Side yard drainage issue

10 years ago

So we had some guy putting up a new retaining wall for our side yard, that gives us 5' more feet of space (which is nice in our small home).

We have one downspout next to the rain barrel in the picture, that pours water when rain barrel not able to handle.

So since there used to be a slope, we had a little trench next to concrete paving and basically that directs all the water from winter storms on the surface to the front yard, where it connects to a dry creek and goes down the street.

Now we plan to put down a new patio in the red lined area in picture to store garbage cans, sheds etc, we start to think about drainage issue, what would be the best?

Ideal would be a drain topped with paver brick so garbage cans, mowers can pass easily around air conditioner (covered with blue tarp).

My first thought is french drain under patio, but I heard a lot of water still soaks in, not as efficient as our previous surface water ditch

Or maybe we can use catch basins and solid pipe? So after downspout water hit concrete paving it flows into catch basin. What drawback does it have, what about water from the future patio area?

Channel drain would be great, too, but they are more expensive.

Any suggestions are greatly appreciated.

Featured Answer

PRO

Yardvaark

10 years ago

If rain falls in the area, which way does it drain, fore or aft? Does it drain well, or puddle? Does water flow AWAY FROM THE HOUSE all along the concrete slab? Is there a "gutter" at the top, back of the new wall that carries water fore or aft ... or will all water drain over the top and face of the wall? From above (behind the fence) is there much more area that is draining down the slope, or is it primarily the slope we see only? Is the topography outside of the fence at a lower elevation such that an underground pipe could exit without running it a ridiculous distance?

I would forget about any idea of a french drain BELOW the patio. This would not be good for its stability, or be a good solution for a number of reasons.

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (8)

marcinde
10 years ago
Channel drain.
Related Professionals
Cockeysville Landscape Contractors · Lemay Landscape Contractors · Longview Landscape Contractors · Raleigh Landscape Contractors · South Lake Tahoe Landscape Contractors · West Chicago Landscape Contractors · Reisterstown Landscape Contractors · American Fork Decks, Patios & Outdoor Enclosures · Inwood Decks, Patios & Outdoor Enclosures · Overland Park Decks, Patios & Outdoor Enclosures · Riverside Decks, Patios & Outdoor Enclosures · Rogers Decks, Patios & Outdoor Enclosures · Dickinson Swimming Pool Builders · Eatontown Swimming Pool Builders · Montclair Swimming Pool Builders
abufish
Original Author
10 years ago
It drains forward to the gate and drains pretty well. the concrete slab is sloped toward left so all water will go away from the house. Not so much water came from up the slope (neighbor's yard) during rain.

After the gate and fence we have a dry creek there and that drains pretty well to the street.

Thank you for your inputs. I guess channel drain or solid pipe with catch basin would be my best guess?

How far away should I space the catch basins?
bahia
10 years ago
Will the slope of the new concrete patio continue the pitch toward the new wall, or pitch back towards the house? Is there a French drain behind the new wall that also drains to the street? (I sure hope there is). It does look like a trench grate drain along the length of your new concrete pour is the most secure solution, connected to an area drain via solid pipe and located closer to where the overflow from your rainbarrel flows into the dirt area.
abufish
Original Author
10 years ago
The slope of new paver (we plan to do bricks) will slope toward the house, so drain will go down along the old concrete slab. The new wall had french drain in the back and drains to the front.

Can I use catch basins and solid pipe only without the trench drain?
PRO
Yardvaark
10 years ago
I concur with others that grated trench drain is your best best in this tight space with the surface configurations that you have. Catch basins instead of it would be an inferior solution.
bahia
10 years ago
If you are concerned more about the aesthetics than the cost of a trench drain, you could set it lower to allow for using thin brick pavers as the cover rather than the plastic or metal grate, just leaving the typical grout joint open to catch the runoff. Area drains work best when slopes are set to actually drain to them. In your situation they can also work, but not as efficiently to take water away quickly.
marcinde
10 years ago
A channel drain is going work better and more simply than catch basins. Why are you so insistent on catch basins?