You’re right - most people don’t like 20+ minute videos. That’s because there’s generally not 20 minutes of useful content in such a video. The actual useful content in this video is about 7-8 minutes. Being concise and staying on point is not only an art, but a good way to keep people watching and subscribing.
You’re so right about buying downspout pipes from the big box stores. I bought some a few months ago, they are all ripped off already. Lessons learned from your video is not to do that again. Thanks for sharing your expertise.
Good video. Finally a video that addresses the freezing problem. Seems like all the other video makers live in an area where it never freezes and they never bother to warn people that this will not work in a cold climate.
So then that's my concern....it freezes...I'm in New England everything freezes in winter....as soon as that happens the entire system under shallow ground above frost line will b frozen solid....now three days of warm & rain ....what now..! Please explain this ...now everything goin into the basement......!
One of those rare videos of such concise breadth and depth, that, in watching it, I feel as though I've gone from asking the initial question "how do I do this (to my own house) *correctly*?" that lead me to this video, to feeling like I could do this as a side hustle. Great video.
Hello Robert, We're in CT and I'll be doing this on 3 sides of our home and this video made me think of many items I did not consider. Thank you for all the tips and tricks as we'll be applying many of these in our build.
We ran cameras through many jobs. In low flow / Volume downspouts we did see some dirt in the pipe. To lean on the side of caution we use a sock on the knife cut. Here is a example th-cam.com/video/JUA3ww7k27g/w-d-xo.html
Very informative video. You clearly know what you're doing. My only complaint is your comment that "80% of people are going to check out early because of some ADD deal". I know enough about constuction (in the North) that I could tell quickly that you are knowledgeable, but this video could have been far shorter than it was. One of my consulting gigs is creating instructional videos and I could likely edit this down to half the length without losing any of the valuable information. Yes, it's a *lot* of work, but blaming partial views on viewers having an "ADD deal" is a cop out and disrespectful to people with ADD. There are ways to present content that maintain the attention of people with ADD. Note: I still recommend that people should watch the entire video.
I used this guy’s videos and products to diy my own last year in northern Virginia. I can confirm the high octane solid pipe is far superior to the black big box store products. Now when it rains, the giggling kid in me likes to take the tops off the D-Boxes and watch exactly how much water runs through the system instead of saturating my clay yard.
Boy, I wish your channel was around back in 2015 when I had to redo all the downspouts and a sump pump discharge at a house in Chicago. I buried PVC because roots had caused the old black corrugated to fail, and I figured glued schedule 40 would keep the roots out. I sloped it all meticulously, so it wouldn't hold water and freeze, and everything daylights to a ditch. Fingers crossed for the current owners.
Just got mine done had a hard time getting pipe. Bought ur pre-made ys and 90s. Ended up running all dual wall ads pipe. How much do u worry about fall I dont see ur guys using levels much on ur videos. Ur vidoes were a great help keep up the nice work. Im in the central lower. 🤚🤟
Don't do the ground vent it you have Zero fall. That technique requires slope. If you freeze up our wye vent will let the water off the roof and you will not have any problems.
My house has a French drain that drains into the sump. The sump pump then sends that water to the storm drain. Currently my downspouts just percolate the water down into the French drain. Do I need to redirect this water or is it ok to just let the French drain do the work?
Hi Robert, great video. I bough a home built in 1955. I live in NY. I have 2 gutter downspouts connected to a dry well. One of the downspouts overflow in very heavy rain, so I needed to pull out the gutters to redirect, but in ground pipe still overflows (unfortunately right next to basement window and floods window and then floods basement). I have plans to regrade the back yard so it slopes away from house. So have a few questions (1) do u think i should disconnect the pipes to dry well and create a downspout drain or (2) use a dry well system instead (not sure the advantages or disadvantages) (30 how far down do u need to dig down to install pipes to survive the winter?, Lastly (4) can i keep the current dry well that in the ground? Thanks in advance for any help you can provide. Oh ne more thing...how much should I expect to pay a profession to connect 2 downspouts?
Could you tell me how far from my septic tank and leech field my drain pipe and discharge should be (Connecticut). Thank you for this great instructional video!
What do you do when you have 8" of wet snow packed on top of your emitter and you have a thaw the next day? The snow on the roof and in the gutter are going to thaw far sooner that your lawn. Isn't that a backup waiting to happen?
Thanks for the video. I have the pop ups in my drains. My problem is my mower deck has a tendency to suck them up and share them off. How do you deal with this?
Do you have to worry about settling with the knife cut? Also, anything different need to be done when on a steeper home in the Black Hills, SD? Thanks!
I wouldn't bother with the knife cut if you have a steep grade. It sounds like you have the type of sloped yard most homeowners would dream of having. Just put stones around the pop-up emitter.
@FRENCHDRAINMAN Thanks for your reply! I'm one of the young contractor types with The Grounds Guys of Rapid City, but yes, this home is a good grade when the yard is kept. Otherwise, it becomes mud and lots of erosion. Okay, where the pop-up goes is in the lawn. I'm not sure if it'd be good for stones around it unless it became an open drain. Would the pop-up emitter need to be on the boulevard side so it drains directly to the curb instead of over the sidewalk? Also, where the pop-up goes would be a flatter area. Do you have to worry about the water discharging, causing a muddy mess or damaging that grass?
How come you aren't using rain pebbles / cover? Wouldn't the drains be more susceptible to roots / soil? I just received a bid for a similar system but haven't got to talking to the guy yet.
