Keep Underground Downspout Drain Pipes Clear
Posted on Tuesday, August 25, 2020
Categories:
Home Maintenance
Diverting rainwater away from your home’s foundation is
important for multiple reasons. It significantly reduces the chances of
foundation erosion, basement flooding and soil and grass deterioration. It is
extremely important to not let your downspouts dump hundreds of gallons of
water at their base next to your foundation. Attach drainpipes to the
downspouts on your home and move water away from the foundation.
In many cases this is accomplished by burying 4” diameter drainpipes
underground and running them out to ‘daylight’ in the yard. This method is the
most desired as it is less unsightly and more convenient than having pipes
laying on top of the grass.
A common mistake that homeowners make is ‘out of sight, out
of mind’. If you have buried drainpipes, it is important to remember to keep
the end clear where they empty into your yard. Over time grass will grow in front
of the pipe end if not maintained. This growth will start to work as a dam and
block debris that is washing down from your gutter system including leaves,
twigs, tree nuts, and pebbles that wash off the roof shingles.
If not properly addressed, this debris will build
up at the end of the pipe and eventually clog the pipe. That’s when things start
to get ugly. With hundreds of gallons of
rainwater pouring from your gutter system, the water will back up the clogged pipe
to your home’s foundation. This is a very common cause of flooded basements
which often is not covered by insurance and can cost thousands of dollars to
repair, not to mention the growth of dangerous mold and mildew.
AN OUNCE OF PREVENTION
Keep the pipes clean! However you have to schedule this
process to make it easy for you to remember, do so. Whether that is part of
your spring and fall yard cleanup routines or every time you trim the grass, keep
the pipes clean.
In most cases, you can simply reach up the end of the pipe
with your hand or a small gardening tool and pull debris out to clear the end.
In extreme cases when pipes have been neglected for years, the clogging may be out
of reach. In that case, use of a plumber’s snake may be required to run up the
pipe and clear clogged debris.
POOR PLANNING… OR POOR PLANTING
Poor planning after the pipes have been buried can also add
to clogged pipes over time. Especially when a tree is planted over or near the
drain pipe. It is possible for tree roots to grow into the pipes and create a
major clog. Even if they don’t, as trees grow larger and larger, the weight of
the tree can crush the pipe. Know where the pipes are buried and avoid planting
trees on top of them.
Tagged:gutters and downspouts, maintenance