Strike_King
03-31-2008, 01:33 PM
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View Full Version : French drains...Need some advice... Strike_King 03-31-2008, 01:33 PM .. ProfessorM 03-31-2008, 02:42 PM If you are doing what I think you are, and I may be guessing wrong, You probably should use a landscape fabric, permeable, over the perforated pipe before you lay the gravel over the pipe to keep sediment and such from going into the pipe and clogging it over time. Raven 03-31-2008, 02:57 PM yeah sure... i have worked ranches and farms all over the usa so i know a little about allot of farm related stuff... i was almost killed inside a stand up culvert in fact when the total ASS up the road built a stupid earthen damn that felt apart sending a tsunami's worth of water down to our place completely washing out our tar driveway and i got jammed up in there with debris in minutes trying to unclog it and almost drowned... man did i want to kill that jerk. anyways i assume your roof run off is eroding your yard and now you want to channel it somewhere to minimize the damage ... technically a french drain is this huge round hole in the ground full of big ole rocks and its aproximately 6 feet deep sometimes the newer ones are concrete but thats where the term originated.. generally you have topsoil thats loam and then below that its called decomposed granite or DG DG drains almost as good as sand....so your french drain needs to empty into dg and not into loam or you'll end up with a mudfest. the grass will grow three feet tall there and look awful so consider digging the hole....you got a grub hoe? you use a grub hoe and pick to loosen, take a break then the other guy shovels or vice versa (if alone) or you rest and pick up the other tool again.... after the hole is dug throw in the biggest stuff then smaller and smaller rock untill you end up with a large gravel top layer. fishsmith 03-31-2008, 03:28 PM I've got to do something similar to stop the mote that forms around my house as well. Your picture looks great, but I agree with the landscape fabric suggestion, it'll let the water thru and keep the sediment out. Raven 03-31-2008, 03:39 PM you want to build a huge system i thought you were looking to go the inexpensive route... ====================== for that you just dig a swale to channel the water away from the house... cost $0. The Dad Fisherman 03-31-2008, 04:00 PM You probably should use a landscape fabric, permeable, over the perforated pipe before you lay the gravel over the pipe to keep sediment and such from going into the pipe and clogging it over time. They sell sleeves that are made specifically to go over the drainage pipe. I want to say that an 8' peoice of pipe with sleeve will run you about $8.....pretty inexpensive. I need to replace my dry well this year.....kind of the same thought process only a barrel filled with Crushed Stone. They also sell these systems you bury in the ground that are used for attaching downspouts to, that works on the Dry well principle.....they had them at Homey's for about $60 Raven 03-31-2008, 04:04 PM okay... most people would dig a swale when it's not raining... thats their biggest mistake... you put on full rain gear and do it while its pouring that way the water tells you where to dig...not you depending on how much water you want to move of course... i have to dig one too but it's beside the green house where it has to go... and i'll burry one section of a perforated pipe and put gravel on top spence 03-31-2008, 04:06 PM I'd make sure your problem approach is tuned to the actual problem...for instance if it's surface water you may not need a deep drain, but if it's ground water you need to tame then it could be worth it to build something more substantial. A simple black 4" perf'd pipe with a nylon sleeve will do a pretty effective job at removing the runoff from your downspouts. It doesn't need to be buried deep or covered in rock...just give it enough angle so it drains well. -spence Raven 03-31-2008, 04:11 PM i plan to buy one of these green tanks to hide in my bushes for roof water on the street level... and then i''ll run a 1 inch black poly hose down to my lower field for good water pressure http://www.ntotank.com/175gawata.html Raven 03-31-2008, 04:21 PM no problem there... this is a topic thats really difficult to figure out without either pictures or simply standing there seeing the terrain... i have an area thats always wet so i'm killing off an oak that shades it all year so the sun will get in there and dry things up.. the oak is growing over a lower leaching field anyways so i dont want it taking over the whole backyard...either i already have a few gigantic oaks to pick up after as it is.. spence 03-31-2008, 04:34 PM Do you have a slope to work with? How much water do you think you need to drain? Where is it going to go? -spence UserRemoved1 03-31-2008, 05:34 PM Mark I had a french drain in my old house, perimeter of the foundation was sawn and crushed stone with perf pipe was installed and