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Exploring drainage systems
Since early 2007, the climate has made a 180 degree change in the nation’s heartland. Instead of harsh summers producing droughts due to lack of precipitation, now it rains several times a week. Not only is raining more often, but the atmosphere is dropping larger volumes of rainfall. For the last two years it has been common place for it to rain up to 4 inches or more in a twenty four hour period. The St. Louis area had an all time record amount of rain in 2008 and is on a fast track to meet or beat that record for 2009.
What does this mean for the people that reside in these areas? Simply put, there’s a lot of water to deal with. Lots of water means lots of problems. People all over the region are experiencing flooding, leaking basements, erosion, sinkholes, drain backups, undermining, and a host of other drainage related problems. The level of grief can range from having landscaping washed out all the way to having an entire building get ruined from flash flooding. University City, a suburb of St. Louis has residents that have been impacted more than once already in the last month by flash floods.
Many residents have been frantically trying to stop water from
penetrating their homes or other vital property. There are many
different ways one can go about combating issues caused by extreme
rainfall. The best place to start is with your current drainage
systems. Make sure your gutters and downspouts are clean and free of
debris. Install gutter guards if you have trees that shed lots of
organic material. Move on to any drain pipes that your gutter may
connect to. Drainage pipes should also be clean and free of debris.
To ensure this, you can rent what is called a pipe snake, or have a
professional plumber use a pipe snake to clear blockages and debris
from drain pipes. Your yard plays an important role in protecting your
home against moisture. Once the soil is subjected to an abundance of
precipitation it becomes saturated; unable to absorb any additional
water. This is where the degree of slope plays an important role. In
heavy rain storms or when the soil is saturated, a yard needs to be
graded or sloped away from structures. The grade should steer or guide
water to an area that will remove the water, such as storm sewers,
french drains, creeks, streets, swales, or hillsides. If your yard is
not graded properly you will have standing water or drainage that flows
towards your home. This will likely lead to settling, leaky basement
or home flooding. The next item that you may have in your home is a
sump pump. Be sure it is connected to an electrical circuit that
doesn’t get shared by items that draw much amperage. You want to be
confident that its operation is uninterupted. If it is an older unit,
you may want to replace it with a newer model. Having a reliable sump
pump is less costly than having to renovate a flooded basement. You
can also install a battery backup or alarms on your pump for added
security.
If you need other solutions to your outdoor drainage problems you can
install a french drain. French drains are simply a pipe burried
beneath the ground to relieve saturated soils of moisture. These are
typically placed around a structure such as a basement. The pipe is
fitted with holes and a filter fabric. This will attract moisture and
block debris. Once collected, the water is routed to a nearby storm
sewer or area lower than the structure where it can be drained away.
French drains can also be used in asphalt or concrete parking lots
where water percolates through the pavement. The french drain will
keep the water below the pavement by collecting and routing the water
away before it can reach the surface.
You can also install a catch basin, trough, or grate to collect surface
water. This is basically a basket made of plastic or cast iron. It’s
designed to collect a certain amount of water dependant on volume and
flow. Then the collected water will be routed to drainage lines to rid
the water of the area. Drainage basins are typically arranged in two
areas: The first would be a low area where the majority of the water
is to flow to. The other arrangement would be to place to basin at a
high point where water wants to run. This will prevent the water from
rushing. An example would be on a steep hill or at the approach of a
driveway.
If you are faced with replacing or installing a drainage system, you
should always do so with smooth PVC pipe. PVC pipe has a high crush
resistance, can be cleaned out with a pipe snake, and has little
resistance to water flow; therefore it doesn’t get clogged with debris
nearly as easily as other pipe designs. The lesser alternative is
corrogated pipe. PVC pipe is easy to work with. It comes in “sticks”
usally 10’ in length. There are different shaped pieces to help design
any path you want to make. They just glue together. Corrogated pipe
is a thin black pipe that is ribbed both internally and externally.
The ribs help keep the pipe from collapsing. Corrogated pipe does not
allow water to flow freely and the ribs actually contribute to the
pipes clogging because they trap debris and organic material.
Corrogated pipe can be crushed just by stepping on it. You want to
consider the type of pipe you’ll be using because you probably only
want to do this project once. Many contractors will use corrogated
pipe because it is the least expensive of any pipe.
There are many other measures you can take to help alter or eliminate
drain problems. Retaining walls can be erected. Asphalt curbs or
bumps can be installed along side an edge of a driveway or parking
lot. They can also be installed at approaches to divert water. Bricks
or pavers can be used along the edge of concrete driveways to stop
unwanted water flow. These types of diversions also keep debris
carried by erosion off your property. Silt is a mess to try and clean
from landscape beds, yards, and driveways. The above methods should be
used to stop erosion from making a mess of your yard.
It’s tough to predict how long this weather pattern will unleash heavy
amounts of rain on our region. So if you are installing some type of
drainage system at your home or business. Be sure not to let cost be
the only factor in making your decision. You should be realistic and
design your drainage system to handle large amounts of water. Too
large of an arrangement will not cause you any harm. Choose a highly
competent contractor that has recommendations and references.
Creve Coeur Paving:
A St. Louis based; family owned paving company focused on delivering
the best possible solutions for its clients. Motivated by the company's
highly regarded work ethic, it's owners and employees have been
striving for perfection in paving for over thirty years. "Our
Reputation Rides On Our Service."
Contact:
Richard Dinkela II, Operations
Creve Coeur Paving
314-427-3303
www.ccpstl.com
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