Washer drainage: How to Fix Washing Machine Drain Overflows

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How to Fix Washing Machine Drain Overflows

Water that pools around your washing machine can be caused by several issues that lead to structural damage within your home. In this guide, we detail steps that you can take to identify and fix this problem.

If your washing machine’s drain is overflowing, the problem could be as simple as a clogged drainpipe or as serious and complex as a main sewer line blockage. No matter what’s causing the overflow, it’s important to immediately address the issue to prevent lasting damage to your home, even if that means contacting a plumber.

How a Washing Machine Drains

To realize what causes washer drains to overflow, it’s important to first understand how the machine removes water during a wash cycle.

At the end of a cycle, your washing machine removes water from its tub using a pump that forces water into a drain hose, which curves up and out of the machine to meet the standpipe that’s typically located near your hot and cold water supply valves. If your washer and its parts work as they should, water moves through the hose and into the standpipe where it’s eventually carried to your home’s main sewage line.

When any part of the drainage process malfunctions, overflow from the washing machine’s drainage system is possible and will require swift action to identify and fix the issue.

How to Diagnose an Issue With Your Drain

First, you will need to confirm that your washer’s drain line is the issue. Some advanced washing machines have signal errors that identify the cause of a leak, but for most washing machines, you’ll need to run a diagnostic test.

Start by running your washer through a drain cycle. Observe the washing machine as it pumps water into the hoses and up into the standpipe. If you see water back up and out of the standpipe, your washer’s drain is most likely the issue.

The amount of time it takes for the standpipe to fill up and overflow helps you diagnose where the clog is located. Here’s what each timeframe might mean:

  • A few seconds—If the pipe fills up and overflows within seconds, the clog is most likely located near the standpipe’s surface or in a washing machine hose. If the clog is small, you may be able to clear it with a hand-operated snake.
  • 30 seconds to a minute—If the stoppage doesn’t cause the water to surface for 30 seconds or more, the clog may be deeper in the drainpipe system. This may require a long drain-snake to reach deep into the pipe and free the clog. If you can’t reach the clog with your snake, contact a plumber to assess the proper course of action.
  • More than a minute—Water that takes more than a minute to overflow after entering the drainage pipe may mean a more severe blockage in the plumbing system. Contact a licensed plumber to inspect your home’s sewage lines and identify the issue.

Note: Be prepared to stop the washing machine cycle once you spot a leak.

Clogs aren’t always the culprit when it comes to an overflowing drainpipe. Inadequately sized drainpipes and kinked hoses can also cause an overflow. To be sure of the issue, contact a reputable plumber, like ARS Rescue Rooter, to diagnose the issue.

How to Operate a Drain Snake

To operate a snake, follow these steps:

  • Push its end into the drain opening and turn the handle on the drum to release it into the pipe.
  • Keep pushing the head of the snake deeper into the pipe until you feel resistance.
  • Rotate the snake clockwise or counterclockwise until you feel the clog break free.
  • Pull the snake out of the drain and repeat a drain cycle to ensure the pipe is free and can drain.

How to Prevent Your Drain From Overflowing

To reduce the likelihood of a washing machine drain overflow, follow these preventative measures:

  • Use a garment bag or lint bag when appropriate to prevent the excess buildup of lint inside the drainpipes.
  • If it’s accessible, inspect and clean your washer’s lint trap or filter.
  • Ensure there’s at least 1/2 inch between the drainpipe and discharge hose to promote proper drainage.
  • Use the correct detergent to prevent the buildup of soap residue.
  • Clean your washing machine hoses and drainpipe regularly.

Backup Plan for Your Washing Machine

Like all major systems and appliances in your home, your washing machine is likely to endure normal wear and tear over time. To avoid sudden, expensive costs due to your washing machine or another appliance breaking down, we recommend that all homeowners consider purchasing a home warranty.

Typically, home warranty plans cost about $25-$50 per month. Whenever a covered system or appliance breaks down due to normal wear and tear, homeowners with a home warranty plan only have to pay a service fee—usually in the range of $75-$125—to have the item repaired or replaced. This can save you a lot of money in the long run as some of your home’s most valuable appliances can cost thousands of dollars to replace without a home warranty.

