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Home > Archive > Home Repair forum > June 2007 > Fixing my home driveway ditch drain? ~ Thanks for advice!!
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Fixing my home driveway ditch drain? ~ Thanks for advice!!
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| helmsfamily@triad.rr.com 2007-06-13, 1:25 pm |
| A *hole* is opening up between two concrete pipes in my driveway under
the rock and dirt that goes over my ditch. The hole is about 3 inches
in diameter and I guess rain has disolved the dirt underneath the rock
just above the two pipes. I can see that the two pipes underground
were not joined together well and there is about an inch or so of
distance between the two pipes. Short of digging them up completely,
pushing the two pipes together and then putting dirt and gravel back
over the two pipes (which would take some time) what advice would you
give to fix the problem?
I though I *might* get a large stone paver and just dig down to the
pipes and place that over the top of the two pipes, fill back with
dirt leaving the pipes separate (they have been down there separated
for years anyway) and put the gravel back on top. What do you think?
Any thoughts on the matter would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
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| DerbyDad03 2007-06-13, 1:25 pm |
| On 13 Jun, 12:07, helmsfam...@triad.rr.com wrote:
> A *hole* is opening up between two concrete pipes in my driveway under
> the rock and dirt that goes over my ditch. The hole is about 3 inches
> in diameter and I guess rain has disolved the dirt underneath the rock
> just above the two pipes. I can see that the two pipes underground
> were not joined together well and there is about an inch or so of
> distance between the two pipes. Short of digging them up completely,
> pushing the two pipes together and then putting dirt and gravel back
> over the two pipes (which would take some time) what advice would you
> give to fix the problem?
>
> I though I *might* get a large stone paver and just dig down to the
> pipes and place that over the top of the two pipes, fill back with
> dirt leaving the pipes separate (they have been down there separated
> for years anyway) and put the gravel back on top. What do you think?
> Any thoughts on the matter would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
Are these pipes supposed to be attached together? If so, the
regardless of how many years they have been separated, I think that
they should be repaired. The fact that you are seeing the beginnings
of the problems the erosion is finally causing (i.e. the sinkhole)
should be an indication that things should not be left as is. I can
imagine a scenario where more and more dirt get washed our from under
the pipes and the pipes themselves begin to sink, along with
everything above it.
Here's my suggestion: Check out this site to see what a Fernco
coupling looks like. Go to your local plumbing supply store and get
one that will fit you size pipe and fix it right. http://www.fernco.com/coupling.asp
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| Lawrence 2007-06-13, 1:25 pm |
| On Jun 13, 11:07 am, helmsfam...@triad.rr.com wrote:
> A *hole* is opening up between two concrete pipes in my driveway under
> the rock and dirt that goes over my ditch. The hole is about 3 inches
> in diameter and I guess rain has disolved the dirt underneath the rock
> just above the two pipes. I can see that the two pipes underground
> were not joined together well and there is about an inch or so of
> distance between the two pipes. Short of digging them up completely,
> pushing the two pipes together and then putting dirt and gravel back
> over the two pipes (which would take some time) what advice would you
> give to fix the problem?
>
> I though I *might* get a large stone paver and just dig down to the
> pipes and place that over the top of the two pipes, fill back with
> dirt leaving the pipes separate (they have been down there separated
> for years anyway) atynd put the gravel back on top. What do you think?
> Any thoughts on the matter would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
I guess that depends on what those pipes are for. What are they
for?
If they appear to be damaged then they may be abandoned from a
previous install in which case you many do as you wish.
If they represent your current electric service then a greater sense
of care and urgency would be required. If the conduit for an existing
install is broken then you may want to replace. This may not mean
digging it up since it is possible to just abandon the old line and
bury a new one. Either way, extreme care is to be used.
If they are water pipes and there is no leak or interuption of your
water then cover carefully and leave well enough alone.
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| Are you talking of a single ditch culvert pipe under a driveway that is two
pipes long with a gap in the middle or are you talking of a pair of culvert
pipes installed in parallel under your driveway? Different treatments for
each situation.