So I have a few questions, not so much about what you covered, but what is suitable for my situation. Recently we dug up around the foundation of my house to do some repairs because water was getting in (there were a couple cinder blocks with nice big holes in them) and I'm wondering when it's filled in, should I run a downspout system like this or a French drain. I'm in the northeast (new jersey to be exact) and my yard is pretty flat. It's a pretty short run from the front of the house to the curb (probably 35-40 feet) so I'm wondering what would be the better idea for this. I don't have a ton of money to work with, but I want to do things right.
Can I just knife cut my solid corrugated for the last few feet so I don’t have to buy a separate piece? I also plan to drill holes in the bottom of the 90 at the pop up emitter
Hey Robert, if you have snow buildup on your lawn like most people in the north during the winter, why would the vent clean outs you show work for If you have water freezing at the pop-up? Wouldn’t the snow build up just block the vent from dispersing any water and be stuck with the same problem if you didn’t have vents in the first place?
"The frost depth for this area, and most of the state of Michigan, is 42". Footings are required to be a minimum of 42" deep., measured from the finish grade to the bottom of the footing. " I think the pipes should be put deeper than in you video even in warm climates - at least 30..50 sm (1-2 feet) depending on the traffic above. In that cold climate 1+ meter deep down (3+ feet) should eliminate or minimize water freezing problem.
I'd like to see an answer to this question. I live on Canada's east coast and the frost depth is probably around 60". My concern with installing a system like this is that if the ground (mine is gravel) is frozen, the water even if heated by a cable will not drain and the whole system will back up. Will frozen ground (gravel) still drain somewhat? Thanks for the great videos!
The bottom line is that they're going to freeze. But if the ground is frozen when you do have a thaw, the water will run over the frozen ground, and it won't be taken into the ground. If you build your system with slope, there shouldn't be water in it to freeze.
Great video! We just had downspouts buried but I have a question about the connection to the house. Our house was built with 2x3 downspouts and they are much smaller than the connecting PVC with the clean out plug so there is a lot of space around the downspouts where they go into the connector. Is there any way to close that space off to keep leaves and debris out of the line other than duct tape? That's the only thing I can think of that might work to close that space up. Thanks!
Shigle gravel is the enemy. It builds up. If you use our Vented Cleanout you can push a garden hose through the line one a year and wash it down to the pop-up emitter V2.0. Downspout Leaf Filter and Clean Out, Gutter Leaf Guard frenchdrainman.com/product/downspout-leaf-filter-clean-out/
SOLID vs KNIFE CUT... I want to put french drain on either side of my colonial home in New England. 2 drains per side would tie into each other on either side of house and escape to the street. The home sits on land approximately 5 feet higher than the road with an old stone wall in front. Which should I use? Its about a 50' run from the back downspouts to the road and 15' from the front downspouts to road.
We live west of the Twin Cities, so freezing can be an issue. Currently we have a 25' run of the black commodity piping laying on the ground parallel to and about 4' away from the house. There is plenty of fall, (Have not noticed any freeze up) and the last 8' is knife cut. A landscaper suggested that I bury the pipe. I wanted to run it to daylight. Can I do that with the high octane, or should I do a pop up? The daylight option gets surface water to the north side of the house and that grass, so I was thinking that was a benefit. I really like the vent/cleanout option at the downspout joint. You suggest and midline vent as well? Thanks for the video, well done.
my question is about flex pipe and standing on it while backfilling. Doesn't this create dips in the line and not keep the pipe flat and sloped correctly? Why corrugated vs straight PVC...unless it's because of freeze and thaw with Northern clays and freeze thaw temps
What's a vent pipe? What's a popup? What's a low profile popup? What's a downspout drain? What's a D-box? Do you have a video with all these definitions? Thanks!
Watch "Underground Buried Downspout Drain For Beginners - Pro Tips and Tricks With Must See Bonus Footage" on TH-cam th-cam.com/video/Cz5vksuXvc0/w-d-xo.html Watch "How To Extend Existing Underground Buried Downspout Drain - Easy DIY Home Drainage System" on TH-cam th-cam.com/video/iTqQ-d5romI/w-d-xo.html
How does the distribution box work? It look like the pipes were just laying in there and connected. How is a branch or leaves supposed to flow out of there? Also, how often do you clean it? I live in Wisconsin.
Hi Robert, I live in northeast Ohio by Lake Erie in a development that has yard drains, my question is can I run this style pipe from all my downspouts to that yard drain and not use the pop ups?
Great content, what are the options for us in northern Michigan especially in lake effect area where we get deep snow cover through the winter even during thaws. Our roof snow will melt but in many cases the ground snow is still covered in 2-3' of snow. Can we install a underground drainage system? Our current setup of drain spouts off our downspouts are not really working either.
Very informative video. I live in Michigan as well. How far under a brick paver walkway do I need to bury the drain pipe without the freezing and thawing forcing the walkway upwards?
I purchased over a 100' of this drain tile from you. Wondering what technique you use for straightening it out so it lays flat in the trench? When received in the roll, I'm having a hard time getting a section to unbend/straighten. Thank you!
These are Downspouts so it's a shovel width wide. If you are asking what our French Drain systems are the trench typically is 16" wide and 16" deep on average. The Downspouts are a minimum no deeper then the trench needs to be to maintain 1% Slope. Thank you for commenting.
4 in. x 108 ft. FDM's 200 Year Tape - Extra Sticky & Extra Stretchy - French Drain Systems | Curtain Drains | Macomb, Oakland, Lapeer, St. Clair County frenchdrainman.com/product/4-x-108-fdms-200-year-tape/
Looking at running a new system into a storm drain, the city added in my yard. Any suggestions on the best way to ty in. They used 8". They did say I can drill into it and have my drain drop in. Instead of running in over grade.