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How To Fix a Washing Machine Drain Overflow (In 6 Steps)

When your washing machine finishes each wash cycle, the water from the drum drains out and usually gets dumped into a nearby drain line — called a standpipe — that runs to your main sewer line. Unfortunately, any issue with the drainage process can cause an overflow of the drain, resulting in water leaking out all over your floor and a handful of other potentially expensive problems, like a ruined floor, mold growth, and damaged sheetrock and insulation.

This guide will teach you how to fix a washing machine drain overflow and prevent recurring issues. We’ll also provide tips on determining if you need a professional’s help or can handle the washing machine repair yourself.

Ready to call a professional plumber to fix your washing machine? Use our tool below to get started.

How Do You Fix a Washing Machine Drain Overflow?

Fixing a washer drain overflow problem depends on the underlying issue. You could have problems with the drain hose, which directs water from the washing machine into your fixed plumbing pipes, a clog, or a drain line that’s too small for your particular washing machine.

We recommend walking through the steps below to cover all the bases and ensure your problem is fixed for good.

  • Step 1 — Inspect the area behind your washing machine. Before moving your washing machine, we recommend a quick visual check behind it to assess any problems. Look for kinks in the washing machine hose, and check to see if the hose has been pulled out of the drain pipe. These could be your underlying problems, and identifying them before you move anything can save you some time. If you notice one of these issues, unkink or reinsert the hose into the drain pipe, and then skip to step seven to test the solution.
  • Step 2 — Pull the washing machine away from the wall: If you didn’t notice any glaring issues upon a visual inspection, pull the washing machine away from the wall to give yourself space to work. You might want to turn off the water supply to the machine and disconnect it from power to be safe.

Image Credit: Canva

  • Step 3 — Prepare the area: Since you will be working with a hose and drain pipe that could have water inside, we recommend you get some old towels and lay them down on the floor and any sheetrock behind the machine for protection.
  • Step 4 — Fix any issues with the washing machine drain hose: If you’ve discovered problems with the hose that weren’t evident before you moved the machine, fix them now. This can include kinks or cracks in the hose that weren’t visible. You might need to replace the hose entirely, depending on the extent of the damage.

Image Credit: © Rea Liia / Adobe Stock

  • Step 5 — Clear any clogs: If you don’t notice any problems with the hose, your problem could be a clog in the hose or the drain line into which the hose drains. You can inspect both to see if there’s a visible clog, but you’ll more likely need to use a plumber’s drain snake to unclog them and clear out any lint that might be caught in there. Use the auger or snake on both the hose and the fixed drain line.
  • Step 6 — Place the drain hose back into the washing machine drain pipe and run a test cycle: Finally, put everything back how you found it and run a test cycle to see if the problem is fixed. Make sure not to kink the hose when you move the washing machine back, and make sure the hose is inserted as far as possible into the drain line. If the issue persists, the drain line that leads to your main drain line might not be large enough, or you might have more serious problems. In either case, we recommend calling a plumber for help.

Image Credit: Canva

You can also check out the short video below for a visual guide on clearing washing machine hose clogs:

Why Is My Washing Machine Draining Correctly but Still Overflowing Occasionally?

If you find that your washing machine appears to be draining properly for the most part but still runs into overflow issues now and then, there are a few possible causes.

Overfilled Machine

The most common causes of intermittent drainage issues are overfilling the washer with too much laundry or using too much detergent. In the case of too much laundry, the greater volume of water required to wash it can more easily overwhelm the drain pipe, resulting in an overflow. This is most common in newer washing machine models with sensors to determine how much water is required for the clothes loaded inside.

Too much detergent can promote clogging and slow water movement through the hose and drain line, promoting overflow. You’ll also accelerate the accumulation of soap residue or soap scum in the PVC pipe, which can promote clogs and lead to water overflowing.

Incorrect Washer Setting

Another less common problem homeowners encounter is running their washing machine on the wrong setting. If, for example, you have a load of delicates and use hot water instead of cold water or a spin cycle setting that’s too intense, the clothes will wear more quickly. That can lead to increased lint production and even bits of clothing being torn off, promoting clogs and overflow problems.