plumbed to the sump pumps. Looking at your patio it has a negative grade towards the house, I'd start there. Your piping needs to be well below the frost line or you will have problems. I would perimeter drain the back at the bottom of the foundation and drain it into a drywell on each side then re-do the patio with a 1/2 in 12 slope minimum. Let the ground do the work for you. spence 03-31-2008, 05:41 PM I agree, unless you fix that slope you're still going to have problems with heavy rain backing up along the house. -spence Raven 03-31-2008, 05:49 PM the water is seeking it's lowest point around foundation leaking right into the bulked- bummer hopefully that sucker isn't rusted out...already but, theres a company that makes pond liners ok they last like twenty five years and are very thick rubber... you could pull all those pavers ,lay in the rubber mat then re grade with inexpensive sand and send the water away and even if it tried to leak back in and around the bulked ...you can cut and trim the rubberized material so that it goes up the sides of the bulked just enough to shed water no matter how hard it rains... of course that means attaching it to the metal somehow.. sounds kooky i'm sure... but once mold starts growing in an always wet basement health problems begin and in some cases the home becomes unlivable and hazardous... OLD GOAT 04-02-2008, 04:55 PM Judging by the snow I'd say that is the north or shady side. 1 remove all pavers.2regrade away from house .3 pitch at least 2" in ten because of shady side of house.(ice) 4after grading, lay down heavy plastic sheeting tight to house.5 O ya the downspout piping should come out off the house and make there right angle bend after they clear the new patio.6follow the pitch down hill about where the snowline is.7use pure sand on top of the plastic to keep from making a hole. install new paver Nebe 04-02-2008, 05:17 PM Its actually called a 'freedom drain' Mr. Sandman 04-02-2008, 05:23 PM Wait for the dry season and put the house up for sale and move. Make it another guys problem. Bad drainage can be a nightmare. Just move to a new home that is buit correctly. Your wife will love the new house, it won't leak and you will have more time to go fishing. tattoobob 04-02-2008, 07:00 PM If there is a storm drain in front of your house you can pipe the sump pump and gutters right into that, along with changing the slope around your foundation it could take care of your problem. Ribeye 04-02-2008, 08:22 PM I would go from point A to point B open ended.I don't like blind drains or perforated pipe,they are temporary.Blind drains inevitably get overwhelmed with debris and stop percolating.Perforated pipe is prone to root infiltration.And please use scheldule 40 ,that thin stuff crumbles under a riding lawn mower. spence 04-02-2008, 09:21 PM If there is a storm drain in front of your house you can pipe the sump pump and gutters right into that, along with changing the slope around your foundation it could take care of your problem. That's illegal in my town actually, I'd check your local regs first. -spence Ribeye 04-03-2008, 06:57 AM That's illegal in my town actually, I'd check your local regs first. -spence Spence,are you sure? I've worked on several in your area, unless they are grandfathered. Tatoo Bob's way will require the least amount of maintenance and is what I would do if possible. Swimmer 04-03-2008, 11:02 AM That's illegal in my town actually, I'd check your local regs first. -spence Spence is right. Absolutely illegal to pipe water into town drain unless permission in some form is given. Most towns do not allow it under any circumstances. Because the next thing you know gray water starts flowing into it as the septic system gets older and can't handle the washing machine water. NOT THAT YOU WOULD DO IT AND I MEAN THAT, BUT YOU'D BE AMAZED AT HOW MANY PEOPLE DO. If your town is easy on it go for it. It is a great way to do exactly what your trying to do. OLD GOAT 04-03-2008, 12:55 PM sand or stone dust against the plastic to prevent holes in the plastic. after a thin layer use what you want. Ribeye 04-04-2008, 08:52 AM Spence is right. Absolutely illegal to pipe water into town drain unless permission in some form is given. Most towns do not allow it under any circumstances. Because the next thing you know gray water starts flowing into it as the septic system gets older and can't handle the washing machine water. NOT THAT YOU WOULD DO IT AND I MEAN THAT, BUT YOU'D BE AMAZED AT HOW MANY PEOPLE DO. If your town is easy on it go for it. It is a great way to do exactly what your trying to do. http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg190/Z47Bossman/TivertonDPWApplication.jpg?t=1207316828 Carry on. tpoliti 04-13-2008, 09:34 PM Strike King, How'd you make out. I do this sort of thing on a golf course quite often PM me if you need any more info. Tony vBulletin® v3.8.7, Copyright ©2000-2025, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
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