Any out-of-town resident sooner or later is puzzled by the question: how to divert water from the house? FORUMHOUSE users are well aware that excess moisture has a negative effect on the foundation, causes flooding of basements and significantly complicates landscaping.

Therefore, groundwater disposal is the key to a long and trouble-free operation of the cottage and the site. We have already talked about what to do, and with a high level of groundwater. The turn has come to tell in detail about the features of the drainage system.

From our material you will learn:

• What is a drainage system and what is it for?
• Why do you need to do geological surveys at the site?
• What are the types of drainage systems?
• How to protect the basement from flooding?
• How is the drainage system installed on the site?
• What mistakes are most often made when constructing a drainage system?

What is a drainage system and what is it for?

The drainage system protects the foundation from the negative effects of the hydrostatic pressure of groundwater, which reduces the risk of water entering the basement. Also, the drainage system protects the site from flooding, waterlogging or waterlogging. If we neglect the device of the drainage system, this can lead to a decrease in the service life of the foundation due to its excessive waterlogging and the emergence of destructive forces of frost heaving.

Hydraulic engineer "EC Ecopoil - LD" Evgeny Muraviev:

- The task of the drainage system is the removal of ground water, upper water flow and lowering the groundwater level to the design values ​​required for the normal operation of the foundation, basement rooms and the site.

Often, developers have a question, is it possible to do without a drainage system, and if so, in what cases?

Expert of the Corporation TechnoNICOL Andrey Zubtsov:

- Each case should be considered separately. I advise you to use the recommendations of MosKomArkhitektura "Guidelines for the design and installation of drainages, 2000".

The device of the drainage system is mandatory in cases of location:

• Operated buried premises below the calculated groundwater level or when the level of the clean floor of the basement exceeds the calculated groundwater level by less than 500 mm.
• Operated buried premises in the ground, regardless of the presence of groundwater.
• Technical subfields in clay and loamy soils when they are buried more than 1.5 m from the earth's surface, regardless of the presence of groundwater.
• Any structures located in the zone of capillary humidification, when the conditions of their operation are associated with severe temperature and humidity conditions.

Construction Engineer Company Fundamental.rf Andrey Pashukhin:

- The drainage device depends on the groundwater level at the site.

It is necessary to arrange a drainage system if the groundwater level approaches the critical level for the foundation or is so high that the entire area looks swampy and nothing grows on it.

It is not necessary to arrange the system if the area is dry. The groundwater level during floods and heavy precipitation does not reach critical levels.

For a preliminary assessment of the groundwater level at the site, you can use the following method.

Supervisor Design Bureau Alexey Korovin:

– If there is a well on the site or neighbors, then the GWL can be determined by the water level in the well rings. This is best done in late July and early August. The closer the water is to the surface of the earth, the higher the water table.

You can also estimate the GWL by the level of the water's edge in the lake or river (if they are located near the site). It should be remembered that a waterlogged area significantly complicates or makes it impossible to carry out landscape and gardening works.

Alexey Korovin:

- Many plants cannot grow on waterlogged soil. For example, apple trees do not tolerate excess water. In trees and shrubs, due to the lack of oxygen, rotting of the root system can begin.

Thus, in the case of a high GWL and in the absence of drainage, the number of species of plants, shrubs and trees that can grow and bear fruit in a personal plot is significantly reduced.

In addition, if you start to deal with the installation of the drainage system after the house is built, garden paths are laid and a lawn is planted, then you will have to carry out the whole complex of earthworks on an already equipped territory, which will lead to damage to the landscape and additional monetary costs.

Evgeny Muraviev:

- Although swampy and clearly waterlogged areas can be seen with the naked eye, it is not worth choosing methods of drainage and drainage based on indirect signs. A complete picture can be given only by the hydrogeological study of the soil at the site.

Why is the hydrogeological study of the site done?

Different types of soil have different characteristics that can significantly affect the choice of the drainage system and its route. It should also be borne in mind that the soil, the groundwater level in the neighboring area may differ from the soil in the area where the foundation and drainage system are planned. Therefore, it is better to solve this issue not "by eye", but by resorting to hydrogeological research.

CEO of the company "Stroygeologiya" Andrey Nikitin :

- This event will determine:

• Geological structure of the site.
• Physical and mechanical characteristics of soils.

• Groundwater supply sources.

• Groundwater level marks, their chemical analysis. This will make it possible to understand at what levels the groundwater is in relation to the surface of the earth and the projected foundation.

• What type of water: pressurized or not, its chemical composition and corrosiveness.

