Water nightmare – Episode I

• Posted on December 21, 2015
• by mikew
• in Fix It & Use It
• No Comments.

First breakage was found running string and digging test hole.

What’s the number one enemy of Pacific Northwest homes?

Water.

At the end of October our next door neighbors let me know they were having water entering their basement bedroom. They desperately fought the water building up against the foundation wall from a backed up driveway drain. We’ve lived in this duplex for three years and have diligently worked to repair and renovate this place. This signaled either a new problem or undiscovered problem!

The rest of the pipe was filled with debris and unsalvageable.

I noticed the slow drain by our driveway before but never took the time to test its operation. With the torrential downpour it became clear that it was not working. The next morning I began to dig and inspect the drain pipe. About ten feet from the drain it became clear it was cracked and filled with dirt and roots.  Additional digging revealed the remaining 40′ feet of pipe was crushed and obstructed. My digging turned from discovery to excavation of a new drainage ditch.

Here’s some things I learned in this wet adventure!

1. 

   Ditch dug, pipe laid, sand back-filled.

   The volume of water flowing off our roof and driveway is surprising. There’s hundreds of gallons that we need to direct away from our homes so do not underestimate the operation of gutters, extensions, splash blocks and drains.

2. Digging a ditch is a nasty bit of work that fuels male frustration and triumph (think of Tim the Toolman’s well known, “Argh-argh-argh!” and an Army grunt’s “Hoo-rah!”). Where would I be without my shovel and pick? I’m also grateful to God for my health – it saved me some bucks!
3. Rubber boots are another one of my favorite products! They were the first thing on my Christmas list when we moved into this home – I got two pairs that year. I only needed one for this project.

Since that day the water has been flowing well and no more water in the basement (inside repairs to come!). In summary: 40 feet of four inch drain pipe ($73.74), back-filled with sand ($15.62), time (about 4.5 hours), and labor (free!). In walking my dog last week I see the drainage is working perfectly. So now when it rains you might notice me watching the water flowing down my driveway with a satisfying smile.