Similarly, if you use a light wash setting but add a lot of detergent, there may not be enough water to thin out the detergent. As a result, you might end up with an increased risk of clogs. Using a heavy load setting for a small load could mean water exits your machine too quickly for the drain pipe to handle.

Plumbing Problems

Unfortunately, the issue can be with your actual fixed plumbing equipment. You can assess drainage from your machine by routing the flexible drainage pipe from your washer into a laundry sink. If the water flow is normal — usually between 3 and 5 gallons of water per minute — then the problem is most likely with your plumbing, and you’ll need a plumber’s help if snaking the line doesn’t help.

If you have persistent problems that you believe stem from the machine itself rather than a plumbing issue, we recommend you call the manufacturer or a service technician to see if they can offer a resolution.

How Do You Prevent a Washing Machine Drain Overflow?

Fixing a washing machine drainage problem is usually quick and painless, but preventing it from occurring — and causing damage in your home — is a much better and more permanent option. There are a few preventive measures you can take to avoid overflow problems, some of which can also extend the life of your washing machine:

  • Install a lint trap: One of the easiest and fastest ways to prevent overflow issues is to install an external lint trap. These mesh screens fit over the end of the washing machine hose. Water can flow through the holes in the mesh, but lint and other debris will get trapped in the filter and be prevented from clogging the drain pipe. Just remember to empty and clean the filter about once per month to prevent it from clogging and causing more overflow issues.

Image Credit: Amazon.com

  • Use a garment bag whenever possible: When it’s appropriate, using a garment bag or lint bag for your laundry is a great way to keep lint and anything in your pockets from clogging your hose or drain pipe and causing an overflow.
  • Clean the internal lint filter regularly: If your washing machine has an internal lint filter, make sure you clean that at least once every few months. A clogged filter can release material into your hose and drain line over time and cause more serious blockages and leaks.
  • Keep your washer away from the wall: Make sure that your washing machine is at least six inches away from any walls in your laundry room. Pushing the machine too close to the wall can crush, crack, or kink the hose, which will quickly lead to drainage problems.
  • Check and clear the hose and drainpipe regularly: Lint and other debris you accidentally put through the wash can build up in your hose and drain line, even if you have lint filters installed. We recommend snaking both once every three months or so to ensure they stay clear. You can also use a non-abrasive drain cleaner or drain enzymes to clear debris out of the plumbing system, or you can add some baking soda and boiling water to the drain line and let it sit for a few hours before running the washer.

Today’s Homeowner Tips

To simplify your job, you can use a shop vac to remove any debris in the washing machine hose or drain line. Just make sure you only use a wet/dry shop vac, and be sure that the vacuum hose doesn’t seal against the inside walls of the hose or drain line, as this can cause damage once suction is created.

  • Change the size of your drain pipe: In many cases, homeowners have problems with their drain lines because the pipe itself is too thin to handle the amount of water draining at once from the tub or drum inside. This issue is more common in older homes, as newer washing machines have higher capacities and faster draining times that older, narrower pipes can sometimes struggle to keep up with. You might need a plumber to install a wider drain line to prevent overflow issues in the future.
  • Switch to a front-loading washer: Front-load washing machines use less water than top-load machines for two reasons. First, top-load washers hold more clothes and naturally need more water. Second, the tub or drum on a front-load washer doesn’t need to fill as much to cover the laundry inside. If your overflow issue results from your drain pipe diameter being too small, swapping to a front-load washer could be an alternative solution to replacing the drain line.

DIY vs. Professional: Do I Need a Professional To Fix My Overflowing Washing Machine?

Assessing why your washing machine leaks during the drain cycle is usually straightforward, but the solution could demand help from a professional. Moreover, opening your discharge hose and drain pipe for snaking can be messy and dirty, not to mention it can put your flooring and other building material at risk of water damage if you’re not careful. Contacting a plumber is a good option if you’re concerned about that risk or don’t want to deal with wastewater.