<helmsfamily@triad.rr.com> wrote in message
news:1181750870.293708.264890@j4g2000prf.googlegroups.com...
>A *hole* is opening up between two concrete pipes in my driveway under
> the rock and dirt that goes over my ditch. The hole is about 3 inches
> in diameter and I guess rain has disolved the dirt underneath the rock
> just above the two pipes. I can see that the two pipes underground
> were not joined together well and there is about an inch or so of
> distance between the two pipes. Short of digging them up completely,
> pushing the two pipes together and then putting dirt and gravel back
> over the two pipes (which would take some time) what advice would you
> give to fix the problem?
>
> I though I *might* get a large stone paver and just dig down to the
> pipes and place that over the top of the two pipes, fill back with
> dirt leaving the pipes separate (they have been down there separated
> for years anyway) and put the gravel back on top. What do you think?
> Any thoughts on the matter would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
>
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| helmsfamily@triad.rr.com 2007-06-13, 5:25 pm |
| On Jun 13, 3:00 pm, "EXT" <noem...@reply.in.this.group> wrote:
> Are you talking of a single ditch culvert pipe under a driveway that is two
> pipes long with a gap in the middle or are you talking of a pair of culvert
> pipes installed in parallel under your driveway? Different treatments for
> each situation.
>
> <helmsfam...@triad.rr.com> wrote in message
>
> news:1181750870.293708.264890@j4g2000prf.googlegroups.com...
>
>
>
>
>
> - Show quoted text -
It is a single ditch culvert pipe under a driveway that is two to
pipes (maybe 3 pipes) long with a gap in the middle. Also in
reference to the first post these are just drainage concrete pipes and
do NOT have water and sewer or electricity running through them. I
think our 3 cats get in them to get out of the rain. I had noticed a
while back that one side seemed much higher than the other side and
though that was mostly due to more gravel collecting on that side.
This higher side is the side with the small "sinkhole". ~ The author
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| On Wed, 13 Jun 2007 09:07:50 -0700, helmsfamily@triad.rr.com wrote:
>A *hole* is opening up between two concrete pipes in my driveway under
What is your driveway made of?
Some houses are on lots that have a drainage ditch right next to the
road, parallel to it, and they use pipes where the driveway goes over
the ditch. Is that what you have?
Does water run through the pipes when it rains or is it some other
way?
How wide are the pipes?
How deep aree they?
>the rock and dirt that goes over my ditch. The hole is about 3 inches
>in diameter and I guess rain has disolved the dirt underneath the rock
>just above the two pipes. I can see that the two pipes underground
>were not joined together well and there is about an inch or so of
>distance between the two pipes. Short of digging them up completely,
>pushing the two pipes together and then putting dirt and gravel back
>over the two pipes (which would take some time) what advice would you
>give to fix the problem?
>
>I though I *might* get a large stone paver and just dig down to the
>pipes and place that over the top of the two pipes, fill back with
Something that wraps around and fits closer to the pipe seems like a
better idea to me, but I don't have a sense of the whole picture yet.
>dirt leaving the pipes separate (they have been down there separated
>for years anyway) and put the gravel back on top. What do you think?
>Any thoughts on the matter would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
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| Goedjn 2007-06-13, 8:25 pm |
| [color=darkred]
Shove section of liner down the culverts. (Are they big enough for
you to slither down without drowning or getting stuck?) Sheetmetal
or cardboard should do. Then squirt a really wet concrete mix
down the hole until it starts oozing around the liner.
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| helmsfamily@triad.rr.com 2007-06-14, 9:25 am |
| On Jun 13, 6:54 pm, mm <NOPSAMmm2...@bigfoot.com> wrote:
> On Wed, 13 Jun 2007 09:07:50 -0700, helmsfam...@triad.rr.com wrote:
>
> What is your driveway made of?
>
> Some houses are on lots that have a drainage ditch right next to the
> road, parallel to it, and they use pipes where the driveway goes over
> the ditch. Is that what you have?
>
> Does water run through the pipes when it rains or is it some other
> way?
