Underground Drainage System Installation Around The House or Building. The Full Guide

Drainage is a natural or artificially constructed system whose task is to divert surface or ground water from houses, plots, buildings or structures in order to protect them from water penetration, destruction and erosion of the foundation. In this article we will tell you in detail about all types of drainage systems, their installation technology and other important newances.

What is drainage and why should it be installed around a private house or commercial building?

Drainage system is a system of pipes, trays and various draining materials, the main task of which is to divert surface or ground water from industrial buildings, private houses, various underground structures, plots and fields as quickly as possible.

The classic drainage system looks like this: 

1. Drainage trench – In which drainage pipes are installed and various elements of the system are filled in; 
2. Geotextile cloth – Laid out to protect drainage from silting; 
3. Gravel crushed stone fractions 20/40 – Fits under the drainage pipe; 
4. Perforated drainage pipe in geotextile – laid downhill; 
5. Gravel crushed stone fractions 20/40 – Fills the drainage pipe; 
6. Coarse washed sand is a draining material, the aim of which is to take water and how to pass it through a sieve into a drainage pipe for drainage. 

Why drainage is necessary to be done around the house or building?

1. Drainage of water from the foundation and walls – The foundations of any building are not designed to be constantly in water. With constant exposure to moisture, they simply collapse. Destruction occurs for two reasons:
   
   ♦ The impact of the aggressive environment of groundwater – in the groundwater there are various impurities and minerals that, with constant contact, it can lead to the destruction of concrete and, accordingly, the foundation of the building.
   
   ♦ Seasonal temperature difference – Water is absorbed into the concrete, bricks, FBS blocks (Construction Foundation Blocks), and other substances from which the foundation and walls of the house are made, then in winter this liquid freezes and thaws in spring, thereby destroying the concrete or other foundation, forming microcracks in it (which can then develop into large cracks), pores and voids.
   
2. Not let the water wash away the foundation of a small building or house – Strong groundwater can eventually wash away the foundations of the foundation (especially if all the necessary norms were not observed during its construction), as a result of which deformation may occur and cracks may form in the walls of the house or on the foundation itself, whether it is a slab or a ribbon foundation.
   
3. Weakening of water pressure on installed waterproofing – During the construction of a house, it is necessary to make waterproof the foundation, foundation slab, and waterproofing of underground parts of the building. One of the tasks of the drainage system made around the building is to weaken the constant pressure of ground and surface water on the waterproofing made, which in the end will help to increase the life of its reliable operation by 3-4 times.

Important: Drainage around the house is an auxiliary system, it cannot replace waterproofing. Installation of drainage will help the waterproofing to last longer, as it will not be constantly in the water. 

Why drainage of the site is necessary? 

1. Protection of plantings – Abundant water on the site, often leads to the death of trees and other plants growing on it. Its drainage helps to drain the site to the level that it is comfortable for various plantings to grow on it.
   
2. Eliminating the effect of a swampy area – Abundant groundwater or high water, with certain types of soil, stagnates in the upper layers, as a result of which the soil becomes very wet and swampy, which makes it uncomfortable to operate and walk on it. The drainage system installed on and around the site will help to divert water and drain the soil to a comfortable state. 
   
3. Limit the approach of clean and dirty water from neighboring sites – There are often situations when neighbors drain technical water from a septic tank and other structures for their site and it goes down the slope to your territory. By installing a local drainage system, you can prevent water from entering your site. 

Types of drainage by the depth of occurrence

Drains can be divided among themselves according to the depth of their occurrence. On this basis, there are two types: Surface and Deep drainage.

Underground or deep drainage

Deep drainage is a drainage system that is arranged at a depth 1 m below and whose main task is to take over not only surface water but also groundwater. Deep drainage is installed mainly to protect the underground parts of buildings, such as foundations and walls from the constant impact of groundwater and surface water. Properly installed deep drainage will take over not only the water suitable for the house from different sides but also the one that will be located under the house. 

Deep drainage can be circular around the structure, wall-mounted, and Reservoir.

Ring

Ring drainage is arranged around the perimeter of the house, but at the same time, it can be removed from it by a certain distance of 1-2 meters. Such drainage is done when the house has a blind area and they do not want to break it, or when there is a fear of carrying out groundwork near the house or the foundation tape. 