If you’ve followed the steps above and still don’t know why you’re having a drainage problem, chances are there is a more serious underlying problem. If that’s the case, we recommend calling in a professional plumber. For example, we recommend contacting a licensed plumber if you believe your underlying problem is that your drain pipe is too narrow. This usually requires removing the drain line and replacing it with a wider one.

While the actual work to do this is simple enough for a DIY fix, the eventual reduction you’ll likely need to make to tie the new line into your existing system can cause serious issues if it’s not done properly. Any turns the pipes need to make must also be done at the right angle to control the water flow through the system. If you make a mistake, you could be looking at more severe sewer clogs that occur deeper into the drainage system — and demand more complex and expensive fixes.

Final Tips for Fixing a Washing Machine Drain Overflow

Washing machine overflow problems can be a nuisance at best, but at worst, they can cause severe property damage and lead to costly repairs. Knowing how to assess and fix the problem helps avoid those damages and expenses.

In most cases, washers overflow because of lint clogs. This can usually be prevented by snaking the machine hose and drain line once every few months or by installing a lint catcher on the hose and cleaning it out monthly to avoid buildup. Some homeowners find that the overflow is caused by a damaged hose, which is usually fixable by repairing the damage and ensuring there’s at least a 6-inch gap between the machine and the wall behind it.

Another common cause of washer overflow is your drain pipe getting overwhelmed by the amount of water draining from your washer. The easiest solutions include switching to a front-load washer or doing smaller loads with less water. A more permanent solution would be to call a plumber to upsize your drain line. This should help avoid all overflow issues in the future. Any additional problems might require a professional plumber or a service tech for your machine.

Dan Simms

Contributor

Dan Simms worked in real estate management for five years before using his experience to help property owners maintain their own homes. He got his master’s degree in English Literature and Creative Writing, and he now enjoys sharing his knowledge about homeownership and DIY projects with others on Today’s Homeowner. When he’s not writing, he’s usually outdoors with his wife and his dog, enjoying mountain biking, skiing, and hiking.

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Roxanne Downer

Editor

Roxanne Downer is a commerce editor at Today’s Homeowner, where she tackles everything from foundation repair to solar panel installation. She brings more than 15 years of writing and editing experience to bear in her meticulous approach to ensuring accurate, up-to-date, and engaging content. She’s previously edited for outlets including MSN, Architectural Digest, and Better Homes & Gardens. An alumna of the University of Pennsylvania, Roxanne is now an Oklahoma homeowner, DIY enthusiast, and the proud parent of a playful pug.

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75111104434 Washer YaMZ drainage pipe copper AUTODIESEL – 7511.1104434

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Linear drainage

Linear drainage

Linear drainage

Collection and drainage of rain and melt water is no longer an additional, but a mandatory “option” in the engineering equipment of each household plot. Another evidence of this is the variety of domestic and foreign manufacturers who have come to the Russian market to offer their equipment for surface drainage.

Standardpark has been known in the CIS market for several years among professional builders, architects and designers. The determining factor in the successful work of the company is the offer of new materials and technologies for the arrangement of the territory. The achievements of Standardpark in this market are facilitated by close cooperation with European manufacturers, as well as the presence of its own production of surface drainage systems. Landscape-forming components made of polymer concrete, adapted plastics, high-strength cast iron, galvanized steel, copper – allow you to implement the most daring functional and design solutions. This was repeatedly noted with diplomas and certificates of exhibitions in Russia, Ukraine and Kazakhstan.

With the purchase of a country house, a person gets the opportunity to expand the boundaries of his private living space beyond the interior. A well-equipped area near the house is capable of performing many functional tasks. It allows owners to enjoy harmony with nature in solitude or in the company of loved ones, play sports, serve as a place for safe and varied outdoor activities for children and pets, etc. A rare owner will come to terms with the fact that all these charms of country life will be inaccessible during autumn bad weather or spring thaw. Excess moisture on the site threatens not only with temporary inconvenience and restrictions on evening exercise in your favorite garden, but also with serious material losses: damage to lawns, death of garden plants, shortening the life of foundations, landscape structures and engineering equipment, flooding basements. To avoid all these troubles, it is enough to equip the site with a drainage system.

