# Clogged or damaged Drain



## garryc (Jan 21, 2006)

Here's the problem. I have a 4" outlet pipe. It is an upside down "J" like the P-trap on your sink, but upsides down. The pipe is clogged. I drilled a hole in it and stuck in a wire, no resistance as far as I could reach. The wire has a bit of a hook on it and I drew out no algae.


This pipe worked fine for the last two years and all spring during the major rains. A pipe leads from the outlet to a creek, about 100 feet away. The thing is they have been working on our back stop. They have been running over the wet muddy ground that pipe is buried in all summer. I'm thinking they crushed it and then the algae and debris could clog it up. Open and free flowing no way.

What do you guys think?


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## wave warrior (Oct 2, 2005)

id sat they crushed it!!! how deep is it buried?? i would call them and let them know they may have damaged it...likely you will need to drain pond some and replace it


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## garryc (Jan 21, 2006)

I think they used that corrugated garbage when they put it in. At the point they were driving it can't be that deep, maybe 12 inches or so. The drain is from the top of the pond and it goes down hill about 13 feet vertical. 


I figure for now to dig a trench across its path part way down, then just cut a section out and let it drain over the surface, No erosion issues here.


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## [email protected] (Dec 22, 2006)

3/8" cable with a loop on the end hooked to a drill will work like a roto-rooter. Should have been double wall but if not, and it's crushed, pretty easy fix renting a trencher and running a new pipe rather than trying to find the crushed section and patching.


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## garryc (Jan 21, 2006)

Well, supposedly. Except telling the executive board members something is like talking to a wall. It might take 6 months to get it through. We are in freeze up with this before they do anything but talk, Heck, it took 3-1/2 months to get the pond rake. The pond is going to spill over the side for this winter. 

People use that cheap corrugated crap for everything. It is not suitable for many applications. To rent a ditch witch and run a work party, then put the cheapest pipe you can find in the ground is plum stupid. It is easy to crush and it has all those grooves to grab debris.


In my case we need to replace it with 6" PVC sewer pipe. The joints would be glued together. When the pond suddenly raises in a big storm like it does the 6" pipe will be better able to handle it than that corrugated crap. The drain will be 6" rather than functionally 3.5 inches and will have smooth sides so anything that does get in can be moved along. Also, when the pipe is running near capacity it will increase its flow rate because it will now siphon due to the drop. It will continue that siphon until the inlet is above water.


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## [email protected] (Dec 22, 2006)

The stuff I used is black, corrugated but it is twice as heavy and smooth inside. It is tougher than pvc sewer pipe and a little less rigid. Get it at a place that specializes in drainage...not a big box.


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## garryc (Jan 21, 2006)

So you used HDPE type S pipe. What did that cost?


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## wave warrior (Oct 2, 2005)

4" corrogated 12" down??? its crushed!! get 6" schedule 40...12" down will freeze unless there as alot of fall to prevent any standing water so go deeper if you can!!!


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## garryc (Jan 21, 2006)

About 13 feet of fall in around 100-125 feet


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## [email protected] (Dec 22, 2006)

Garry, I'm not sure what is was called my notes were poor here's what I noted: 8" 4 cor. 2 sol.&an.grd 199.72, 13.48 tax"

Price was $199.72 plus tax in 2003, 20' lengths of 8", 4 EA single wall, and 2 each of the doublewall. The double wall was $43.50 EA. I think I bought it from Advanced Drainage Solutions (ADS). I used doublewall at the inlet and outlet. The rest was buried 4-8 ft. deep. The single wall was fairly heavy compared to the big box stuff.


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