• The presence of waterproofing. It so happens that the water is high enough, but blocked by the upper aquiclude. Without breaking it, i.e. without deepening the foundation, you can avoid the impact on the base of the house of groundwater.

• Filtration properties of soils and the granulometric composition of sands, which are the main conductor of groundwater - in order to understand how the drainage device will affect the composition of the sands, whether there will be suffosion removal of particles, which can lead to sedimentation of the foundation.

Andrey Nikitin:

- The geotechnical survey includes:

1. Execution of drilling operations.

2. Measurements of groundwater levels.

3. Sampling of soil and water.

4. Laboratory determination of the physical characteristics of soils, including the determination of the filtration properties of soils.

Analysis of the survey results will allow you to select the optimal foundation design and type of drainage system.

Types of drainage systems

Errors in the design and construction of a drainage system may appear several years after the start of its operation. Therefore, the organization of a drainage system begins with its design, and first you need to understand the main types of drainage.

Drains are classified as local and general. Local drainages are used to protect the foundation and basement rooms from flooding by groundwater, and general drainages are used to protect the site.

Evgeny Muraviev:

- The following types of drainage can be distinguished:

• Wall-mounted - protects against overhead water.
• Ring - protects basements and basements from groundwater flooding.
• Layered - protects basements and basements from groundwater flooding in the conditions of the layered structure of the water carrier and the pressure of the groundwater.
• Systematic. It is used for draining large areas.
• Ray. Used when draining existing park areas. A characteristic feature of this drainage is its delicacy for the root system of plants.

Andrey Zubtsov:

- Reservoir drainage is arranged at the base of the protected structure directly on the aquifer. At the same time, it is hydraulically connected to a tubular drain located on the outside of the foundation, at some distance from the plane of the building wall.

The reservoir drainage system protects the structure both from flooding by groundwater and from humidification by capillary moisture. Reservoir drainage is widely used in the construction of underground structures erected on poorly permeable soils, as well as in the presence of a powerful aquifer under the foundation. To protect basements and structures in which the appearance of dampness is not allowed under operating conditions, when these rooms are located in the zone of capillary moistening of soils, layer drainages should be arranged.

Ring drainage (most often these are tubular drains) is located along the contour of the protected building or its section. The action of the ring drainage is based on lowering the groundwater level inside the protected circuit, which provides protection against flooding of underground structures and buried parts of buildings. The depth of this depression depends on the burial of pipes, galleries or filtering part of the wells relative to the groundwater level, as well as on the size of the protected circuit. Ring drains are located at some distance from the structure, due to which they can be installed after its construction. In this respect, ring drainage compares favorably with stratal drainage, which can be arranged only simultaneously with the construction of the structure.

Andrey Zubtsov:

- Wall drainage consists of wall drainage structures (dumped, glued, installed) and tubular drains laid on the outside of the structure and serving simultaneously as a pipeline collecting and removing drainage water.

Wall drainage is used both independently and in conjunction with other types of drainage.

How to protect the basement from flooding?

If the area has a high level of groundwater, then even at the stage of digging a foundation pit it will be flooded with water. This can seriously affect the quality and speed of work. Therefore, it is necessary to provide in advance measures for the drainage of water.

Evgeny Muraviev:

- It is necessary to clearly understand that there is a conventional foundation drainage, for example, MZLF. In this case, we protect the foundation from the harmful effects of groundwater and reduce the risk of frost heaving forces. And there is a set of measures to protect the basement and basement from flooding.

The risk of flooding exists when constructing basements in clay and loamy soils and when the difference between the GWL elevations and the basement (basement) floor elevations is less than 0.5 meters. In these cases, a drainage device is required.

Andrey Pashukhin:

- The foundation device allows:

• to increase the stability of the structure;
• remove unfavorable factors of heaving in winter;
• improve the performance of waterproofing foundation structures.

The groundwater is diverted from the basement floor by means of a ring drainage system. The meaning of its work is to collect groundwater at the desired level and discharge this water into a receiving collector well.

If the flooding of the basement floor has already begun, then the following measures must be taken:

1. First, you need to understand and assess the extent of flooding. The further work plan depends on this. If a leak has appeared somewhere locally, then you can use special hydrophobic compounds with an injected injection system.

2. If the flooding began over the entire area of ​​the basement, then drainage, pits and additional measures for waterproofing the basement cannot be dispensed with.

How is the site drained?

One of the technologies for the device of the drainage system is as follows:

1. Along the perimeter of the building, around which it is necessary to arrange drainage, a trench is dug and the necessary slope is maintained, which is necessary for the natural flow of water.