Surface drainage systems are used to effectively remove melt, rain and flood water from the territory. The collected water is discharged into the storm sewer. In some cases, in addition to surface drainage systems, the site must be equipped with a deep (underground) drainage system that lowers the level of groundwater. Deep drainage is necessary in cases where the site is located in a lowland, swampy, located near natural reservoirs, and also if the space under the house is expected to be used (operated basement, basement, underground garage, etc.). Through pipes laid in underground channels (drainage), excess groundwater is discharged outside the site, into a collector or a special well. . The installation of a linear drainage system costs an average of 10 USD. per linear meter, and the absence of such on the site translates into a much more significant amount.

If the groundwater level is less than 2.5m, then drainage of the site is essential.

There are two main principles of surface drainage: point and line. Point drainage is used to collect local water sources, the purpose of linear drainage is to organize the collection of precipitation from a large area. The most rational is the combination of these two systems, which makes it possible to reduce the length of storm sewer channels and reduce the amount of excavation work.

Point drainage

Point drainage principle is used for local collection of rain and melt water. Point drainage devices are installed under roof drains, in doorways, under watering taps and in other places where local collection of water is required. Also, point catchment can complement the linear drainage system in places where fast and efficient drainage from the surface is required (on paths, entrances, front areas, on terraces and balconies, etc.).

The following devices are used to organize point drainage:

To increase the service life of foundations and blind areas of buildings, to prevent basement flooding, the task of removing atmospheric precipitation from the roofs of buildings should be solved in conjunction with organizing the collection of water flowing down drainpipes. It is optimal if the drainage system is developed already at the design stage of the building. This allows, before the blind area around the house is completed, to equip places for placing storm water inlets under each roof drain.

The drainage of the house must be developed already at the design stage of the building.

The storm water inlet (drain) is a rectangular container with outlets for connection to the storm sewer. Since, along with the flow of water, small debris and liquid dirt enter the storm water inlet, it is advisable to choose devices equipped with built-in waste collection baskets. This greatly simplifies system maintenance. To remove unpleasant odors, storm water inlets can also be equipped with built-in siphons (water seals, “stale air traps”). If necessary, you can increase the height of the storm water inlets by installing them on top of each other.

Most manufacturers require spot drains to be mounted on a concrete base. If the installation technology is observed, the main load falls on the closing grille, which is selected depending on the mechanical load class, the required throughput and the design of the surrounding landscape.

Special point drainage systems with grates for cleaning shoes are installed in the pit in front of the house or mounted in the porch structure. The system includes a dirt collecting pan with a drain hole that can be connected to the sewerage system directly or through a vertical outlet with a siphon (“stuff air trap”), a support grid and a cleaning grid. Foreign and Russian manufacturers offer pallets made of impact-resistant plastics and polymer concrete. To increase the service life of the structure, plastic and concrete pallets can have a metal edging. Various types of cleaning grids are produced: from galvanized steel with a cellular or mesh structure; aluminum with inserts made of rubber, rep, felt; pile mats, etc. In cases where point drainage devices are supposed to be used to collect water from the surface of a certain area, it is necessary to carry out preliminary preparation, which consists in creating slopes on four sides, converging in the center to the water collection point where the catchment device is installed . The number of drainage elements per unit area is calculated based on the intensity of precipitation, the throughput of the drainage device, the nature of the surface (slope, roughness). The drained area is divided into sections according to the number of drainage points. Such surface preparation is associated with a fairly significant amount of excavation. Therefore, to organize drainage over a large area, it is advisable to use a linear surface drainage system.

Linear drainage

Unlike a point drainage system, a linear drainage system does not require serious surface preparation, it is enough to make flat slopes on both sides of the drain line. As a result, the probability of soil subsidence is reduced, the length of storm sewer channels is reduced, and the catchment area is increased. The water is collected along the flat slopes into a system of drain channels lined up in a line.