>
> How wide are the pipes?
>
> How deep aree they?
>
>
>
> Something that wraps around and fits closer to the pipe seems like a
> better idea to me, but I don't have a sense of the whole picture yet.
>
>
>
>
> - Show quoted text -
These pipes are not very deep in the ground actually. There is only
maybe about a foot or less of dirt covered by gravel on top of them.
The pipes are probably only around (and I need to go out and measure
them) a foot in diameter at most as an outside dimension. The pipes
are as you say...the ones that you drive over to get in your driveway
that are put in the ditch and are covered over so that you can get in
the driveway and to your house. They are there to 1. drive over the
ditch and 2. allow for water in a BIG rain to pass through to the
other side in the ditch. When the work was done (I am the 2nd owner
of the house) I was not there, but I don't think they took much time
really connecting the (probably) 3 pipes properly. They just laid
them in the gound about end to end, dropped some dirt and then some
gravel on them and they went on their way. Now it is my problem.
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| helmsfamily@triad.rr.com 2007-06-14, 9:25 am |
| On Jun 13, 6:56 pm, Goedjn <p...@mail.uri.edu> wrote:
>
> Shove section of liner down the culverts. (Are they big enough for
> you to slither down without drowning or getting stuck?) Sheetmetal
> or cardboard should do. Then squirt a really wet concrete mix
> down the hole until it starts oozing around the liner.
What you said sounds like a pretty good and easy idea..."Shove section
of liner down the culverts. Sheetmetal
or cardboard should do. Then squirt a really wet concrete mix
down the hole until it starts oozing around the liner." And these
pipes are only about 12 inches or less outside diameter.
I know I will need to schedule a Saturday soon to dig up all around it
and see how bad the problem really is, unless I use some cardboard or
sheet metal as you say and slide it up "inside" the pipe to keep from
actually digging out the pipe on the outside. Thanks.
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| DerbyDad03 2007-06-14, 1:25 pm |
| On 14 Jun, 09:35, helmsfam...@triad.rr.com wrote:
> On Jun 13, 6:56 pm, Goedjn <p...@mail.uri.edu> wrote:
>
>
>
> What you said sounds like a pretty good and easy idea..."Shove section
> of liner down the culverts. Sheetmetal
> or cardboard should do. Then squirt a really wet concrete mix
> down the hole until it starts oozing around the liner." And these
> pipes are only about 12 inches or less outside diameter.
> I know I will need to schedule a Saturday soon to dig up all around it
> and see how bad the problem really is, unless I use some cardboard or
> sheet metal as you say and slide it up "inside" the pipe to keep from
> actually digging out the pipe on the outside. Thanks.
Just curious...is my Fernco coupling suggestions out of the running as
a possibly more permanent fix?
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| Goedjn 2007-06-14, 5:25 pm |
| On Thu, 14 Jun 2007 09:30:49 -0700, DerbyDad03 <teamarrows@eznet.net>
wrote:
>On 14 Jun, 09:35, helmsfam...@triad.rr.com wrote:
>
>Just curious...is my Fernco coupling suggestions out of the running as
>a possibly more permanent fix?
Trouble with that is that it requires you to be able to
move at least one of the pipes, at least a few inches.
Which probably requires digging out the entire length
of it.
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| helmsfamily@triad.rr.com 2007-06-14, 5:25 pm |
| On Jun 14, 2:57 pm, Goedjn <p...@mail.uri.edu> wrote:
> On Thu, 14 Jun 2007 09:30:49 -0700, DerbyDad03 <teamarr...@eznet.net>
> wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Trouble with that is that it requires you to be able to
> move at least one of the pipes, at least a few inches.
> Which probably requires digging out the entire length
> of it.- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -
The jury is still out on this one folks. I am going to think long and
hard before any final decisions are made. Who know's that homeowner's
insurance might cover it, but I will have to look into deductables,
etc. And in final I will set down with my wife and discuss the matter
and then we will both ruminate on it for a while. I probably will put
something over the hole temporarily until we can decide on the best
fix at the time. (Money is also tight right now.)
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