According to the standards, it is necessary to maintain a slope of 1 cm per 1 p / meter.

2. The bottom of the trench is compacted and filled with river sand with a layer of 10 cm, maintaining a given slope.

3. The trench is lined with geotextiles. This is necessary to separate layers and prevent rubble from silting up.

4. Granite crushed stone is filled in with a layer of 5-10 cm, maintaining the given slope.

5. Drainage pipes are being laid. The pipe or drain (usually 110 mm pipes are used) has slotted perforations or holes with a diameter of 1.5-5 mm.

They are located around the entire circumference of the pipe. Some drainage pipes are equipped with shells made of filtering materials - geotextile "jacket", which protects the pipe from rapid siltation.

The pipe, wrapped, is only used in clean medium to coarse sands. In other conditions, it quickly, within 2-4 years of operation, becomes clogged (silted up), therefore, on other soils, a pipe without a geotextile wrapper is used.

6. After laying the drain, it is sprinkled with granite crushed stone of fraction 5-20. It turns out that the pipe is surrounded on all sides by a crushed "jacket", which is separated from the layer of sand and soil by a geotextile fabric.

7. The edges of the geotextile overlap are stacked on top of each other, and then the trench is filled with excavated soil.

To monitor the operation of drainage and periodic cleaning of pipes (for which a fire hydrant is used), viewing wells are arranged. According to the requirements of SNiP, they are arranged at least 50 meters later on straight drainage sections, as well as in places of turns, intersections and changes in pipe slopes. The water collected by the drains enters the water intake well. It is dug out at the lowest point of the site.

Evgeny Muraviev:

- The question often arises - where to drain this water. It can be taken as follows:

• into the settlement rainwater network;
• into a ditch;
• into a ravine;
• into the stream;
• into absorbing containers.

If the relief of the site allows, then water flows into the drainage well by gravity. If this is not possible, then you will have to use pumping equipment.

Andrey Pashukhin:

- In this regard, the use of a pump gives great freedom in deciding where and how to drain the water. This simplifies the work, because no need to monitor compliance with the slope of the drainage pipe.

It also allows you to reduce the amount of excavation due to the lack of the need to dig deep down the slope. Installation of the pump requires a competent selection and adjustment of engineering equipment, as well as the supply of the power supply line.

The main mistakes that are made when constructing a drainage system

The most common mistakes include:

• the use of wall drainage (a pipe at the elevations of the basement base) to drain groundwater;
• the use of a pipe in a geotextile filter in loamy soils and sandy loams, which inevitably leads to clogging of the filter;
• the use of levels when laying pipes instead of a level and theodolite;
• installation of stormwater wells instead of drainage wells.

Alexey Korovin:

- One of the most common mistakes of developers is the arrangement of only a drainage system around the foundation. Practice shows that this is not enough. Without fail, it is also necessary to mount a drainage system, which will divert precipitation from the roof into the downpour.

Moreover, it is impossible to combine rainfall and drainage in one pipe, because this will lead to the opposite effect - during the rainy season, the drainage system will not cope with the excess water. Waterlogging of the soil near the foundation will occur, frosts will hit, and this will cause heaving of the soil, which can lead to deformation of the blind area, movement of the foundation or its destruction.

The rainfall is made from ordinary orange sewer pipes, which are intended for laying in the ground, and water intake trays, where water is diverted through the drainage system. The storm water is also discharged into a water intake well. The water collected in the receiving well can be used for irrigation or technical needs.

You can learn about all the nuances of the drainage system.

High humidity in your area is fraught with harmful consequences: water suppresses the root system of plant crops, which provokes their diseases and subsequent death. Moreover, moisture washes away the foundation of the building and outbuildings, so the structures are flooded and begin to quickly collapse. Can these problems be avoided? The best option for their prevention is a drainage device in the summer cottage. This procedure is not difficult enough to hire a professional builder - you can do it yourself. And in order for you to succeed, we invite you to learn more about the advantages and features of drainage and get acquainted with the simplest ways of arranging it.

Each summer resident invariably asks the same question: does his site need drainage so much? You can find the answer yourself - just evaluate your summer cottage territory. Your garden is often overgrown with sedge, there are puddles on the site for a long time after rain, the ground dries for a long time after watering or melting of snowdrifts - the first signs that you cannot do without drainage. In order to be even more convinced of this, conduct a simple experiment: dig a hole 50-70 cm deep - if in a day it is full of water, without hesitation, proceed to the arrangement of the system.