Linear drainage on the site provides reliable protection of the territory from dirt and slush.
Linear drainage is a system of buried gutters (drainage channels, drains) and sand traps – containers in which sand and small debris carried out by the water flow are retained. From above, drains and sand traps are closed with removable protective and decorative gratings. The gratings prevent debris, foliage from entering the system, and also ensure the safety of pedestrians and vehicles. Through a system of vertical and horizontal outlets, the linear drainage system is connected to the storm sewer.

At present, surface drainage systems of Russian and foreign manufacturers are represented on the Russian market. They differ in some design features, material, standard sizes, permissible load, range of basic and additional elements, methods of installation and docking with the sewer system, as well as design and, of course, price.

Gutters are produced from concrete, fiber-reinforced concrete (concrete reinforced with fiberglass), polymer concrete, galvanized and stainless steel and impact-resistant frost-resistant artificial materials – PVC, high-density polyethylene (HDPE), polypropylene (PP), etc.

A hydraulic project is being made to calculate the linear drainage system. The number of drains and other elements of the drainage system, as a rule, exceeds the calculated data, since in addition to the drainage area, the throughput of drainage devices, and the intensity of precipitation, moments related to the organization and design of the landscape are taken into account.

Depending on the place of installation, the required throughput, drains of the required width are selected. Most manufacturers offer gutters in standard lengths: 1000 and 500 mm. Gutters with a width of 100 – 130 mm are considered optimal for use in private construction; channels up to 200 mm wide can be used for places with increased drainage intensity. When choosing a particular system, it is also recommended to pay attention to the diameter of the branches. Standard sewer pipes have a diameter of 110 mm. ki. The height of the channel (installation depth) is important only in cases where drainage is performed on some base that is limited in height. For example, when organizing drainage from open terraces, balconies, exploited roofs, etc. For these cases, shallow drains are produced.

Drainage channels are installed in a trench on a concrete layer (the brand and thickness of the concrete layer depend on the load class on the system). Installation begins with the installation of a sand trap at the bottom mark of the route. Next, the line of laying the channels is marked with a cord. To prevent dirt from the drainage system from clogging the sewer pipes, it is advisable to connect drains to the sewer system through a sand trap. The vertical connection can be made via a siphon (“stale air trap”).

The majority of both domestic and foreign manufacturers connect the main elements according to the “tongue-to-groove” scheme, which facilitates installation and eliminates the horizontal displacement of the channels. The unification of the elements and the modular principle of installation make it easy to “assemble” a linear drainage system of any length and configuration. To connect the channels at an angle, they are sawn or cut (depending on the material from which they are made) and joined “mustache”. For ease of installation, some manufacturers offer ready-made corner elements, as well as gutter structures, from which it is easy to assemble a T-shaped or cross-shaped structure right on the installation site (Nicoll, Hauraton). The French company Nicoll, on the basis of its production unit in Russia, also manufactures non-standard elements that allow you to adapt the channels to any project.

There are several types of slope for effective drainage: by means of a soil slope, by using channels with an inner surface that has a slope, and by organizing a stepped slope through the use of channels of different heights.

Plastic gutters are lightweight and thin, making it easier to prepare a sloped trench for installation. To organize a slope when using concrete channels, it is easier to use products whose inner surface already has a slope, or to use a stepped scheme with drains of different heights.

Concrete or plastic

Concrete has long been the traditional material for making gutters. Conventional cementitious concrete has a number of disadvantages that are well known to those skilled in the art. Under the influence of moisture in conditions of alternating temperatures, it quickly collapses, so the service life of cement concrete gutters is short. Their main advantage is low price. To increase the service life, concrete gutters are equipped with reinforcing steel or cast iron linings.

Various modern modifications of concrete are much more durable. Channels made of fiberglass-reinforced concrete (fiber-reinforced concrete) are produced by the German company Hauraton (Faserfix series), Russian companies Standartpark, Polydrain and some other Russian and foreign manufacturers. Fiber-reinforced concrete is a composite material obtained on the basis of cement and fine filler, reinforced with alkali-resistant fiberglass. Reinforcement increases the strength properties of concrete: resistance to dynamic, temperature and humidity influences. The material acquires greater impact resistance, elasticity, crack resistance, water resistance, which significantly increases the service life of the drainage system.

