We might be presumptuous when we say that driveways were meant for vehicles, not water, but sometimes it may seem like a losing battle! Oftentimes after a lengthy rain, the driveway is running with water from the surrounding lawn. This water can collect at a certain part of the slope and end up running into your backyard, causing unsightly erosion issues and unpleasant shifting of the soil. A homeowner from Brentwood, TN could not agree more with this seemingly timeless battle of excess water versus protecting property and gave our team of drainage professionals a call.
After scheduling a FREE evaluation, we visited them at their home and took a thorough look at their unfortunate situation. A channel was being created in the soil of the yard by the runoff and was surrounded by a large deadened patch where grass used to be. A plan was formed to collect water up at the higher driveway level by installing an underground pipe, also called a channel drain, to run the water back out of the yard.
The first step to install the drain is to make a cut in the asphalt and remove the portion where the drain will be inserted. Once the piece was removed, a shallow 8 inch trench was dug from the point where the drain was to be located to where the water would be discharged. This project was set up for the water to be discharged on the other side of the afflicted backyard.
Next, the channel drain piece is to be fitted to where the cut was made in the concrete in order to efficiently collect the runoff. The drain will then attach to a run of piping that will direct the water away from the driveway. Be sure to place all pieces together tightly, ensuring all glue connections are clean and tight so there is no potential for the pipes to become infiltrated by silt, sand, or soil and become clogged.
Lastly, the space between the drain fitting and the cut made in the asphalt is important to fill up completely. This is best done with patching asphalt, as it will completely seal the empty space around the drain fitting as well as adhere the new addition to the already existing asphalt of the driveway.
Once the drainage solution was complete, the only thing left to do was to wait for the asphalt to dry before watching the channel drain get to work. This would keep the driveway clear for vehicles, not a highway for running rainwater.
If your property is experiencing drainage issues (and possibly concrete foundation damage!) from excess misdirected water, give Barrier Waterproofing Systems a call at (615) 257-1060 | (931) 536-1168 today!
This post was originally published on 7/30/2020 and updated on 8/24/2021 for accuracy and a larger scope of information.
