[MarcusManoogian]

Hello,

I have recently built an outdoor shower on the back of my house. My next step is a drainage system. I have heard various methods and warnings.

Can I simply dig a few feet down from where the water will land and fill with gravel to dispurse the water from pooling? Or should I go further and build a simple drain and pipe that leads to a dry well 10 ft away from the house?

The house has a full basement.

The shower will be used a few times a week from May-October.

Thanks
Marcus

 

[chandler48]

If the yard is sloped, you can exit it to the atmosphere after a short pipe run. There's not a lot of water coming from a shower. If the water in the lawn bothers you, you can always dig down and install a dry well allowing the water to disperse under grade.

 

[MarcusManoogian]

Thanks.

So are you saying I should run a drain and pipe away from house, or do you think I can get away with no pipe and simply digging a few feet deep where the water lands from the shower and filling the area with gravel to allow water to disperse?

M

 

[chandler48]

Definitely run a pipe away from the house, and depending on your slope, let it emerge where it will, safely dispersing the water. Even if you go with a dry well, run it away from the house prior to terminating it.

 

[AllanJ]

The water should drain away from the house on the surface and of its own accord (requiring appropriate slope to the ground).

Do not carve a depression next to the foundation to fill with gravel to disperse the water right there. This will increase the chance of water getting into your basement.

(Water should never pool up against the foundation at any time.)

 

[MarcusManoogian]

Thanks Allan,

So you are saying i should start my gravel drainage let's say, 16" away from foundation and slope the pit away from the house?

Thanks again
Marcus

 

[huesmann]

16" is still too close to the foundation. Sloping the bottom of the pit won't do anything—once water starts filtering into the soil it goes where it goes, following the hydraulic gradient. Approximately how high is the ground outside the house above the basement floor?

 

[MarcusManoogian]

The basement is a walk-out in the front, in the back, where the shower is, is more than halfway down the basement wall. See attachments for clarity.

Thank you
Marcus

 

[Ghostmaker]

Do the same for your toilet just dump it to the woods.

 

[AllanJ]

If did nothing to the ground and someone just stood on the ground to take a shower then would the water run away from the house?

 

[MarcusManoogian]

I believe so, if it helps the water from the roof has been falling to the exact same spot as the shower (you can see the water line in the pictures) and the foundation/basement has no moisture issues and it was built in '89.

Thanks for fielding all the questions. Essentially I want to avoid building a drain if I can.

Thanks
Marcus