Wall mounted

Wall drainage is installed around the house at a depth just below the foundation or foundation slab in close proximity to the walls of the building and its foundation. A layer of draining materials (coarse-grained sand and crushed stone) is filled in close to the wall to ground level, and a drainage pipe is installed at a distance of 0.3-0.5 m from the foundation. Wall drainage protects the underground elements of the building from water as effectively as possible, since the water that is absorbed into the ground around the building and the groundwater do not reach the base of the house and its walls, but go through draining materials (sand and gravel) into the drainage pipe.

Reservoir drainage

Reservoir drainage is arranged at the construction stage of a private house, cottage, or commercial building, directly under the foundation slab. Initially, his aim is to divert all groundwater from under the foundation, without giving them the opportunity to approach the foundation and affect it from below. This solution has a positive effect on the structure and not only when there are underground currents. 

Surface drainage

The aim of this drainage is to intercept surface water, for example, rain, from melting snow or coming from neighboring areas and take them in the right direction. The depth of the surface drainage usually does not exceed 1 m., but sometimes this depth can be greater if the slope requires it. The surface drainage can be open and closed. The surface system can be installed point-by-point, along the perimeter of the site, or in the form of a Christmas tree.

Types of surface drainage: 

• Linear – Designed to accumulate water from a large area, for example, a plot, pedestrian and access roads, a blind area, an access platform, etc… This is a system of concrete or plastic trays of various diameters with decorative grilles that sink into the ground or other base and, due to the slope, divert the incoming liquid into a collector or other container.
• Point – They are arranged for spot collection of water in a certain place. The collected moisture is discharged through trays into the general drainage system or into a special container
• Horizontal is a standard type of drainage arrangement. With a horizontal arrangement, drainage pipes are laid, observing the slope marks horizontally into the trench made for this purpose and diverting the incoming water using the slope.
• Vertical is an engineering structure that consists of drilling wells connected to each other by a pipeline and equipment for pumping and releasing water. As a rule, such wells are dug directly in the vicinity of the walls of the building. Vertical wall drainage is sometimes also done with the help of a spiked membrane.
• Open – When the drainage is not buried in the ground but remains open. Open drains can be in the form of a well-maintained trench or trays with a decorative grid.
• Close – When the drainage ditch or system is filled in and is not visible on the surface. When arranging a closed type of drainage, a system of perforated pipes and drainage materials arranged underground are used.

Modern drainage systems

Today, there are drainage systems that are arranged without the need for a crushed stone sprinkling installation around a perforated pipe. In drains of this type, a ready-made system is used, where there is a flexible perforated pipe, which is surrounded by a filler made of expanded polystyrene. This system is wrapped in geotextile and ready for use. Such structures are supplied in bays and do not require subsequent filling with crushed stone.

Important: The arrangment of a ready-made drainage system without rubble, still entails work related to filling the trench with drainage materials. Filling of such a system, as well as classical drainage, should be done with the help of materials with maximum throughput (good water filtration coefficient), for example, coarse washed sand.

Geological surveys before selecting and installing a drainage system

Geological surveys are when local soils or soil are examined for the depth of various types of soil, sand, loam, and water. With the help of geological surveys, you can understand: 

1. What kind of soil do you have on the site or what kind of soil; 
2. At what depth is the groundwater; 
3. At what depth is the sand or sand layer? 

Is it necessary to order geology before installing drainage? 

If you want to make a drainage system, it is not necessary to perform geological surveys beforehand, since drainage is recommended to be performed both in the presence of groundwater and in its absence. Drainage is needed not only for the removal of groundwater, but also for the removal of surface rainwater and water formed as a result of melting snow, and geology is not needed to understand these phenomena.

Geological surveys will have to be performed if you want to discharge drainage water not into a moat, forest, or village storm sewer, but into the ground, or rather into a sandy layer. If you want all the water that the drainage accumulates to be discharged into the collector, and from it should go into the soil, then this will be possible only if your collector is installed at the depth of the sand layer. 

You can find out at what depth the sand is with the help of geological surveys. 

To where drainage water should be diverted?

One of the most pressing issues faced by owners of private plots and houses is where to throw away or take away the water that accumulates drainage. The installation of drainage and drainage system occurs at a slope towards the lowest point. From this point, the water should flow into some kind of storage tank, for example, a concrete collector or a well. From this well, when a certain mark is reached, the liquid is discharged through the discharge channel outside the private property or plot.