Drainage arrangement scheme at the site

But there are four more conditions for which drainage is required:

• groundwater is very high;
• the cottage is on dense clay soil;
• the site is located on a pronounced slope, or vice versa - in a lowland;
• there is regular rainfall in your area.

As you can see, drainage is indispensable in almost all areas. So, if you want plants and trees to please with their growth, the paths are not deformed, and the dacha is not flooded, start construction work.

Types of systems: surface and deep drainage of the site

When the question of the importance of drainage is closed, decide which system you need. It can be of two types.

Superficial- the simplest drainage option. Its functional purpose is to drain water that falls on the land in the form of various precipitations, for example, rain or snow. This system works well on level ground without pronounced slopes. This drainage is essentially a system of ditches located around the entire perimeter of the site. Over time, the water that collects in the ditches is either discharged into a special drainage tank, or simply evaporates. The surface system can be combined with traditional storm sewers.

Deep drainage

Deep- closed drainage. Such a system is needed if your site:

• located on uneven terrain;
• located on clay soil;
• has high groundwater;
• for any other reason is difficult to operate.

Deep drainage allows you to effectively protect from increased moisture not only garden and horticultural crops, but also the cottage itself, and all utility rooms.

Advice. Since the installation of a deep drainage system requires serious land work, it is recommended that you engage in it even before you start planting the bulk of the crops. An even better option, if possible, is to arrange drainage in parallel with laying the foundation.

Preparatory work

Drainage is an engineering structure, which is a branched system of trenches and pipes. All its elements are interconnected and scattered, as a rule, along the entire perimeter of the site. Based on the above features, installation work cannot be started without a clear design of the drainage system.

The following points should be indicated in the project: the location of all drainage trenches, water flow, a diagram of vertical sections of drainage, the location of wells, the depth of the drains. It is also important to determine the size of all components of the system and their slope, in relation to the upper soil. Such a detailed project plan will give you the opportunity to quickly navigate the location of all the elements of the drainage system in the process of its arrangement, that is, it will simply make your work easier.

Drainage pipe laying

An important component of pre-construction procedures is the preparation of a set of tools and consumables that are necessary for installation work:

• perforated pipes with a diameter of 75-100 mm;
• parts for connecting pipes - couplings and fittings;
• drainage wells;
• hacksaw;
• ramming tool;
• rail;
• building level;
• geotextile for drainage;
• crushed stone;
• sand;
• shovel;
• a wheelbarrow for the removal of land and the supply of building materials.

Surface drainage system

This type of drainage is technically a simple process.

1. Dig a trench along the entire perimeter of the summer cottage: depth - 70 cm, width - 50 cm. Its slope should be at least 25-30 degrees towards the water outlet.
2. Dig auxiliary ditches at the same angle.
3. Lead the trench and ditches to a single drainage well.

Advice. To make sure that the trench is working, do a simple test: pour water into the trench and see if it flows in the right direction, that is, towards the well. If you notice deviations, be sure to correct the angle of the trench walls, otherwise the system will not be able to fully perform its functions.

1. Lay drainage geotextiles in the finished trenches.
2. Fill the trenches with different-format rubble on the geotextile: two-thirds are large grains, and one-third are small.
3. Place the sod on a layer of fine crushed stone.

Surface drainage system

In the second case, the continuation of the construction of the drainage after digging the trench is as follows:

1. Prepare plastic drainage trays.
2. Pour a layer of sand no more than 10 cm at the bottom of the trench. Tamp it well with a manual rammer.
3. Install plastic trays in the trench.
4. Install sand traps.
5. Install decorative grates on the trays - they will protect the drainage from debris and leaves, and also give it a prettier look.

Deep drainage in clay soils and other difficult terrain

The algorithm for constructing a deep system in difficult areas is as follows:

As you can see, there is nothing unreal in the device of the drainage system at the summer cottage, so do not be afraid to take on such work yourself. The main thing is to accurately determine the required type of drainage and follow the rules for its installation. And do not forget that by making efforts only once, you can protect yourself from a host of problems in the future, namely, from the death of garden and horticultural crops and flooding of your own summer cottage.

In the central region of Russia, there are frequent problems with flooding and weak soils due to water content. Humidity and flood waters at the site take weeks away from the summer season. Waterlogging of the soil is also harmful to many plants. To solve this problem, drainage should be done at the summer cottage.

Drainage systems are designed to collect and drain excess and lower the water table. This will reduce the weakening of the soil due to hydration, swelling of the soil at negative temperatures, as well as water leakage into the premises of the basement of the house.

