to $500 to the project, but otherwise, you will have to regularly fill it manually with the garden hose.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.