You should probably hire this done. You didn’t tell me if it was galvanized steel. You didn’t tell me if it was going to be PVC Schedule 40, or if it’s going to be dual-wall pipe. You didn’t tell me if it’s going to be concrete, which tells me you don’t know what it’s going to be. A professional will have all the tools to handle the above list. Whatever it turns out to be, he will have the equipment and the knowledge to make the tie-in.
Trying to get two downspouts fixed. Can I run solid gold pipe to a Y connector(in area i don’t want any water to drain in) and then use the high octane pipe to the D Box? Also how much water weeps out of the knife cut vs the corrugated drain? Will dirt get into knife cut?
If there is a septic drainfield , can the downspouts and french drain pipe go through the drainfield or is there any protocol to stay away from drainfield?
If you fill your drainfield up with water, that'll be a problem. If you want to run a solid pipe, plus tape all the fittings through the drainfield and beyond the drainfield, that's okay.
@@FRENCHDRAINMAN i wanted to run 2 pipes - one being solid for down spout and another for keeping the yard dry.. but drainfield is running on the sides as the lots are narrow. was wondering if i can still run a pipe with holes for catching the ground water away from the yard..
When installing the distribution box do you place anything inside the box over the drain holes or gravel under the box to allow for drainage . Thanks again for the videos , finally getting our drainage issues addressed now that the frost is out of the ground.
Yes Downspout Pipe 4 in. x 100 ft. High Octane ARMOR Pipe frenchdrainman.com/product/heavy-commercial-solid-high-octane/ Downspout Basin Combo Kit (Connects to 4 in. Corrugated) frenchdrainman.com/product/downspout-combo-kit-4-in-corrugated/ Downspout Leaf Filter and Clean Out, Gutter Leaf Guard frenchdrainman.com/product/downspout-leaf-filter-clean-out/
Hello, love the channel. Hoping for some advice. I'm in So. Fla, on a fairly new property, hoping to feed my downspouts a little more directly to my swale at the front of the property. I've got a nice pitch that falls to an easement all around, and this easement falls into the swale. I'm hoping to run a system like this, corrugated but not perforated to help send water from all of my downspouts to the swale. I'd say my total drop is roughly 18 inches from my highest downspout above grade to my swale. Concern is that I often park my boat in the back, and will need to run this system where I often drive. Would I be able to install this and not risk crushing it when I drive over it? Can it be reinforced? I know burrito wraps with stone is for french drain (open, vs sealed) but would it reinforce my trench enough to prevent me from crushing? Thanks
If you pack a corrugated pipe in stone it's stronger 💪. We have a High Octane Armor Pipe that is absolutely incredible. Hopefully we can get some video of it soon. It's brand new. It's EXTRA Heavy Duty corrugated pipe. Never been anything like it. Just finished the pipe run. Where you drive over it I will put 3/4" crushed stone. Crushed Compacts. Hope this helps. Thank you for commenting.
Just discovered your channel. Great video thanks for the information. I have a question. I live in the country and I have to deal with a lot of tree roots etc. My house is at the top of an incline so my sump pump does not run a lot. Is there any reason that I cannot use this system with my sump pump?
That's a terrible idea don't do it. That's your life line in those Ohh $h!t moments. And your taking the water towards your foundation. Terrible idea. th-cam.com/video/wawHvSs0UV4/w-d-xo.html
Why don’t you use the white pvc? It gives you the best grade and doesn’t crush. The new pop ups have the spring loader and the hole in the bottom to drain out.
Watch "PVC vs Corrugated Pipe For The Northern Climate. Which is Better During Freeze Ups and Ice Dams?" on TH-cam th-cam.com/video/lIxKcMSLyus/w-d-xo.html
This install may address cold weather but is useless for snow areas. Here in Quebec I get 7ft of snow on my front yard. How is that pop up going to do it’s job????
I'm a little south of Indianapolis. Still cold season grass, but pretty close to the transition zone. If the grass roots do grow a little deeper, how do you compensate for that? Dig a bit deeper? Or just not use knife-slit pipe? Lastly, do you have any do's and don't for pop-up placement? Is closer to the curb/driveway or middle of the yard better?
Thanks for your informative video. It is helpful. Since I am not from Michigan, how do I search for a Drainage specialist like your skillset? What should we ask for to ensure the specialist will use the blue pipe? Thanks.
@ 11:23 I want to connect two downspouts using a Y connector. Can two solid downspout underground pipes going into a Y connector survive winters in the north?
this video does not show your "Gutter Downspout Leaf Filter Clean Out". Why ? Do I still need it if I use the Y part shown here ? ( living in Detroit area)
4" system. This video is pretty much dated because we have much better components now. There are a few techniques in the video that we still use to this day. That's why I still keep this video public.
Love your videos i watch just about everyone you upload. Have for almost 2 years now. I have a couple of questions. What is your main avenue for geting work, and Is it just that residential drainage is more needed in the north or is it that ppl have more of a disposable income in michigan. Also when are you going to open a couple more locations so you can offer franchises?
We are working on it many irons in the fire. Product development is still my primary focus. We will have more FDM brands moving forward. The roll out of our new pop-up emitter in March will be proof of what lies ahead. Franchisees demand a lot of attention from all of our resources so we have pulled back some only signing proven contractors with a good base.
th-cam.com/video/JUA3ww7k27g/w-d-xo.html
Why no stone in this applcation. Never seen drainage pipe installed without stone?
th-cam.com/play/PLjFCqaZ4v1BUqichor2QH1X_p9bBPor8D.html&si=pI0tyuQNrrwue7gY@@6461223
You’re right - most people don’t like 20+ minute videos. That’s because there’s generally not 20 minutes of useful content in such a video. The actual useful content in this video is about 7-8 minutes. Being concise and staying on point is not only an art, but a good way to keep people watching and subscribing.