It should be noted that not every site requires drainage. Now we are not talking about mandatory storm drainage systems to collect and drain sediment from the foundation. But the system for reducing the water content of the soil on the site is not needed everywhere.

Externally, the need for drainage on the site can be seen in long-lasting puddles after rain.

Or make a deepening (with a drill or a shovel) to a depth of 0.7-1 m: if water collects there in 24-36 hours, then there is an excess of water in the ground and drainage is needed.

So, drainage is needed if:

• The groundwater level is high;
• Plot with clay soil (clay or loam);
• The site is located in a lowland (areas on a slope may also need to be drained);
• The precipitation rate is high and significant volumes of flood waters have to be diverted seasonally.

Properly made drainage at the summer cottage protects the building from destruction.

Drainage systems

An example of a drainage system project for a summer cottage

Surface drainage is the least laborious and not complicated system. Its task is to divert water that has fallen out in precipitation and formed during the melting of snow.

Surface drainage is necessarily organized around buildings, and is distinguished into 2 types:

• Point - consists of separate water receivers (points) and a system of shallowly buried water pipes;
• Linear - a system of drainage trays.

Both point and line drainage are usually protected by grates. For effective drainage of water, drainage trays and tubes should be sloped (1-2 cm per 1 m).

Deep drainage is needed to drain the soil and lower the water table.

Drainage is collected either from perforated pipes or in the form of crushed stone channels. If the slope is observed, the water is drained out of the site.

To lower the groundwater level throughout the entire site, drainage is laid at a level of 0.8-1.5 m. But near the house, the drainage depth should be 50 cm below the plane of the foundation support.

Drainage depth, m	Sandy soil	Loamy soil	Clay soil
0,45	4,5-5,5	4-5	2-3
0,6	6,5-7,5	6,5-7,5	3-4
0,9	9-11	7-9	4-5,5
1,2	12-15	10-12	4,5-7
1,5	15,5-18	12-15	6,5-9
1,8	18-22	15-18	7-11

The drainage is laid, starting from the highest point of the site, and from the lowest point is taken out. It is important to observe the slope for water pipelines: 1-2 cm per 1 m (for sandy soils - 3 cm per 1 m).

The slope can be greater, but not less. A larger slope improves drainage.

Uncomplicated drainage of the suburban area

You can drain the area yourself. You will need to follow the technology of work, calculate and purchase the necessary materials.

Surface drainage

The simplest and most versatile solution would be open surface drainage. This method is great for draining small areas.

As a basis, you can take the herringbone drainage scheme. Above, we considered the question of the step between the drainage ditches.

Of the tools you will need:

• Shovels (shovel and bayonet);
• Roulette (be critical about the choice of a roulette, and if there should be 10 m between drains, then a tape measure with a smaller tape is not suitable);
• Bubble level;
• A hammer;
• Construction knife.

Materials required:

• Gravel;
• Geotextile;
• A bar or board 2-3 m.

Sequencing:

• If there is a visible slope on the site, then start from the highest place on the site plan to place drainage ditches. If the slope of the site cannot be determined by eye, apply the ditches on the plan, observing the scheme, in the most convenient position. Select the step of the ditches according to the type of soil.
• By measuring the length of the ditches on the plan and recalculating the scale, you can calculate the necessary materials. Usually, the width of the ditch is taken equal to the width of the shovel available.

Let's say that a total length of 100 m came out (for round counting, just as an illustration).

The height of the crushed stone channel is 30 cm.

Geotextile acts as a sludge filter and should cover the crushed stone with a stocking. This means that with a 30 cm channel width, the width of the geotextile should be 30 + 2 * 30 + 2 * 30 = 1.5 m. This means that 165 m 2 of geotextiles will be required with a 10% margin.

Rubble will be required 0.3 * 0.3 * 100 * 1.1 = 10 m 3.

• Trenches are being dug on the site according to the plan. The minimum depth is 30-40 cm. Note that towards the end of the drainage the trench will be deeper due to the slope. The minimum slope of the trench is 2 cm by 1 m for normal soils and 3 cm by 1 m for sandy soils.
• The easiest way to drain water into a drainage well. For a plot of 6 acres, a well with a volume of 700 liters is sufficient. If the conditions allow for the drainage to be led into the gutter, this will be the best solution.
• After excavation, the slope of the bottom of the trenches is checked again. You can supply water to the trenches and see if it stagnates somewhere.
• Geotextiles are laid at the bottom of the trench. It is laid symmetrically, the edges of the panels will then be wrapped over the rubble.
• A layer of crushed stone of 30 cm is laid and closed with the edges of the geotextile.
• On top of the drainage channel, it is covered with sand to ground level.