The reset channel can be arranged in two ways: 

1. By gravity – with the help of a slope, the water independently goes in the right direction through a system of pipes, without the need for pumps or other installations. 
2. Forced water is moved from one place (for example, a well) to another (for example, a storm sewer) using artificial pressure created by a drainage pump or other installation.

To where water can be diverted?

The answer to this question is best searched locally. Then, some common variants of drainage: 

1. The nearest moat or ditch; 
2. Forest; 
3. Storm sewer; 
4. Village storm sewer; 
5. Sand layer.

Drainage installation: How to make proper drainage around the house with your own hands

To make drainage that will work efficiently and for a long time is not the easiest task, it requires a detailed study of all construction processes, the correct selection of materials, and strict compliance with all slope marks. You can entrust this difficult task to a professional firm or do it yourself. Further, we will tell you in detail about the installation technology, the subtleties of the installation, the stages of work, and the materials for the production of work with your own hands.

Materials and tools necessary for the drainage system arrangement

Each type of material has several manufacturers. Do not choose the cheapest options, as they can quickly fall into disrepair.

Necessary building materials: 

• Geotextile – Needed to prevent silting of drainage. A drainage layers made of pipe and crushed stone is wrapped in geotextile. 

• Perforated drainage flexible pipe in geotextile with a diameter of 110mm or 160mm – They are sold in coils in a ready-to-use form (no need to wrap them with geotextile or drill holes in them). The choice of the desired diameter depends on the expected water flow. 

• Crushed gravel washed fractions of 20/40 – It is necessary to choose this type of crushed stone since granite crushed stone has sharp corners and in the future, when moving, it can break the geo-field and silt up the system, and limestone crushed stone will eventually wash away. The 20/40 fraction has a good throughput, which will contribute to the smooth operation of drainage.
  
• Washed coarse-grained river sand – Drainage is filled with this material, not reaching 10-15sm from the end of the trench, this gap remains for laying fertile soil. It is the washed coarse sand that has the maximum filtration coefficient, which means that it will pass all the suitable water through a sieve into the drainage system. As a more expensive alternative, you can use crushed stone of a small fraction.
  
• Inspection drainage wells with a diameter of 315mm with a hatch and a bottom – These wells are mounted at the main corners and turns of the drainage, as well as every 15-20 meters in a straight line. Inspection wells are needed to maintain the drainage system, in their absence, in case of silting of the drainage or an incorrectly made slope, you will have to dig out the entire system.
  
• Collector or container for collecting drainage water with a hatch and bottom, if necessary – this container can be of different heights and diameters, depending on the depth of its occurrence (to what depth the drainage slope goes) and depending on the volume of water. The required container can be solid plastic or in the form of concrete rings buried in the ground. The bottom should be installed if there is a risk that groundwater and other waters will penetrate into the drainage structure from the outside, raising the water level, and not going into the soil.
  
• PVC pipes for outdoor work diameter 110mm or 160mm – these pipes are necessary for the connection between the inspection well at the lowest point and the collector. They may also be needed when setting up a reset channel. 
  
• Drainage pump with internal or external float system – If the drainage water does not go by gravity, then it will have to be pumped out forcibly using a pump. A pump with a float is installed just below the inlet of the pipe into the collector and when the water approaches, the float is triggered and pumps it out.

Necessary construction tools:

• Laser Level – This optical device is needed in order to align correctly the drainage slope marks. 
• A small electric grinder is needed for cutting PVC pipes and inspecting plastic wells. 
• Bayonet shovel and shovel – For groundwork (take with a reserve, since many shovels bend). 
• Garden or construction wheelbarrow – For moving excavated soil, gravel, and sand. 
• You may also need a hacksaw, scissors, a construction knife, and a small axe (if there are roots). 
• Special closed shoes, construction gloves, and workwear.

Where to buy the necessary tools and building materials at low prices: 

Everything you need for drainage, waterproofing, construction, and repair can be bought at Petrovich Construction Trading House. The advantages of buying in this particular construction hypermarket can be assessed by the following facts: 

1. Convenient online ordering without having to waste time and effort on traffic jams and queues; 
2. Delivery within 2 hours after completing the online purchase; 
3. Prices are lower than in other construction stores; 
4. Quality and proven products.

