If you have a sunken patio, chances are when it rains that your patio will fill up with water. It may even be an eyesore in your yard or even cause damage to your home and belongings!
Most people don’t realize that the ground underneath their sunken patio isn’t always well-drained. If this happens, water can collect and make it very difficult for you to get in or out of the house.
If you want to fix this problem yourself, there are a few things you can do. This article will show you how to drain water from a sunken patio so that it doesn’t ruin your property or stop you from having a fun-filled day.
How To Drain Water From A Sunken Patio?
A sunken patio is a frustrating problem for many homeowners. This happens when the dirt in your yard has started to shift over time, causing it to be lower than usual or sinking down at one end of your patio.
There are many ways you can try and fix this problem but oftentimes these methods require special equipment that not all people have access to.
Connect To Storm Drainage System
One effective way that does not involve machinery would be adding something known as an ‘S’ pipe into the stormwater drainage system near where the low spot on your patio occurs.
Inserting this pipe could help get rid of excess water allowing everything to dry out easier.
S-pipes are very effective in moving large volumes of water quickly.
You do not need to spend a lot of money on equipment or machinery if you use this method. You can also make your own s-pipe system with PVC piping, which is very cost-efficient and easy to set up as well!
Just follow the instructions below:
- Cut holes through bricks at both ends; place one end into storm drain and the other near low spot (can be connected later).
- Make two straight cuts along sides of pipe for bends that will allow it fit within brick cavity – repeat on opposite side.
- Set pipes between bricks – these should push against inside wall creating ‘U’ shape; use adhesive to secure.
- Make ‘U’ shaped bends by cutting out small pieces of pipe and gluing them back in place to create a smooth lean curve; make sure joints are sealed with PVC primer & cement.
This method can also work for dry spots if they’re due to incorrect grading or soil compaction instead of actual rainfall like yours is most likely caused by!
Water will flow towards the storm drain, removing excess water from your patio!
A Drainage Trench
A drainage trench can be made and improve the ability for water to drain from your sunken patio.
This can be done using trenches around the perimeter or in conjunction with installing an underground sump pump system that will send collected water away from your home.
Before digging, contact local utility agencies to ensure you are not disrupting any buried cables, and always use caution when working near utility lines so as not to damage them.
If one side of your sunken patio has significantly more rainfall than another due to being higher up on the sloping ground, filling it with sand or gravel may help solve this problem by making sure all areas have equal depth levels.
For smaller spaces between concrete pavers, fill the space with sand or gravel to even out the surface. You can use a plastic trowel for this process, but it must be done before the ground freezes so that you do not damage your patio’s foundation.
If all of these solutions have been exhausted and there is still too much water on your patio, consider digging down further until you reach better draining soil conditions.
Repairing any existing cracked concrete slab first will help hold more weight without risking additional fractures developing as you dig into deeper areas near your home’s foundation walls.
Ensure adequate drainage points are created by removing some soil from low-lying areas while filling in higher spots as needed if they’re compacted enough to support heavier weights like cars, furniture, or garden equipment.
Can I Drill Holes In Concrete For drainage?
The answer to this question is yes you can drill holes in concrete for drainage, but there are some things that must be taken into consideration first.
There are two types of drilling methods one being wet and dry options where either water or dust comes out after the drilling process has been completed. Each type will depend on what job needs to be done around your home.
Can You Put a Soakaway Under a Patio?
It is not advised as the water would have nowhere to go. If the main drain from your house backs onto this area, it may be worth speaking with an engineer as there are ways around it.
In most cases, however, we do not advise putting in a soakaway under patios due to lack of drainage space and risk of flooding, etc on surrounding properties if anything goes wrong with the system.
Conclusion
In order to drain water from a sunken patio, the first step is to identify why it has filled up in the first place. If you’re not sure what caused this issue, we suggest contacting a professional who can inspect your property and provide an accurate diagnosis.
Once they have assessed the situation, they will be able to recommend or offer solutions for how best to fix it.
In some cases, filling up holes with sand may be enough while other times drilling drainage systems might be necessary.
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