How Much Drain Tile Do I Need for Rain Gutters?

Gutters send water to downspouts, where drain tiles carry it away.

Rain water flows from the roof to gutters and discharges through downspouts. Drain-tile can be connected to the downspout to direct the water away from the house, and protect the foundation from moisture. Drain tile, or pipe, is sold in lengths, and estimating the quantity needed is a simple calculation based on taking a linear measurement of the area.

1. Rain Gutters

   • Much of the storm-water runoff for a property comes from the roof gutter and downspout system. When the water discharges from downspouts at a high velocity, such as during a rainfall, it tends to erode the ground near the foundation. Building regulations require water to be directed away from the foundation, as water can seep into the basement, and undermine the structure. For flat sites, or where soils are wet, a drain-tile system linked to the downspout takes water safely away from the house.

   Downspout Drainage

   • Downspout discharge is often connected to a French drain. This is a channel lined with gravel, with drainage tile placed on them, wrapped with geotextile cloth and buried in more gravel. The pipe is sloped to carry water to the end point, where the runoff may disperse over an open area, or enter the municipal system. The system is simple to install, but care needs to be taken to ensure the slope is adequate to keep water flowing.

   Drain Tiles

   • Drain tiles are usually plastic -- polyvinyl chloride, or PVC -- pipes. The pipes may be rigid or flexible, perforated with small punctures to allow infiltration or solid. Solid pipes are used where it's desirable to transport runoff quickly, and should be used for downspout drainage. For downspout drainage, 4-inch, non-perforated, or solid, pipe is best, in rigid or flexible form. Flexible pipe is less expensive than rigid pipe, but is more difficult to clean if it becomes clogged, and more easily damaged during installation.

   Drain Tile Quantity

   • Flexible pipe is sold in coils at 100 lengths or longer, and rigid pipe is sold in 20-foot lengths. A downspout adapter is needed to connect to the downspout and convert the rectangular downspout to the round drain tile. The length of the channel should be measured after it's dug, from where the pipe meets the adapter, to the end point, following the route of the pipe. The length is divided by the increments of the pipe type.

Read more: How Much Drain Tile Do I Need for Rain Gutters? | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/info_12209924_much-drain-tile-need-rain-gutters.html#ixzz1ma84992D