# Installing Drainage around House to street.



## GBrackins (Apr 26, 2012)

Welcome to the Forum!

I'd install my drainage pipe with holes in it within a gravel trench. wrap the trench with filter fabric to prevent dirt from plugging it up. I like SDR-35 plastic pipe because you can purchase it already perforated and is easy to connect. this type pipe is typically used in septic system leach fields.


you could also use weeping tile which is a flexible pipe with what looks like a sock wrapped around it. you could pvc piping and drill your own holes.

the purpose of the drainage pipe is to collect ground water from one source and move it to another. remember though ground water rises from below, storm water runoff will follow the contours of the land, which if sloped towards the foundation will typically run to the foundation and then downward (or upward if enough force behind it) and to the sides. as your state water will collect where the gravel is, this is what you're looking for.

you could install a drain in the bottom of your window well with stone, again to collect water. tie this into your drainage pipe. there are several commercial products available.

just have a down hill slope to your pipe (don't need much) and move the water as planned.

I'm sure you'll get a lot more thoughts from knowledgeable members ...

hope this helps! good luck!


----------



## drborsuk (Nov 15, 2012)

I plan to slope the land about 10 ft away from the house would you suggest haveing a trench at the bottom of that slope rather that so close to the house.

I was think two trenches. One 3 ft from the house running solid pipe. Buried with soil. Then another trench at the bottom of the slope 10ft from the house. This trench will have perf pipe and gravel to collect water.

Rather than just having one gravel trench so close to the house.


----------



## Dave632 (Sep 18, 2012)

drborsuk said:


> I plan to slope the land about 10 ft away from the house would you suggest haveing a trench at the bottom of that slope rather that so close to the house.
> 
> I was think two trenches. One 3 ft from the house running solid pipe. Buried with soil. Then another trench at the bottom of the slope 10ft from the house. This trench will have perf pipe and gravel to collect water.
> 
> Rather than just having one gravel trench so close to the house.


What's the purpose of the solid pipe next to the house? How will water get in it?

I'm with GB. Use perforated pipe in trench near the house, then backfill first with gravel and finally with soil. Any water which reaches the gravel will flow in between the gravel rocks to and into the pipe. Since the inside of the pipe is smooth, the water should then flow downhill to whatever exit you provide.

Depending on how much runoff you get from adjacent properties, instead of a trench at 10 ft you might be able to just use a swale.


----------



## user1007 (Sep 23, 2009)

Where are you? You might want to update your profile with basic geographic information. 

In most places I have lived in the last 20-30 years you cannot run buried drain pipe from downspouts, window well drains, etc. out to the street because of the load placed on the sewer system.


----------



## drborsuk (Nov 15, 2012)

I am in Western New York.

My town has no problem with sending downspout drainage to storm sewer.

The Purpose of the Pipe at the back of the house that would be 2 ft from the foundation would only be for drainage of water that is inside the window wells.


----------



## GBrackins (Apr 26, 2012)

I would use 4" diameter SDR 35 perforated pipe. typically used in septic systems, easy to connect together and I believe is less costly than pvc. holes go on the side where the water comes from. up for storm water runoff, down for ground water. solid piping will transport water, perforated will collect and transport water, yes even with the holes down.

I'm surprised the town would allow you to connect into the storm water system, that wouldn't happen where I am. I thought you were just running the pipe to daylight (where slope of pipe and slope of ground intersect) and let it flow across the lawn.

if you have the money you could always install a tank in the ground (depending on grades) to collect the water for use to water your lawn. don't know if you have a well or are on municipal water system. When others can't water you could. just a thought ....

if you have time and money the trench away from the house wouldn't hurt. the one at the foundation is the important one if you are getting water in the basement. typically a perimeter drain would go at the level of the bottom of the footings. again ground water rises so you want to catch up before it heaves the basement slab. and for those that don't believe concrete will float I will just say we built concrete canoes when I was at the University of Florida and raced them against other teams.


----------



## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

There's even a concrete Boat grave yard near me. They had to use concrete because of the shortage of steel duing the war.

I would not tie the gutter drain and the french drain together. If the drain for the gutters gets plugged up or over loaded because of heavy rain fall it's going to back up into your window wells.


----------



## GBrackins (Apr 26, 2012)

I agree Joe, don't want to be sending water from the downspouts down into the pipe running alongside the foundation. worse than 3 men in a boat .... 

I prefer to tie downspouts into cisterns (tank in ground) as you'll typically get nice clean water (maybe a little granules from shingles) perfect for irrigation.


----------



## buzzkillb (Apr 7, 2012)

Remember that any infiltration devices you use should have at least a 10' setback from any structures. Where does the water currently go on the property with the front yard being the high point?


----------



## AllanJ (Nov 24, 2007)

It's okay to collect water in an underground cistern near the house. But this must be a (sealed) tank, not a drywell (cesspool) that will let the water out little by little where the water could quickly find its way back to the foundation and up onto your basement floor.


----------