Then you will love this video 12 minutes of useful details just like you asked for.
th-cam.com/video/wawHvSs0UV4/w-d-xo.htmlsi=tP9DreEHdhbnpiJF
for example... 5 minutes in and he keeps saying he's "going to show" tips and trips.... 5 minutes!!!
You’re so right about buying downspout pipes from the big box stores. I bought some a few months ago, they are all ripped off already. Lessons learned from your video is not to do that again. Thanks for sharing your expertise.
Appreciate you.
Thank you for commenting and sharing.
Good video. Finally a video that addresses the freezing problem. Seems like all the other video makers live in an area where it never freezes and they never bother to warn people that this will not work in a cold climate.
So then that's my concern....it freezes...I'm in New England everything freezes in winter....as soon as that happens the entire system under shallow ground above frost line will b frozen solid....now three days of warm & rain ....what now..! Please explain this ...now everything goin into the basement......!
One of those rare videos of such concise breadth and depth, that, in watching it, I feel as though I've gone from asking the initial question "how do I do this (to my own house) *correctly*?" that lead me to this video, to feeling like I could do this as a side hustle.
Great video.
th-cam.com/video/JUA3ww7k27g/w-d-xo.html
I'm grateful that you made these videos and I'm grateful to have found it when I needed
How much is an reasonable initial investment to start a drain company like yours, if you don't mind my professional curiosity
th-cam.com/play/PLjFCqaZ4v1BVXKFHIb3Hd4nsppJYo0hzu.html&si=mh_oM_OkmV60Th9V
Awesome, thank you. EXTREMELY BENEFICIAL TO WATCH THE ENTIRE VIDEO. PROFESSIONALLY ITS THE BEST ON TH-cam .
I’m in Michigan… planning on redoing my gutters…. Gonna check out your website… thank you for making this
Hello Robert, We're in CT and I'll be doing this on 3 sides of our home and this video made me think of many items I did not consider. Thank you for all the tips and tricks as we'll be applying many of these in our build.
Hey Robert, any reason why no fabric was used with the knife cut and rounded 1.25" rocks? Wouldn't soil and dirt block the knife cuts at some point?
I believe the majority of the run is solid, he seemed to use knife-cut leading up to certain junctions, only a few feet.
He explains in the video
We ran cameras through many jobs. In low flow / Volume downspouts we did see some dirt in the pipe. To lean on the side of caution we use a sock on the knife cut. Here is a example
th-cam.com/video/JUA3ww7k27g/w-d-xo.html
Very informative video. You clearly know what you're doing. My only complaint is your comment that "80% of people are going to check out early because of some ADD deal". I know enough about constuction (in the North) that I could tell quickly that you are knowledgeable, but this video could have been far shorter than it was.
One of my consulting gigs is creating instructional videos and I could likely edit this down to half the length without losing any of the valuable information. Yes, it's a *lot* of work, but blaming partial views on viewers having an "ADD deal" is a cop out and disrespectful to people with ADD. There are ways to present content that maintain the attention of people with ADD.
Note: I still recommend that people should watch the entire video.
This one was edited down and a better video
th-cam.com/video/wawHvSs0UV4/w-d-xo.html
I used this guy’s videos and products to diy my own last year in northern Virginia. I can confirm the high octane solid pipe is far superior to the black big box store products.
Now when it rains, the giggling kid in me likes to take the tops off the D-Boxes and watch exactly how much water runs through the system instead of saturating my clay yard.
Great materials, Can’t sell them far south due to the lack of demand and price point competition. Great video!!!
th-cam.com/play/PLjFCqaZ4v1BUqichor2QH1X_p9bBPor8D.html&si=ZeoC9HEmqtulS0_7
Enlightening for me as homeowner in northern Sweden. Many thanks!
th-cam.com/play/PLjFCqaZ4v1BUqichor2QH1X_p9bBPor8D.html&si=gbmPRrArtYXHd_NO
people skip around or close the video early because you rambled on about nothing for the first five minutes!!
I made this video for you based on your recommendation. Fast pace, no rambling
th-cam.com/video/wawHvSs0UV4/w-d-xo.htmlsi=1Z8OOyUqMh6tJ3_4
And you were a cranky a-hole about it.
I'm From South West Texas, and I Really Enjoy Your Video...
Boy, I wish your channel was around back in 2015 when I had to redo all the downspouts and a sump pump discharge at a house in Chicago. I buried PVC because roots had caused the old black corrugated to fail, and I figured glued schedule 40 would keep the roots out. I sloped it all meticulously, so it wouldn't hold water and freeze, and everything daylights to a ditch. Fingers crossed for the current owners.
Pvc is the better choice. Its smooth and water moves faster so it cleans out better.
@@Photostudioww That's another reason I went with it. I'd just never considered the stresses of freeze/thaw cycles could break the glue joints.
th-cam.com/play/PLjFCqaZ4v1BUqichor2QH1X_p9bBPor8D.html&si=0Ifem4st3MDhFrgU
Just got mine done had a hard time getting pipe. Bought ur pre-made ys and 90s. Ended up running all dual wall ads pipe. How much do u worry about fall I dont see ur guys using levels much on ur videos. Ur vidoes were a great help keep up the nice work. Im in the central lower. 🤚🤟
Don't do the ground vent it you have Zero fall. That technique requires slope. If you freeze up our wye vent will let the water off the roof and you will not have any problems.