So that the drainage ditches do not occupy a useful area, you can deepen them by 30-40 cm and fill the last 30-40 cm with fertile soil.

How to drain a summer cottage using deep drainage

Deep drainage is the standard solution for draining sites.

The depth of the drainage placement depends on the conditions:

• To protect the foundation and basements - 0.5 m below the plane of the foundation support;
• For stony soils - 1.5 m;
• For peaty soils - 1-1.6 m;
• Under flower beds - 0.5-0.8 m;
• Under fruit trees - 1.5 m;
• For bushes - 0.9 m.

The order of work on the device of deep drainage:

How to drain a summer cottage without drainage

The reasons for the stagnation of water at the site are not necessarily related to the high level of groundwater.

For example, during heavy spring rains, when the ground is still frozen, the water will stagnate at the surface.

There are ways to reduce soil moisture without a drainage system, here are some of them:

• Adding sand to the soil. For clay or peat, at least 30 kg per 1 m 3. This will improve the permeability of the soil, which also increases yields.
• Open shallow trenches for rapid discharge of flood water into the gutter.
• Replacing the fertile layer with a special composition for your conditions.
• Planting trees, usually around the perimeter of the site. Some tree species thrive in moist soils and, thanks to their powerful root system, dry out the area. Such properties are possessed, for example, by willow or birch.

Cleaning the drainage at the summer cottage

Water, passing through the drainage channels, bring with it small, almost dusty, soil fractions. These particles successfully pass through the geotextile and settle somewhere in the drainage channels.

If the system was installed in violation of the technology, then significant volumes of silt and debris get into the drainage. And it happens that traffic jams are formed. Because of this, the drainage ceases to fulfill its functions.

If you cannot remove the jam yourself, contact a specialist. With special equipment, specialists will eliminate the blockage and clean the drainage channels.

One of the main problems of any land plot is an excess of moisture in the soil. As a result, there are such unpleasant processes as stagnant water on the site, flooding of the basement, soil erosion, decay of the roots of trees and shrubs, premature destruction of the foundations of buildings. You can cope with an excess of moisture by arranging drainage on the site with your own hands. By all the rules, the built drainage system eliminates most of the problems associated with an excess of soil moisture.

A drainage system can be created at any site. It consists of pipes or channels located on the territory of the site, wells and system protection elements. Such a system is intended to collect infiltrated and ground moisture, as well as to drain it to a specific place or outside the site.

A do-it-yourself drainage device on the site is necessary in the following cases:

• waterlogging of the site. Water entering the soil surface does not have time to be absorbed into the ground, as a result of which puddles appear, and the soil itself loses its porous structure. This is especially true for clay soils;
• in the event of dampness or flooding in the basement of the house or in the basement;
• if the foundation and walls of the building began to be covered with cracks arising from the heaving of the soil;
• if window or doorways are skewed;
• washing out the soil from under the paths, paved areas;
• if the site is located on a hillside or in a lowland.

Tip: The creation of a drainage system is highly desirable if the groundwater in your area is at a depth of 1.5 m or less.

Types of drainage systems

Depending on the design and the degree of deepening of the system elements, there are two types of drainage systems:

1. Surface drainage... It is characterized by the location on a section of a network of channels that remove moisture falling in the form of precipitation. Do-it-yourself surface drainage of a site can be made in two versions:

2. Deep drainage... Such a structure is a system of perforated pipelines laid at a certain depth below the soil level. Do-it-yourself deep drainage at the site does an excellent job with water disposal on clay soils, as well as in the presence of surface groundwater.

Drainage system project preparation

When a drainage scheme for a site is being prepared, several nuances should be taken into account, since the performance and durability of the drainage system depend on a correctly executed project.

Pay attention to the following points:

• the installation of the drainage system is always carried out last, after the completion of rough construction work. Construction equipment on the site can damage the surface drainage elements;
• all other communications should be indicated on the project to combine them with the drainage system;
• you need to know the level of occurrence of groundwater in your area;
• study the composition and structure of the soil on the site at different depths;
• the project must take into account the presence of structures buried in the ground on the site. This can be the basement of a house, a cellar, a basement, a well;
• take into account the features of the terrain;
• do-it-yourself drainage of the garden plot should be carried out taking into account the location of shrubs and trees;
• Consider the amount of precipitation in your area.

What you need for open and closed drainage

Correct drainage at a summer cottage with your own hands implies the use of certain types of building materials. Different drainage systems will require different components.

