Backyard Drainage is UPHILL to Street - What to Do

If your backyard is flooding and its uphill to the street, here is how you can fix,.

STEP 1 - determine if there is fall or slope from your flooded area to the street or possibly the back or side yard
STEP - if level, flat or not sure, you will need a sump pump
STEP 3 - design your collection with CATCH BASINS AND French Drain and pipe it to a Sump Bain (sump pit)
STEP - 4 Dig out and install Sump Basin, Sump Pump and Discharge (Plumb) the outflow using 1 1/2" inch PVC from the Pump to The Street
SEE VIDEO for Detail

This problem is common and can be corrected with a little work and know how!

[ronhall]

I always thought the first rule of plumbing is what doesn’t flow uphill ….. my man Chuck does it again!! Thanks Buddy!!

[TashenaNicole]

This video explains my issue. My backyard floods A LOT. Looks like a pool. I have a utility and drainage easement, with a big low spot. I am in the process of getting my yard regraded and once that’s done, I’m installing my French drain and sump pump. The front of my house is uphill from where my catch basins will be installed and down hill to the street. I hope this works. Thanks Chuck! You’re a lifesaver and money saver lol.

[americarocks]

I have a level backyard that goes out to the front where I plan to put a pop-up emitter. I'm not going to get much if any slope for my pump. Since I'm in the northern climate where we have a lot of freezing in the winter, how do I then prevent water staying in the line and freezing?

[redlense]

Hi Chuck. What about a cold climate where the pump/water can freeze?

[formofmind]

Can you review how you get power to the sump?

[paulbellamy]

Do you always use PVC pipe for the discharge line? Do you ever use flexible/corrugated discharge line, and if so, what products do you recommend?

[patrickreynolds]

Awesome. Can I find that one way check valve at any plumbing store. Home depot or Lowes?
Thanks for the info. I'm in Rainy Washington State and currently discovered my side yard between fence lines of neighbor has drainage issues. Hence the rotted fence posts. After I finally got old post our of the ground the next heavy rain all the holes filled with water. Your info is helpful

[thomasbrogan]

Can someone talk about the electricity supply for the sub pump. Does one hire an electrician to "run an electrical outlet" out by the sub pump?

[rachaellopez]

how would you add a footer tile and sump pump in a craw space that has a footing running down the middle of the crawl space? would I nee two sump pumps, or do I need to cut a hole in the footing that runs down the center of the crawl space to make the footer tile continues?

[michaelpiecuch]

Is your discharge pipe running down hill? How high is your riser of your discharge pipe up to daylight?

[tunit]

What part of the pvc pipe is the 3/16 hole drilled? Top or bottom?

[zeroturn]

Seems like it has potential for back flow. I agree with the need for a pump, but wouldn’t it need to be discharged at the curb. I ask because I have a similar issue and my HOA will not allow cutting into the concrete, unless it’s the county.

My only remedy is to go through my backyard, and hope that the neighbor to the rear of me would allow a connect through her yard to discharge at the street downhill.

[Doomzdayxx]

Chuck, if this were done in Ohio where it freezes during the winter, how would you do this job differently?

[geoffjenkins]

How are you handling the backflow and short cycling the pump here?
I have a similar issue (flat yard), and have to pump 130ft to daylight. I wound up digging a large pit, placing two sump basins in, and filling with stone that offers almost another basin's worth of void space. This was the only way I could think to handle the backflow over that much length so as to avoid continuously cycling the pump.

[SuperSteeldrum]

What can do if you can’t pump it to the street. City rules