Great video, learned a lot. Def going to use your techniques and products shown.
So, you're in the North of the US (Michigan I think I heard)? For the downspout system you're doing you don't need to go below the frost line?
th-cam.com/play/PLjFCqaZ4v1BUqichor2QH1X_p9bBPor8D.html&si=92414Qi8r-nfzbG2
My house has a French drain that drains into the sump. The sump pump then sends that water to the storm drain.
Currently my downspouts just percolate the water down into the French drain.
Do I need to redirect this water or is it ok to just let the French drain do the work?
th-cam.com/video/2OkH9gAdokk/w-d-xo.htmlsi=WKIytPpqGD131CVM
Awesome, Awesome, Awesome!!!
Thank You!!!
I do not own a home, and I do not desire to do this. Yet I watched the whole thing
Thanks for posting how to handle in cold temperatures. It appears that you don't need to dig as deep as you would with a French drain is that correct?
th-cam.com/play/PLjFCqaZ4v1BUqichor2QH1X_p9bBPor8D.html&si=elTn1NbZ5V709dhe
very effective system indeed. How would I clear the debris collected in the D-Box? Thank you!
th-cam.com/video/9QQvCLQd5Jg/w-d-xo.html
Hi Robert, great video. I bough a home built in 1955. I live in NY. I have 2 gutter downspouts connected to a dry well. One of the downspouts overflow in very heavy rain, so I needed to pull out the gutters to redirect, but in ground pipe still overflows (unfortunately right next to basement window and floods window and then floods basement). I have plans to regrade the back yard so it slopes away from house. So have a few questions (1) do u think i should disconnect the pipes to dry well and create a downspout drain or (2) use a dry well system instead (not sure the advantages or disadvantages) (30 how far down do u need to dig down to install pipes to survive the winter?, Lastly (4) can i keep the current dry well that in the ground? Thanks in advance for any help you can provide. Oh ne more thing...how much should I expect to pay a profession to connect 2 downspouts?
th-cam.com/video/wawHvSs0UV4/w-d-xo.html
Could you tell me how far from my septic tank and leech field my drain pipe and discharge should be (Connecticut). Thank you for this great instructional video!
You want to stay outside of your septic field with storm water.
How big of a hole do you drill in elbow of pop up? And is one hole enough? Live in Indiana.
1/4" inch and 3 holes
Can I use catch basin in concrete and use the same drainage system you showed under the concrete?
Yes
Does the knife cut run on the bottom in the trench? Or is it able to run at the top and not clog ?
th-cam.com/video/wawHvSs0UV4/w-d-xo.htmlsi=8xbJd-9s0X6r1lEX
I live in Minnesota. Is there a way to get your products without paying the $350 freight fee? Do you have any distributors in MN?
Call 248-505-3065. The main office will know if you have a contractor in your area.
What do you do when you have 8" of wet snow packed on top of your emitter and you have a thaw the next day? The snow on the roof and in the gutter are going to thaw far sooner that your lawn. Isn't that a backup waiting to happen?
th-cam.com/video/rxubvrW_Tvk/w-d-xo.htmlsi=kfTpxvnDJusFvWtc
Great video! I'm curious though, why do you drill a hole in the bottom of your pop-up instead of just using a sump pop-up?
This is our updated video. I personally feel it's the best on TH-cam
th-cam.com/video/wawHvSs0UV4/w-d-xo.html
Thanks for the video. I have the pop ups in my drains. My problem is my mower deck has a tendency to suck them up and share them off. How do you deal with this?
Has to be at dirt level not turf level
th-cam.com/video/rxubvrW_Tvk/w-d-xo.htmlsi=388sr__-jhPrKVN7
Do you have to worry about settling with the knife cut?
Also, anything different need to be done when on a steeper home in the Black Hills, SD? Thanks!
I wouldn't bother with the knife cut if you have a steep grade. It sounds like you have the type of sloped yard most homeowners would dream of having. Just put stones around the pop-up emitter.
@FRENCHDRAINMAN Thanks for your reply! I'm one of the young contractor types with The Grounds Guys of Rapid City, but yes, this home is a good grade when the yard is kept. Otherwise, it becomes mud and lots of erosion. Okay, where the pop-up goes is in the lawn. I'm not sure if it'd be good for stones around it unless it became an open drain.
Would the pop-up emitter need to be on the boulevard side so it drains directly to the curb instead of over the sidewalk?
Also, where the pop-up goes would be a flatter area. Do you have to worry about the water discharging, causing a muddy mess or damaging that grass?
How come you aren't using rain pebbles / cover? Wouldn't the drains be more susceptible to roots / soil? I just received a bid for a similar system but haven't got to talking to the guy yet.
th-cam.com/video/0DFrEJWTwIE/w-d-xo.htmlsi=Q3v3yABvrPD0a0jK
So I have a few questions, not so much about what you covered, but what is suitable for my situation. Recently we dug up around the foundation of my house to do some repairs because water was getting in (there were a couple cinder blocks with nice big holes in them) and I'm wondering when it's filled in, should I run a downspout system like this or a French drain. I'm in the northeast (new jersey to be exact) and my yard is pretty flat. It's a pretty short run from the front of the house to the curb (probably 35-40 feet) so I'm wondering what would be the better idea for this. I don't have a ton of money to work with, but I want to do things right.
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Can I just knife cut my solid corrugated for the last few feet so I don’t have to buy a separate piece? I also plan to drill holes in the bottom of the 90 at the pop up emitter
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Can you explain why you use *knife cut* I will be taking on this DIY in 2 weeks
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Will 3 downspouts put out to much water for one 4in pipe? Do I need to up size to a 6 inch?
