Recently, 78 Fence was commissioned to construct a screen and porch with roll shades for a client. While doing so, the client asked them to look into a drainage issue and so they did. Another company installed the pipe previously and so they were not really sure about its materials and how it was installed.

Unraveling the Issue

We  first needed to test where the drainage issue may be so a camera was inserted into the pipe and a blockage was found. Next a  hose was put through to the drainage pipe to blow the dirt out and clear the obstruction, however that was not successful however we now had the approximate location the dig down and inspect the issue. . When we found the initial blochage we  dug 5 feet more and still found the failed pipe. Finally, it was determined that  about 130 feet of pipe  was subjected to ground crushing and thus the failed drainage.

The Best Pipe for The Job

This experience had a valuable lesson – and that is that the appropriate pipes should be used to construct the drainage system. Of course, it should also be constructed properly so it would function well and last for a long time.

The pipe that was used for this drainage system was a HDPE  pipe,  with  a black liner for flexibility. It was not a solid, rigid PVC pipe and therefore the tree roots and soil movement had crushed the more flexible HDPE pipe. It was a, low-budget, flexible pipe which you can roll around to store or transport. You should avoid using this kind of pipe in an area with a lot of trees where roots could intrude.

In this case, the appropriate pipe to use should have been a solid PVC sewer grade pipe. It’s white both inside and outside. It’s also described as a triple wall pipe. Since the pipe is solid, it prevents root intrusion from the trees and plants in the area. This is also the kind of pipe used for advanced drainage systems. The pipe should also be put in cushion sand to encapsulate it on the ground and mitigate soil displacement later on. The sand will give it pressure from all sides and will keep it from getting crushed so it will last for a longer time.

78 Fence designs and installs premium gates that are built to be durable. For more information on designing and installing an automated gate for your property, contact us today.