Gutter Drainage

[andyb15]

Has anyone installed underground PVC pipes for their gutters to dump into? I'm looking at doing this to get the water further from my house. I would be using 4 inch pipe and then attaching a popup drain. I'm just wondering if the PVC would burst during the winter. The grading around my house is poor and added cemented patio has caused more water runoff towards the house. I will be addressing the grading issue, but would still like the water to dump further from my foundation.

 

[guywhofishes]

When you install, dig a hole under the low point in your PVC under your popup location and fill it with pea gravel. Put a 1/2" hole in the bottom of the PVC where your popup is so it drains into the gravel. The majority of the flow will flow out the popup and spread out.... but any residual will eventually drain out of the 1/2" hole PVC and into the gravel sump you installed. Maybe there is some sort of screened device you can install in the hole it so that it doesn't plug up with gunk.... or maybe that will hasten the plugging. Ha ha.

 

[Tymurrey]

We have that at the house we moved into two years ago. First year there everything worked great, last year though not so much. The pvc pipes froze solid in late winter/early spring. Any melting water from the roof then had no where to go but directly next to the house. I know one of them has either busted or seperated due to water leaking through the retaining wall it runs along so for 3 of the 4 downspouts i now have the black corrugated pipe on them and dont use the in ground drains. I think if a guy ran heat tape through them in the winter or just disconnected them during the winter it would work great.

 

[Achucker]

I have 4 inch black drain pipe I have never had issues with freezing. But I also dont have a pop up drain just drains above ground.

 

[JayKay]

When you install, dig a hole under the low point in your PVC under your popup location and fill it with pea gravel. Put a 1/2" hole in the bottom of the PVC where your popup is so it drains into the gravel. The majority of the flow will flow out the popup and spread out.... but any residual will eventually drain out of the 1/2" hole PVC and into the gravel sump you installed. Maybe there is some sort of screened device you can install in the hole it so that it doesn't plug up with gunk.... or maybe that will hasten the plugging. Ha ha.

I'm going to have a t-shirt printed up. "Hasten the Plugging". It's gonna be epic.

 

[remm]

I've got pop up drains that are attached to 4" PVC just as you are talking about. I can't remember what the hell they are called but I ordered them online for about 30 bucks a piece. The PVC just flows into the bucket that has holes on the bottom and a little cover that lifts up to let water out when it fills up, sits nice and flat to the ground so no trouble mowing. I end up plugging PVC pipe at the inlet every fall at freeze up so no water gets into the drain over winter, then just attach regular elbow and gutter for the winter/spring. I don't believe I've had a pipe burst but in the spring the water may freeze up in the PVC pipe and back up and the water will run next to your foundation. I like having them in the summer, no downspouts to move around to mow or kids wrecking them. Spring is where you'll have problems if you try to run water into them.