I run 3 downspouts on a 4" line all the time. I run up to 5 downspouts on a 4" main line.
How do you reinstall the base underneath the walkway and compact it?
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Would you want to also put fabric *under* the gravel?
th-cam.com/play/PLjFCqaZ4v1BUqichor2QH1X_p9bBPor8D.html&si=rdaVKdJum93iF99e
Hey Robert, if you have snow buildup on your lawn like most people in the north during the winter, why would the vent clean outs you show work for If you have water freezing at the pop-up? Wouldn’t the snow build up just block the vent from dispersing any water and be stuck with the same problem if you didn’t have vents in the first place?
Water due to a THAW melts Snow
"The frost depth for this area, and most of the state of Michigan, is 42". Footings are required to be a minimum of 42" deep., measured from the finish grade to the bottom of the footing. "
I think the pipes should be put deeper than in you video even in warm climates - at least 30..50 sm (1-2 feet) depending on the traffic above. In that cold climate 1+ meter deep down (3+ feet) should eliminate or minimize water freezing problem.
I'd like to see an answer to this question. I live on Canada's east coast and the frost depth is probably around 60". My concern with installing a system like this is that if the ground (mine is gravel) is frozen, the water even if heated by a cable will not drain and the whole system will back up. Will frozen ground (gravel) still drain somewhat?
Thanks for the great videos!
The bottom line is that they're going to freeze. But if the ground is frozen when you do have a thaw, the water will run over the frozen ground, and it won't be taken into the ground. If you build your system with slope, there shouldn't be water in it to freeze.
Great video! We just had downspouts buried but I have a question about the connection to the house. Our house was built with 2x3 downspouts and they are much smaller than the connecting PVC with the clean out plug so there is a lot of space around the downspouts where they go into the connector. Is there any way to close that space off to keep leaves and debris out of the line other than duct tape? That's the only thing I can think of that might work to close that space up. Thanks!
If it ice Dams up in the winter water can run out of that space during a thaw.
How important is the D-box? I have a run of about 15 to 20ft.or so with a fairly gently slope.
Thanks!
Shigle gravel is the enemy. It builds up. If you use our Vented Cleanout you can push a garden hose through the line one a year and wash it down to the pop-up emitter V2.0.
Downspout Leaf Filter and Clean Out, Gutter Leaf Guard
frenchdrainman.com/product/downspout-leaf-filter-clean-out/
Thanks for the video. Can you recommend a guy in North East NJ that does this kind of work? Grey job explains the process
Thank you
If we have a contractor in your area, our main office would know 248-505-3065
SOLID vs KNIFE CUT... I want to put french drain on either side of my colonial home in New England. 2 drains per side would tie into each other on either side of house and escape to the street. The home sits on land approximately 5 feet higher than the road with an old stone wall in front. Which should I use? Its about a 50' run from the back downspouts to the road and 15' from the front downspouts to road.
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So this way, you don't need to put pipe under frost line? How deep did you bury the pipe?
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I’ve owned my house for 6 years and I just found where my gutters drain in the ground, the grass had grown over the out spout
We live west of the Twin Cities, so freezing can be an issue. Currently we have a 25' run of the black commodity piping laying on the ground parallel to and about 4' away from the house. There is plenty of fall, (Have not noticed any freeze up) and the last 8' is knife cut. A landscaper suggested that I bury the pipe. I wanted to run it to daylight. Can I do that with the high octane, or should I do a pop up? The daylight option gets surface water to the north side of the house and that grass, so I was thinking that was a benefit. I really like the vent/cleanout option at the downspout joint. You suggest and midline vent as well? Thanks for the video, well done.
th-cam.com/play/PLjFCqaZ4v1BUqichor2QH1X_p9bBPor8D.html&si=lCwkAyqIy2W0zzeX
Where do you buy this blue drain material????
Best French Drain and Yard Drainage Contractor
frenchdrainman.com/
Would you be able to run a sump pump in the basement and have it tie into your underground downspout?
No that's a terrible idea. Downspouts overwhelm a interior sump pump system
my question is about flex pipe and standing on it while backfilling.
Doesn't this create dips in the line and not keep the pipe flat and sloped correctly?
Why corrugated vs straight PVC...unless it's because of freeze and thaw with Northern clays and freeze thaw temps
th-cam.com/play/PLjFCqaZ4v1BX_ZMbxsYVB6CNFoeAmuPxX.html&si=RNAPHP1dS8AUNwdc
What's a vent pipe? What's a popup? What's a low profile popup? What's a downspout drain? What's a D-box? Do you have a video with all these definitions? Thanks!
th-cam.com/play/PLjFCqaZ4v1BUqichor2QH1X_p9bBPor8D.html&si=IsesRdQ7bPpjZmJV
What happens when the pipes build up with debris from trees above the roof. Or how do you prevent that from happening
Watch "Underground Buried Downspout Drain For Beginners - Pro Tips and Tricks With Must See Bonus Footage" on TH-cam
th-cam.com/video/Cz5vksuXvc0/w-d-xo.html
Watch "How To Extend Existing Underground Buried Downspout Drain - Easy DIY Home Drainage System" on TH-cam
th-cam.com/video/iTqQ-d5romI/w-d-xo.html
How does the distribution box work? It look like the pipes were just laying in there and connected. How is a branch or leaves supposed to flow out of there? Also, how often do you clean it? I live in Wisconsin.
