# Gutter Drainage



## secutanudu (Mar 15, 2009)

Not sure which forum to post this in...I'll try here. One of my downspouts leads right onto my back patio. The gutters were put in afterwards, so it wasn't possible to drain them under the patio. I have a 1.5' area between the patio and the house (see attached photos). I'd like to bury some PVC pipe and drain this downspout away from the patio/house. The problem is my yard is very flat. I don't have a side of a hill out of which I could protrude the end of a drainage pipe. 
I havre seen PVC pipe with holes in it. Can I use that to drain into the ground? I would worry about creating a soft area or a sinkhole. If I dissipate it enough could I potentially drain it this way?

Don't mind the dirt under the trough..that's from the chipmunks. I'm also trying to deal with them. 

Any advice? Thanks.


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## 47_47 (Sep 11, 2007)

You do not want to put perforated pipe near your foundation. The purpose of gutters and downspouts is to divert the water away from your house. A few more pic would help, but could you tie your downspout into solid pipe, buried in the stone bed and ending in a drywell?


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## secutanudu (Mar 15, 2009)

What exactly is a drywell? I get that it is a hole in the ground that you drain the water into...but how deep? Do you fill it with stones, then dirt/grass above?

I wasn't clear on my thinking with the perforated pipe. I was planning to run solid (non-perforated) pvc along the stone bed, then turn it into the backyard for about 10-15 feet, then converting to another 10 or so feet (or more) of perforated pipe.


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## AllanJ (Nov 24, 2007)

A drywell is a hole in hopefully porous ground. It is walled (lined) typically with unmortared brick to keep it from caving in.

It may be optionally filled with rocks so the ground can be replaced on top and not fall in and not need a solid lid, but this reduces the water holding capacity while the water gradually seeps into the ground.

You do not want to discharge the water in the 1-1/2 foot space between the house and the patio because then the water will stay near the foundation and may find its way into the basement more quickly.


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## GardenConcepts (Jan 21, 2010)

I've used this product from NDS with good results. You do need soil that perks.
http://www.ndspro.com/water-drainage/dry-well/flo-well/


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## Scuba_Dave (Jan 16, 2009)

Keep in mind that 1" of rain on a 1000 sq ft of roof produces around 600 gallons of water
A drywell will work if your soil drains water easily


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