Safety precautions

Safety precautions are very important when carrying out work on the arrangement of deep drainage since deep drainage implies groundwork at a certain depth. If the depth of the excavation is more than 1.5 meters or more than human height, then it is necessary to observe all safety measures when arranging it, since there is a high probability of the walls of the trench collapsing on the people working in it. In case of a collapse, the mass of soil is so large that it can break a person’s ribs and even kill him if he is not pulled out in time, and this can be quite difficult to do since a person who has been covered with soil cannot give the necessary signal about his location, even if he is conscious. 

Obligatory measures to ensure occupational safety in the trench: 

1. Reinforcement of trench walls by the method of tongue-and-groove fencing and special struts; 
2. The use of overalls with closed high shoes to protect the feet; 
3. Obligatory wearing of helmets to prevent head injury in the event of a collapse of the ground or the ingress of stones and other heavy elements; 
4. Wear signal vests in order to make it easier to find the person who fell asleep.

Necessary steps when instelling a proper drainage system around a private house

With the correct execution of works related to drainage installation, it is necessary to perform all the following steps and at the same time strictly follow the building codes and technical regulations.

Stages of work production: 

1. Preparation – at this stage you need to make a marking of the future drainage and shoot the slopes correctly. If the necessary slopes are not observed, the drainage will work poorly or not work at all; 
   
2. Groundwork – It is necessary to dig a trench with a width of 0.5-1m, depending on the type of drainage and its purpose. The wider the trench, the better. 
   
3. Trench preparation – Roots are removed from the bottom of the trench and it is leveled with sand;
   
4. Installation of inspection drainage wells with a diameter of 315mm or more – at the main turns of the drainage and/or every 15-20 m. The height of the wells depends on the depth of the trench. When tapping drainage pipes, the connections should be sealed; 
   
5. Laying geotextile – To protect the poor system from silting, a geotextile with 0.5m releases is laid on the bottom; 
   
6. The arrangement of a crushed stone cushion – Then gravel crushed stone of the 20/40 fraction is laid on the geotextile, with which you can also make the necessary slope; 
   
7. Installation of a drainage pipe – A perforated drainage pipe in geotextile is laid on crushed stone;
   
8. Filling with rubble – The laid pipe is filled with rubble, so as to completely cover it (15-20 sm). After that, the geotextiles left behind are overlapped, so that a layer of crushed stone-pipe-crushed stone is obtained; 
   
9. Drainage filling – Drainage is filled with sand river coarse-grained or other material with good throughput and high filtration coefficient; 
   
10. The installation of drainage well or collector – In the lowest place, a drainage well or a plastic container is installed, where drainage will drain. To do this, an area of 1.5mx1.5m is excavated 0.5-1m below the outlet point of the drainage pipe, the base is leveled with sand and a plastic or concrete collector with a hatch and bottom is lowered there if necessary;
    
11. Installation of the connection channel to the collector – A channel is made between the last inspection well and the collector, which connects the drainage to the collector. This channel should be installed at an incline and it is made of ordinary PVC pipe. When tapping the connection channel, it is necessary to seal; 
    
12. Discharge channel devices – This is the channel through which water, when a certain level is reached, which should be below the inlet pipe to the collector, will flow away by gravity or be forcibly pumped out by a pump. When installing an artificial discharge, the hose from the pump at the outlet should be installed in the form of a tick so that the liquid does not stagnate and freeze there in winter. The channel can, if desired, be insulated with special insulation; 
    
13. Installation of the pump (in the absence of a natural discharge) – A pump with a float should be installed below the drainage inlet pipe into the well and connected to the discharge channel. 

Detailed scheme

Drainage of buildings and other commercial structures

The organization of the drainage system of an apartment building or a large commercial building is very similar to the arrangement of conventional drainage, but it is necessary to provide for a more voluminous flow of water. For this purpose, large diameter pipes from 160mm-315mm are used, as well as concrete inspection wells with a diameter of 0.5-1m. When working in a large building in the city, it is also necessary to provide the correct discharge channel, since it is not always possible to connect to the city storm sewer.

The most common mistakes when performing work related to the installation of drainage systems Many builders who undertake drainage and drainage arrangement in most cases do not specialize in these works, and as a result of which they make many mistakes, which is why the work done later has to be completely redone.