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Hi Robert, I live in northeast Ohio by Lake Erie in a development that has yard drains, my question is can I run this style pipe from all my downspouts to that yard drain and not use the pop ups?
th-cam.com/users/shortsQzITHGzdA30?feature=share
Great content, what are the options for us in northern Michigan especially in lake effect area where we get deep snow cover through the winter even during thaws. Our roof snow will melt but in many cases the ground snow is still covered in 2-3' of snow. Can we install a underground drainage system? Our current setup of drain spouts off our downspouts are not really working either.
Michigan installation or northern climate
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Do you recommend 6 inch or 4 inch?
th-cam.com/video/99ObWnBqsjM/w-d-xo.html
Very informative video. I live in Michigan as well. How far under a brick paver walkway do I need to bury the drain pipe without the freezing and thawing forcing the walkway upwards?
42" to be below frost. It's not a reality. We use corrugated pipe so it can take the expansion. 3" expands a lot less.
@@FRENCHDRAINMAN Thanks for the info... that makes sense on the flexing ability of the corrugated pipe. That sure saves me a ton of work!
I purchased over a 100' of this drain tile from you. Wondering what technique you use for straightening it out so it lays flat in the trench? When received in the roll, I'm having a hard time getting a section to unbend/straighten. Thank you!
Lay it in the sun and it's much easier to work with.
great video, what are the dimensions of the trench ?
These are Downspouts so it's a shovel width wide. If you are asking what our French Drain systems are the trench typically is 16" wide and 16" deep on average. The Downspouts are a minimum no deeper then the trench needs to be to maintain 1% Slope. Thank you for commenting.
@@FRENCHDRAINMAN Thank you for the thorough and quick reply.
How do you get a good landscaping in NJ to do this drain. I’m 73 and I can’t do this myself.
My office is 248-505-3065 ask for a number to a contractor in your area
What exactly is the super sticky 200 tear tape you spoke of. ?
4 in. x 108 ft. FDM's 200 Year Tape - Extra Sticky & Extra Stretchy - French Drain Systems | Curtain Drains | Macomb, Oakland, Lapeer, St. Clair County
frenchdrainman.com/product/4-x-108-fdms-200-year-tape/
Looking at running a new system into a storm drain, the city added in my yard. Any suggestions on the best way to ty in. They used 8". They did say I can drill into it and have my drain drop in. Instead of running in over grade.
You should probably hire this done. You didn’t tell me if it was galvanized steel. You didn’t tell me if it was going to be PVC Schedule 40, or if it’s going to be dual-wall pipe. You didn’t tell me if it’s going to be concrete, which tells me you don’t know what it’s going to be. A professional will have all the tools to handle the above list. Whatever it turns out to be, he will have the equipment and the knowledge to make the tie-in.
Trying to get two downspouts fixed. Can I run solid gold pipe to a Y connector(in area i don’t want any water to drain in) and then use the high octane pipe to the D Box?
Also how much water weeps out of the knife cut vs the corrugated drain? Will dirt get into knife cut?
Watch "Which Drainage Pipe Should You Use?" on TH-cam
th-cam.com/video/4nYWbcMXxj8/w-d-xo.html
Thank you for the video. What kind of questions do you ask a contractor to learn if they use supplies and pipe to handle an Iowa winter?
Frenchdrainman.com
If there is a septic drainfield , can the downspouts and french drain pipe go through the drainfield or is there any protocol to stay away from drainfield?
If you fill your drainfield up with water, that'll be a problem. If you want to run a solid pipe, plus tape all the fittings through the drainfield and beyond the drainfield, that's okay.
@@FRENCHDRAINMAN i wanted to run 2 pipes - one being solid for down spout and another for keeping the yard dry.. but drainfield is running on the sides as the lots are narrow. was wondering if i can still run a pipe with holes for catching the ground water away from the yard..
When installing the distribution box do you place anything inside the box over the drain holes or gravel under the box to allow for drainage . Thanks again for the videos , finally getting our drainage issues addressed now that the frost is out of the ground.
Yes we drill holes in the bottom and low on the sides of the basin
Hey so the vent has to be above The pop up but is it before or after it (if looking at the line from the house towards discharge)?
th-cam.com/play/PLjFCqaZ4v1BUqichor2QH1X_p9bBPor8D.html&si=Uk3MTA7KRwHnWDZk
As a diyer could I just poor water down the cleanout to prevent freezing?
Check this out!
RADIANT SOLUTIONS HeatTapePro - Intelligent Commercial Grade Self-Regulating Heat Cable with GlowCap™ - 10 YR warranty - Ice Dam & Pipe Freeze Protection - 37 ft cable + 10 Ft Cord, 120V, 6 watts/Ft a.co/d/i4ccZx3
Would this stuff work good for an above ground downspout with the correct slope?
Yes
Downspout Pipe 4 in. x 100 ft. High Octane ARMOR Pipe
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Downspout Basin Combo Kit (Connects to 4 in. Corrugated)
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Downspout Leaf Filter and Clean Out, Gutter Leaf Guard
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@french drain man
Question where would you run the downspout to ? That’s the only issue I am having trying to figure out
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Hello, love the channel. Hoping for some advice. I'm in So. Fla, on a fairly new property, hoping to feed my downspouts a little more directly to my swale at the front of the property. I've got a nice pitch that falls to an easement all around, and this easement falls into the swale. I'm hoping to run a system like this, corrugated but not perforated to help send water from all of my downspouts to the swale. I'd say my total drop is roughly 18 inches from my highest downspout above grade to my swale. Concern is that I often park my boat in the back, and will need to run this system where I often drive. Would I be able to install this and not risk crushing it when I drive over it? Can it be reinforced? I know burrito wraps with stone is for french drain (open, vs sealed) but would it reinforce my trench enough to prevent me from crushing? Thanks
If you pack a corrugated pipe in stone it's stronger 💪. We have a High Octane Armor Pipe that is absolutely incredible. Hopefully we can get some video of it soon. It's brand new. It's EXTRA Heavy Duty corrugated pipe. Never been anything like it. Just finished the pipe run. Where you drive over it I will put 3/4" crushed stone. Crushed Compacts. Hope this helps. Thank you for commenting.
