Here’s a question about gutter drains. I will have about 4 downspouts on the house I’m building. I plan to connect them around the foundation with 3″ Sch. 40 PVC, then run them out to a swale 60-80 feet away from the house with 4″ pipe. Do all the pipes need to have some slope to them, or will the water pressure from the downspouts push the water through the pipes? An excavator suggested that I have a low spot in the pipe running to the swale to keep it full of water so that animals wouldn’t nest in there. Does this make sense????
erikpeter
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All drain piping should have a minimum pitch to them. Typically, the minimum pitch is 1/8" drop per foot of run. Depending on your situation, the water in the downspouts may or may not have enough head pressure to push water through.
How tall are your downspouts? How much gutter are they draining? If they only are 1 story tall, there is a relatively low amount of pressure.
Also, keep in mind that typical downspouts are 3"x4" and connect to 4" PVC. Big-box home stores sell all types of connectors and fittings for 4" pipe.
Your excavator's idea in theory is a good one, but in practice may not work. If there is not enough head pressure, than water will not be able to push through the trap. Then water will just back up...
You don't put a trap in your storm drain. What you do is put wire mesh over the outfall.
4" pipe is typical for downspout drains. You can use sch 30 to save some $. Put at least a minimum pitch in it for proper operation.
As far as >> An excavator suggested that I have a low spot in the pipe running to the swale to keep it full of water so that animals wouldn't nest in there. << First time I heard that. My thought is will the 'trap' be below the frost line? I'd just go with a very course wire screen on the outlet end.
BTW - you are not planning on connecting this downspout drain system to the house foundation drain system? - Right?
The only sch 30 that I have seen has been 3" DWV to fit in a 2x4 wall.But you can get SDR 35 pipe that is specific for drain and sewer work and it is much cheaper than sch 30.Even cheaper you can get Sewer and Drain pipe (ASTM D-2729 IIRC).SDR 35 and S&D have the same OD and you can use the same fittings.Locally Lowes and HD has both.
drains
Spot in the pipe running them level is asked for problems up the row. Plan in the weather and then the drain fall off for the reason that of all the heaviness, dirt forming in the summer as of the leaves that rot and have nowhere to set off.
whut a poast.. nut eble ta rite, kno can reed colander two .
New Easter record, 10.5 years - OP be a'kneadin' new guters bye know !