1. To create surface drainage, you may need (depending on the type):

• storm water inlets;
• polymer concrete / polymer sand or, through which water will flow to the places assigned to it;
• sand traps used to prevent various debris from entering the system;
• metal or plastic gratings that will cover the drainage trays;
• the sand from which the gutter bedding will be made and the cement to fix them.

2. For the deep system, you will need to purchase:

• perforated pipes in which water will collect. It is best to use polymer products. If there are no holes in them, then they are drilled independently. The diameter of the pipes should not be less than 10 cm;
• that will serve as a filter element;
• fittings and couplings for connecting pipes into a single system;
• inspection wells, thanks to which it will be possible to inspect the system and clean it;
• collector wells in which the discharged water will accumulate;
• a pump through which water will be pumped out of catchment wells, if such are planned to be built;
• sand for arranging the underlying layer;
• crushed stone for filling and pre-filtering water.

Note: If you have a shortage of crushed stone, then it is quite acceptable to use gravel. The main condition is that its individual stones should not be more than 4 cm in diameter.

Surface drainage system fabrication

Before you do the drainage of the site with your own hands, it is necessary to draw up a diagram of the placement of all drainage channels. The location of the main (main) channels that go to the collector well or weir is indicated. In addition, additional canals are marked that divert water from individual places where it accumulates. Additional canals slope towards the main canals, connecting with them.

• Trenches are dug strictly according to the scheme. Their depth is 50-70 cm, and the width should be about 40-50 cm. Pay attention to the slope of the walls of the trenches. They should be beveled at an angle of about 25 degrees. That is, they are wider at the top;
• The bottom of the trenches is rammed.

Tip: The main canals are made wider, since the water flow collected from additional canals will pass through them.

Backfill drainage

• a layer of geotextile is laid in the trenches, after which the trenches are covered with rubble. The bottom layer of crushed stone should have larger fractions. Geotextile is wrapped so that soil particles do not fall into the rubble layer;
• on top of such a backfill, earth is poured or sod is laid.

Trough drainage

• trenches are also dug, but of shallower depth;
• sand is poured into the bottom of the trenches with a layer of 10 cm;
• if desired, rubble can be poured over the sand;
• cement mortar is poured onto the bottom and walls of the trench;
• trays and sand traps are installed;
• trays are covered from above with protective grilles.

Installation of deep drainage

Such a system is manufactured with the utmost care, since it will be problematic to correct any deficiencies. Do-it-yourself deep drainage of a site is considered a complex and time-consuming operation.

The work is performed in the following sequence:

• a plan for laying drainage lines is drawn;
• trenches 50 cm wide and 80-100 cm deep are dug. The slope of the trenches is about 3 degrees towards the drain;
• the bottom of the trenches is covered with sand (about 10 cm), which is compacted;
• geotextiles are laid on top of the sand in such a way that its ends rise above the soil level;
• crushed stone is poured into the geotextile layer. Layer thickness - about 20 cm;
• perforated pipes are laid on the crushed stone;
• pipe sections are connected to each other;
• a collector well is being prepared. He settles down at the lowest point of the site;
• pipes are led into a drain well, from which water will be pumped out or drained to a lower level;
• the laid pipes are covered with rubble from above. It should not reach the ground level;
• the geotextile is wrapped, as a result of which the pipe and rubble around it find themselves in a "cocoon";
• from above, the entire structure is covered with soil.

The drainage system will transform your site, relieve it of excess moisture, and restore the natural state of the soil.

Video

How to properly drain the site with your own hands, see the video. It considers the option of not open drainage, but deep drainage.

Don't want to put up with excess moisture in your summer cottage? And you are doing the right thing. An excess of water in the soil will not bring anything but harm: crop failure, destruction of plantations, boggy areas, destruction of the foundations of buildings. A simple way to get rid of a difficult problem is to set up a drainage system with your own hands.

Reasons for installing a drainage system

If the territory of the land plot is flat, and the soil is fertile and absorbs water, then you are incredibly lucky. In this case, there is no need for drainage.

Drainage of the suburban area is required in the following cases:

1. The site is located on clay soil.
2. Low location of the territory.
3. The country house stands on a slope or at the foot of a hill.
4. The region where the dacha was built is characterized by frequent and torrential rains and snowfalls.
5. Groundwater flows less than 3 meters from the surface of the earth.

Excessive soil moisture is judged by standing puddles and vegetation. So, sedge and reeds grow in wetlands.

Once again, make sure of the need for drainage by conducting an experiment. Dig a hole 700 mm deep, and after 24 hours, see if water has collected there. If so, then drainage at the summer cottage is required.