I watched the whole video. No ADD here. Thank you.
Just discovered your channel.
Great video thanks for the information.
I have a question.
I live in the country and I have to deal with a lot of tree roots etc.
My house is at the top of an incline so my sump pump does not run a lot.
Is there any reason that I cannot use this system with my sump pump?
That's a terrible idea don't do it. That's your life line in those Ohh $h!t moments. And your taking the water towards your foundation. Terrible idea.
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@@FRENCHDRAINMAN Got it. Thank you. Never realized the difference between downspout and sump pump discharge could be so big.
Thank you. Minnesota here. What is "perk"?
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whats the difference between a D box and inline catch basin? or at they the same thing? Thanks!
For years, we didn’t have very good catch basins. So, we used distribution boxes meant for septic fields.
@@FRENCHDRAINMAN Ok thankyou. So now that there are better catch basins, we would use those instead of D boxes correct?
@@chrisbutler8856
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Why don’t you use the white pvc? It gives you the best grade and doesn’t crush. The new pop ups have the spring loader and the hole in the bottom to drain out.
Watch "PVC vs Corrugated Pipe For The Northern Climate. Which is Better During Freeze Ups and Ice Dams?" on TH-cam
th-cam.com/video/lIxKcMSLyus/w-d-xo.html
He does say in the video “in the north”
How do you combine three downspouts into one pipe?
th-cam.com/video/FZGu5nQVWPQ/w-d-xo.htmlsi=G5BfrS0iby0gx_fW
Where can I get the product you use here in canada British Columbia
Frenchdrainman.ca
This install may address cold weather but is useless for snow areas. Here in Quebec I get 7ft of snow on my front yard. How is that pop up going to do it’s job????
th-cam.com/video/rxubvrW_Tvk/w-d-xo.html
I can't watch 25 min video .my contractor put perforated pipe for downspout under the concrete . Is that good or bad
Bad. If you live in the North the soil will freeze in the winter braking the sidewalk. The line will leak water under the sidewalk.
What is the depth of the D box and line?
Our D-Box is 16" deep and has 4 different hieghts to choose from.
Question:
Where does the water terminate?
th-cam.com/video/0p8sBzUNgLE/w-d-xo.html
I'm a little south of Indianapolis. Still cold season grass, but pretty close to the transition zone. If the grass roots do grow a little deeper, how do you compensate for that? Dig a bit deeper? Or just not use knife-slit pipe?
Lastly, do you have any do's and don't for pop-up placement? Is closer to the curb/driveway or middle of the yard better?
I wish I had the answer. I know Bluegrass isn't a threat because we are up in Michigan. I would play it safe and run solid.
where can i get some these parts, like the black Y connectors attached to gutters, and 3 or 4 inch
th-cam.com/video/wPkMB7qlUSo/w-d-xo.htmlsi=MQ4eKtN19YCkBgE9
Great video, thanks. Don’t know if I missed this comment or not but do you do anything about leveling out so the water drains down?
This is a older video with a pop-up emitter that we no longer use. The video will help you.
th-cam.com/video/cDIJW1-Xz3I/w-d-xo.html
Thanks for your informative video. It is helpful.
Since I am not from Michigan, how do I search for a Drainage specialist like your skillset? What should we ask for to ensure the specialist will use the blue pipe? Thanks.
Many homeowners order the pipe and fabric and have it delivered to their house. Excavation companies will install.
@ 11:23 I want to connect two downspouts using a Y connector. Can two solid downspout underground pipes going into a Y connector survive winters in the north?
Yes
this video does not show your "Gutter Downspout Leaf Filter Clean Out". Why ? Do I still need it if I use the Y part shown here ? ( living in Detroit area)
th-cam.com/video/wawHvSs0UV4/w-d-xo.htmlsi=TVQrcnwpCiLae80W
I wish you guys worked in western, NY. I would love to hire you!
If you want to DIY your system here's the current videos
th-cam.com/play/PLjFCqaZ4v1BUqichor2QH1X_p9bBPor8D.html
Thank you !
Is this 3” pipe or 4”?
4" system. This video is pretty much dated because we have much better components now. There are a few techniques in the video that we still use to this day. That's why I still keep this video public.
Excellent video,thank you
th-cam.com/video/wawHvSs0UV4/w-d-xo.html
This is the updated version I did this year. Thanks for your kind words
Love your videos i watch just about everyone you upload. Have for almost 2 years now. I have a couple of questions. What is your main avenue for geting work, and Is it just that residential drainage is more needed in the north or is it that ppl have more of a disposable income in michigan.
Also when are you going to open a couple more locations so you can offer franchises?
We are working on it many irons in the fire. Product development is still my primary focus. We will have more FDM brands moving forward. The roll out of our new pop-up emitter in March will be proof of what lies ahead. Franchisees demand a lot of attention from all of our resources so we have pulled back some only signing proven contractors with a good base.
Do you do estimates from other states if I sent dimensions and layout of my situation for me to purchase materials?
Frenchdrainman@gmail.com
I have a maple leaf that is about 14 inches across I wonder how many it would take to clog it up
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awesome. Just awesome. Thanks, man.
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