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mark_mcintosh5601

Drain Pipe in front yard?

Mark McIntosh
10 years ago

I have attached a few pics of my yard before and after. I removed all of the bushes, and plan on leveling it with the rest of the lawn. There was a big slab of concrete covering the drain pipe. Whoever did that left a hole I assume so, the water fill and drain through the soil.

Can I just fill that hole, covering the exposed pipe? or should I extend the pipe with holes in the bottom of the pipe, and run it towards the side walk?

Will it matter either way?

Comments (16)

  • Mark McIntosh
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    It would let me attach all 4 photos at the same time

  • Mark McIntosh
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    It would let me attach all 4 photos at the same time

  • Mark McIntosh
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    It would let me attach all 4 photos at the same time

  • PRO
    Yardvaark
    10 years ago

    Is this underground black plastic pipe draining downspouts? Is the point of outfall (where the water exits the buried black plastic pipe) below the level at which the water needs to rise in order to escape? (...As that's what it appears to be.) If so, you are creating a high maintenance situation almost certain to fail completely unless it is is regularly cleaned (like after every storm.) What a pain! The greatest fault of this system is that it cannot be self-cleaning.

  • deviant-deziner
    10 years ago

    It's always a Pandora's box when opening up the ground !
    Try a NDS drainage pop up cover - that way you won't completely cover up the problem and if the lines are still connected to what they are drainage, you'll know the pipe system is working .

    Link below:

    http://www.sprinklerwarehouse.com/NDS-Pop-up-Drainage-Emitter-p/nds-421.htm

  • Mark McIntosh
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    It's a storm drain pipe for the drain in front of garage. Currently, it just drains into that hole.

  • PRO
    Yardvaark
    10 years ago

    Clarification needed. Are you saying that it's a YARD DRAIN at the front of the garage that empties a few feet away into a hole? Perhaps you should show or describe the whole path. It looks like you might have slight slope to the street. Do you really need a yard drain? Let's find out exactly what this thing is and why it's there.

    Those "pop-up" drains work on paper, but in real life, silt, roots and gravity do them in. If they were draining always-clean water, then they might work.

  • deviant-deziner
    10 years ago

    they work.

  • Mark McIntosh
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    There is a drain in front of the garage, and the pipe runs to the front yard into what I think is called a drain basin. Like the pictures above. The 4th picture shows a downward slope, so I'm thinking that I should couple the abs pipe with a longer one, and run it down to the sidewalk. My neighbor said I can get a pipe that has holes facing down and will allow water to drain all the way down. There won't be much water going down the drain anyways. What you think?

  • Mark McIntosh
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Or should I just fill up that basin with dirt, and let the water soak through?

  • PRO
    Yardvaark
    10 years ago

    You say there is a drain (inlet) at the front of the garage (would help if you posted a picture of it that shows its surroundings and how it relates to yard and garage) so it's presumed it's catching water from the yard. It appears from photographs that you have fall from the front of the house toward the street, so it begs the question, "why is water being put in an underground pipe at all?" At the inlet, would water be trapped somehow? (As you're not showing it in any pictures.) It would be useful to show the ENTIRE path of the water drainage that is questioned in this thread.

  • Mark McIntosh
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    I believe the drain in front of the garage is to stop the garage from flooding. The ground plateaus in front of the garage, and then takes a downward slope towards the yard. There is currently a drainage basin that was covered by a concrete block. I have removed the block, and plan on filling the hole, so I can grow grass. The decision I have is either leave the ABS pipe outlet right there, or to extend the pipe to the end of the yard towards the sidewalk, allowing the water to drain through the drainage holes as it makes its way towards the sidewalk.

  • Mark McIntosh
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    This is how I would extend the pipe.

  • PRO
    Yardvaark
    10 years ago

    In your recent photo posted above (Tue, May 14, 13 at 11:34 ... showing the garage door) ... at the blue area you are pointing to a drain. IF, along the yellow line that follows the brick, you have fall (that it slopes downhill as it approaches the lawn to the left) then having an underground pipe is 100% pointless because it's apparent that the lawn area itself has fall as it approaches the street. The only thing you must make sure is that the lawn area is not any higher than the left edge of the driveway (shown in the same picture.) Sometimes grass growth over the years can build the lawn grade up slightly. If it has, skim some soil off the top and replant grass on the new lowered elevation. You don't want to dam up water at the left edge of the drive. You want it to spill onto the lawn and continue toward the street. The drain can be sealed and covered (or removed.) But make sure the path for water to escape can continue on to the lawn surface and flow unimpeded from that point. Don't extend or install any underground pipe at all.

    If the picture is misleading about the fall and none exists in the driveway where the blue arrow is shown, then you will need the drain inlet and you should run it to a lower elevation where water can exit unimpeded. Don't run it to a buried "box" or contraption where the water must rise up again to the ground's surface in order to escape. Doing so will cause you extra maintenance and problems as silt eventually builds up. (It will prevent the pipe's being self cleaning.)

    If you don't know if you have fall along the yellow line in the picture, get out a carpenter's level and check. Or get out the hose and see if a puddle of water runs downhill toward the lawn.

  • Mark McIntosh
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    I will have to take out a level, but I can say that it is level at the drain. The previous owners probably had a flooding issue, and that is why they put the drain there,and then covered the trench with the decorative brick.

    If the ground is level somewhat, and will puddle without a drain, what is the negative impact of me extending the pipe to the sidewalk, allowing it to drain on the way down?

  • PRO
    Yardvaark
    10 years ago

    What you need to be checking is pitch from where the drain is to the left side (as in the picture) of the drive, as no determination can be made until that is known. Hopefully, it's 2" lower at the left edge where the drive meets lawn.

    Negative impact? First, it's not going to drain through those holes in the bottom on the way down. Roots are going to use those holes as a way to get into the pipe where they can lap up water and watch TV all day long. They'll like it so much they'll never leave and eventually, they'll disrupt the flow of water in the pipe. Where the pipe terminates at the outfall end, it will be homely and a maintenance pita unless you create some sort of concrete frame. Well, it will still be ugly. It will be a maintenance chore at the top end, too, where you always need to make sure it's free of debris. Not having pipes and drains in the ground is so much better than having them, so only have them if you must have them based on need. Can't figure out why you want to extend the pipe so far (more expense to purchase and more maintenance.) You should drain via surface as soon as it's possible (that when the water comes out it will run in the direction you wish.)

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