From: Heidi


HI all,

We recently replaced our air compressor and air handler and installed a
new unit which controls not just the temperature, but also humidity in
our house. The HVAC guys installed a new air handler in the crawl space
of our house. They drew a new pipe from the air handler which sticks
out from the crawl space to drain water into our back yard. According
to the installation guys, we may have up to 5 gallons of water a day
being pulled from our house by the new air handler, this water drains
out from the pipe and is dumped into our back yard. The HVAC installers
left the pipe sticking out, leaving it to us to decide how to direct the
drainage.

The HVAC guys recommended two options for directing the drainage:
Dig a deep hole under the end of the pipe--place an upside down bucket
in the hole, fill half the bucket w/ gravel. Drill a hole in the top of
the bucket, seal the pipe into this hole so that water flows into the
bucket.
or:
lengthen the pipe--dig a ditch, attach PVC to the current end of the
pipe, and lay a length of PVC along our yard, keeping a 5 degree drop
per foot of pipe to allow water to flow down the extension.


I'm thinking of opting for the later option. I am thinking I could
drill holes on the bottom of the PVC extension, dig a ditch, lay gravel
down in the ditch, and lay the drilled PVC pipe on top of this gravel
lined ditch. I would not extend the pipe more than 10 feet.


What do you think of my PVC soaker idea? Could this work? I have heard
of pipes actually sucking in dirt and getting clogged--which could turn
out to be a problem. If I laid the pipe on top of gravel and only
drilled holes on the bottom of the pipe--do you think it would work?

Do you think this is too much water for nearby grass or plants? I don't
want root rot.

What do you think would be the best way of directing the water...the way
that would be most beneficial/least harmful to my grass and plants?

Has anyone tried anything like this at all?

TIA!
Heidi
Raleigh, NC


Go ahead with your plan to drill holes facing DOWN into some gravel. Home Depot
sells a "sock" like membrane, usually used with the 4" diameter preforated
drainage pipe, for direct burial w/o a gravel base which prevents fine silt &
dire from re-entering and clogging the pipe. Should work for you although the
sock would be a little loose on a smaller diameter drain pipe.

If you want, install a "T" above ground level so that IF the preforated PVC
ever does clog up, the water would simply back up and pour out of the hole on
the side of the "T."