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The Anatomy of a Drainage System
There are three parts to any drainage system, the input, the piping, and the output. All three must work together well to have a functional system.
01
Input
The input can be a drain basin, gutter connection, gravel bed or a combination thereof. The important thing is that the water is able to enter the system unhindered. Drain basins and gutter connections usually allow for the best flow, but an added gravel area with a perforated pipe may help assure that all of the water has a way to exit the area.
02
The Piping
Most residential drain systems utilize 4" drain pipe. It is large enough to handle most loads and is still small enough to run through a curb to the street. Some calculations should be done to confirm that the selected size of pipe will be able to handle any potential rainfall. Extra cleanout connections may be needed on longer runs to be sure there is access for maintenance if necessary. We use PVC pipe exclusively, not flexible corrugated pipe. For more information on why click here:
03
Outflow
The outflow of the system should likewise be uninhibited. It should preferably be an open end of a pipe running through the curb directly to the street or into a rock spillway area. An output into any type of dry well or gravel bed will ultimately fill with silt and cease to function. A grate on the output is also asking for trouble and pop up drain outputs are also not desirable. For more info on this click here:
An Additional Note
As you consider the drainage issues on your property also consider that any drain can clog at an unfortunate time. It just takes some leaves or a plastic trash bag washing onto your grate. A drain system should be a last resort for keeping your home or business from flooding. There should always be an avenue for water to flow on the surface safely around a structure in the event of excessive rain. A drain system should be thought of more as a way to mitigate erosion and control water most of the time when we are not receiving excessive rainfall.