Varieties of drainage systems in the country

The increased humidity in the territory of the summer cottage is due to various reasons. Depending on this, one or another type of drainage is chosen:

• Surface - the easiest way to drain the soil. This type of drainage system is designed to protect the site from water, the source of which is precipitation in the form of rain and snow. Install it in areas without sudden changes.

Surface drainage is a collection of trenches excavated along the perimeter of the territory. Flowing into the ditches, water enters the collector installed at the lowest point of the system.

Surface drainage

The external drainage system is divided into two subspecies: point and linear.

• Deep drainage is a closed method for draining a land plot. They resort to it in the following cases:

1. when the country house is built on an uneven surface;
2. with a close location of groundwater to the surface of the earth;
3. with clay soil.

A do-it-yourself deep drainage device runs along the perimeter of a residential building and around agricultural buildings.

Preparation for construction work

Drainage is a system of ditches and pipelines. To correctly connect the elements to each other, it is required to make complex engineering calculations and draw up a drainage scheme. You cannot cope with this alone, so call the specialists of the Marisrub company for help.

Taking into account the peculiarities of the soil and landscape, experts in their field will draw up a project diagram and tell you the correct gutter device.

The drainage system diagram contains the following information:

• A place on the site where the drainage system begins. This is the highest point in the territory.
• The lowest point of the system relative to the collector;
• The location of the main and additional ditches;
• Dimensions of trenches and pipes;
• Name and quantity of consumables;
• Installation diagram of pipelines and wells;
• The angle of inclination of the trenches.

When starting to install the drainage with your own hands, take into account certain nuances:

1. The territory of the entire land plot is subject to drainage. Therefore, gutters for buildings and plants are included in a single system.
2. Material and time costs are inevitable. On average, it takes up to 3 months to set up a drainage system.
3. Drainage of the territory is carried out in the summer.
4. The installation of pipes is carried out at a depth below the freezing point of the soil, and the drainage system around the residential building is laid below the base of the foundation.

Surface drainage installation

Making an outdoor drainage system with your own hands is easy even for novice builders.

Installation is simple in execution:

1. Using the design guide, dig the ditches according to the marked lines. Observe the dimensions: depth - 500 mm, width - 400 mm. So that the walls of the trench do not crumble, they are made sloping at an angle of 30 degrees. Externally, the trench resembles an inverted trapezoid. The main ditches drip with a slope towards the water collection point - a well or a reservoir. Additional branches of the system are carried out at an angle to the main trenches. The size of the slope is from 50 to 70 mm per 1 meter of length.
2. Check the drainage system. To do this, pour 2-3 buckets of water into the ditches and observe the flow. If liquid accumulates in the area, correct the slope angle.
3. Fill the ditch with rubble. Coarse material is laid from below, and the top layer forms smaller crushed stone. This is recommended for water filtration.

To extend the life of the structure, they buy plastic trays and put decorative grilles on them. To prevent clogging of the trays, additional sand traps are installed.

Thus, with the help of simple manipulations, you installed an external linear type drainage with your own hands.

Spot drainage is necessary for localized water drainage. It is installed in places where precipitation is drained from the roof and in areas of plant irrigation.

Installation of deep drainage

The device of a closed drainage system is considered difficult to do with your own hands and economically expensive. To install deep drainage you will need:

• Plastic pipes with drainage holes and a diameter of 10 cm for main trenches or 7.5 cm for additional ones.
• Connecting elements for the pipeline;
• Drainage tank for waste water. Reinforced concrete rings, plastic cans, car tires are suitable as a collector.

Do-it-yourself installation of deep drainage consists of the following steps:

1. Dig ditches with a slope towards the collector to a depth of 600 mm for clay soil or 900 mm for sandy soil.
2. Place a 10 cm layer of sand on the bottom of the trench and compact it thoroughly.
3. Cover the trench with a geofabric so that the edges reach the sides.
4. Pour 20 cm high rubble and lay the drains on top with the holes facing down. Inspection wells are installed at pipeline bends. They help control the operation of the drainage system and clean it from blockages.
5. Add more rubble and wrap the geomaterial in a "roll".
6. Fill the trenches with soil, cover with turf.

Deep drainage is a reliable thing, but the installation is affordable. Therefore, the thrifty owners of summer cottages have found a way out: they replace pipes with a bundle of branches and brushwood, and geotextiles with moss or sod.

Is not a luxury, but a necessity. Therefore, approach the issue of its installation with responsibility in order to avoid troubles in the future.