Surface drainage systems – drains, storm water inlets, sand traps, mud-collecting trays made of polymer concrete – are distinguished by good performance. This is a high-strength compound of mineral fillers – granite, quartz – on a rack basis. Polymer concrete is twice as strong and lighter than traditional cement concrete. It has greater tensile and compressive strength, abrasion resistance, almost zero water absorption, high frost resistance (withstands 400 freeze-thaw cycles), chemical and biological resistance. As the experience of using polymer concrete structures in various underground utilities shows, their service life is over 30 years. The smoother surface of polymer concrete channels provides better flow and self-cleaning than cement concrete gutters. Unfortunately, polymer concrete structures are not only the most reliable, but also one of the most expensive. Polymer concrete surface drainage systems are produced by domestic and foreign manufacturers (ACO, Germany; Standartpark, Russia; MEA, Italy, etc. ).

The use of drainage structures made of polymeric materials can be recognized as optimal for organizing drainage of a personal plot. Modern plastics have frost resistance, high impact strength, wear resistance. To increase resistance to ultraviolet radiation and aggressive environments, various stabilizers are introduced into them. Of course, all these properties can be guaranteed only if we are dealing with original certified products, and not fakes, whose properties are unpredictable.

Surface drainage of a summer cottage is optimally created using plastic drainage trays.

A major advantage of plastic ducts is their low weight, which makes it easier to transport and install the system. The smooth surface of plastic gutters increases their throughput and prevents flooding. Plastic channels are easier to install. Due to the small thickness of the material during the installation of plastic channels, it is easier to lay them in the ground under the required slope. The plastic channel can be easily shortened to the desired length right at the installation site. Another advantage of plastic gutters is the ability to make unified elements with options for vertical (bottom) and horizontal (side) connection to the pipe. As a rule, a plastic drain provides several options for the location of holes for docking with a sewer. Installation of the system is simplified if the manufacturer can offer a diverse range. On the Russian market there are plastic gutters produced by many Western and domestic companies (Hauraton, Germany; Nicoll, France, Hunter, Great Britain; Standartpark, Russia; ACO, Germany; REDI, Italy, etc.). When choosing, it is important to pay attention to the range of basic and additional elements (corner gutters, branch pipes, etc.), ease of installation and maintenance, ease of docking with the sewer system.

The entire load – on the grate

If the installation technology of the drainage system is observed, the main load falls on the closing grate, therefore, when choosing the grate type, first of all, you need to focus on the class of permissible load. According to the international standard DIN EN 1433, there are 6 load classes. In private construction, as a rule, drainage systems with load class A15 are used – for areas with pedestrian and cycling traffic and class B125 – for entrances, car parking, private garages.

Protective grilles can be made of polymer materials, cast iron with or without galvanization, stainless and galvanized steel, copper, plastic galvanized iron. According to the type of through holes, the gratings are cellular, slotted, perforated. In private low-rise construction, cellular or slotted gratings are most often used. They are less clogged, have optimal throughput.

Closing grate is that element of the drainage system that literally “lies on the surface”, so when choosing them, in addition to performance, pay attention to the appearance. The need for additional maintenance during operation is also taken into account. For example, cast iron gratings without galvanization must be regularly, about once a year, coated with a special protective compound, otherwise the surface will quickly rust and look unpresentable.

Most modern domestic and foreign manufacturers offer various systems for quick threadless fastening of gratings: latches, clips, etc. Taking into account the Russian specifics, many manufacturers also offer anti-vandal mounting options for bolted gratings, which can only be removed using a special tool.

To clean the gutters, all you have to do is remove the protective grating from the gutters, clean the dirt with a brush or scraper, or simply flush the canal with a water jet from a garden hose.

Additional options

In addition to traditional surface drainage devices, various additional and alternative methods of dealing with excess moisture in home gardens have now appeared.

The German company Hauraton and the domestic company Standartpark produce lawn grids (honeycomb panels) for turf, which allow you to forget about the rule “do not walk on lawns, do not put cars on the lawn.” The covering is 90% overgrown with grass, which is recommended to be mowed regularly, like any lawn.