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Sump pump drain

4K views 8 replies 3 participants last post by  howard.wheaton 
#1 ·
Hello,

I am burying my sump pump discharge hose and I currently have 20' of 4" PVC in the ground. I have 20' more to go to have to terminate at one of those pop up valves and have a question. Am I better off continuing the last 20' with the PVC or transition to the preforated 4" corrugated so the water can drain out over a larger area?

Thanks!
 
#2 ·
The sump pump is likely going to pump out a lot more water than the perforated pipe can handle, unless you have unusually permeable soil. As long as the discharge point is downhill of the house, so there is no chance the discharged water will short cycle back to the house, you are fine to use solid PVC pipe. However, make sure the pop up valve is adequately sized to handle the water flow.
 
#3 ·
Thanks. I went to HD and Lowes and they just have one type for a 4". Is there something else I should look for?

Another question. I have (2)-10' sticks in the ground and this 2nd stick is at a steeper slope than the first one (yard is sloped apparently more at the point. When I put the 3rd stick on, do I need to be at the same slope (or steeper) than the 2nd one, or as long as I am still going down I should be OK. Down feel like digging down more than I have to.
 
#4 ·
Sloping downhill the whole way will work but digging more than needed is not my idea of fun.
A 1/4" per 4' of pipe should work; so that would be about 3" lower at discharge end than starting end.
If you want, put a stake into ground at each end, run a mason's line very tight between them, hang a line level on it, level string, measure down 3" at discharge and this is where pipe end should exit.
 
#5 ·
thanks. I just finished, stuck a hose in and water made it the entire way. The only thing is the does not make the pop up piece work, rather runs our of the 4" where the drain sits in. I didnt want to secure the pop up assembly in the 4" PVC in case I needed access. But sounds like I need to put a sealant or caulk in there to make teh water come out of the pop part?

One other thing? Do I just seed around the pop up valve? or put some kind of gravel around it?
 
#6 ·
What is the purpose of the pop-up? My sump drain just ends without one and does fine. I think the use of a pop-up is more typically used on a dry well concept where the water from the 4" discharges into the dry well and if it fills up, the pop-up at the top opens to allow the water to spill out onto the ground surface. Obviously, this spot needs to be below the level of the starting point of the discharge or it will back up your 4" discharge (water seeking its own level). Perhaps a check valve is needed?
 
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