The most common mistakes when performing work related to the installation of drainage systems

Many builders who undertake drainage and drainage arrangement in most cases do not specialize in these works, as a result of which they make many mistakes, which is why the work done later has to be completely redone.

Common mistakes in the construction of drainage: 

• Failure to comply with the necessary slopes – as a result, water, instead of being diverted from the building, returns to it through a counter-slope. 
  
• Absence of inspection drainage wells – If the system for some reason stops working without inspection wells, you will not be able to identify it, as a result of which spot repairs will be impossible and you will have to redo the entire drainage. 
  
• Looping of the system is when drainage is done, but a discharge channel is not made, as a result of which water is filled at the end of the drainage channel and goes in the opposite direction completely filling the drainage prism. 
  
• Filling the drainage with soil, clay, dirty quarry sand, or other material with low throughput – The main point of drainage is in its proper filling so that water passes through it as quickly as possible and gets into the pipe. In case of improper packing, the drainage will either not work or will work at 10-20% of its actual capacity.
  
• The location of the drain when draining around the building – The drain should not be located flush with the foundation or above it, but 0.3-0.5 m lower, so that it can take on all the water that comes to the building and the one that is under the building (relieving pressure on the foundation slab).

Important: When choosing a contractor for drainage works, choose specialized companies whose narrow specialization is building protection from water, namely drainage, drainage and waterproofing. 

Remember, it costs 2 times more to redo an incorrectly done job than to do everything right initially. If you encounter problems in the operation of the drainage system or doubt the correctness of its installation, then you can contact our company to conduct an examination of the drainage system.

Cleaning and maintenance of the drainage system

If the drainage is done correctly, it usually does not require constant maintenance or cleaning. However, there are situations when the drainage is clogged in a certain area. In this situation, the following steps should be taken: 

1. Open the hatches of the installed inspection wells and see where the water is and does not go away. This will help to identify the problem area; 
   
2. A hose should be inserted through the inspection hatch, which can supply strong water pressure. Under strong pressure, you can knock out pollution; 
   
3. If the usual slug does not help, then you can call a special machine with a hydrant and strong pressure.

How much does drainage installation costs

Drainage of the house. Price

Works description	Unit of measurement	Price of works
Groundwork to a depth of 1-2m mechanized	m3	15
Groundwork to a depth of 1-2m manually	m3	50
Laying of geotextile	running meter	5
Laying of rubble	m3	15
Laying of the drainage pipe	running meter	50
Backfilling with sand	m3	30
Installation of inspection wells of 315mm	piece	60
Installation of PVC pipe connection channel	running meter	40
Installation of a concrete well with a diameter of 1m in 3 rings	piece	1100

* Prices may vary depending on the scope of work.

Drainage of the site. Price

Works description	Unit of measurement	Price of works
Soil works to a depth of 1-2m mechanized	m3	10
Soil works to a depth of 1-2m manually	m3	20
Laying of geotextile	running meter	5
Laying of rubble	m3	10
Laying of the drainage pipe	running meter	30
Backfilling with sand	m3	10
Installation of inspection wells of 315mm	piece	20
Installation of PVC pipe connection channel	running meter	15
Installation of a concrete well with a diameter of 1m in 2 rings	piece	600

* Prices may vary depending on the scope of work.

Online calculator of the cost of works on the installation of drainage systems

Drainage firms and companies

In order to make high-quality and proper drainage, it is necessary not only to dig a trench and lay pipes in it but also to comply with all standards for calculating slopes, selecting suitable materials, and installing the system.

The working drainage directly depends on the following details of its organization:

• Calculations – Before laying drainage, an experienced firm always makes the necessary calculations regarding the slopes of the system, its throughput, and the possibility of a drainage water discharge installation by gravity. The correctness of some calculations, for example, the calculation of the slope, requires the presence of special equipment (leveling), which is always available from an experienced company engaged in drainage; 
• Selection of materials – It is necessary to carefully approach the selection of all elements. 
• Execution of work – It is a professional company with all the necessary tools and qualified specialists for the qualitative performance of tasks.

As a rule, it is an experienced drainage company that is able to perform all the work efficiently, and on time and give a guarantee for these works prescribed in the contract. When contacting various masters from the bulletin boards, the Customer risks not only losing the paid money but also completely redoing the completed and paid work, as a result paying 2-3 times more than the company.