This absolutely works. I did it in my yard several years ago. Problem solved. I saw it even my parents do it when I was young and I'm 63 in the meantime. Old ideas still work. Greetings from Belgium 🇧🇪🇧🇪🇧🇪🇧🇪
Hello Belgium! I grew up in the 60's and 70's in New England, USA, and yes! those old timers had great methods and knew so many clever tricks. I love nothing more than finding the rare 'grumpy old man' who says, "Nah, you don't need all that, let me show you how..." out comes whatever tool is needed, and in no time... problem solved - always an inexpensive fix and sometimes free, or as they say, "Diggin's free!" I fear we are losing our connection to those incredible people and are failing to garner and pass on their knowledge in favor of big box stores, fancy solutions, and paying exorbitant contractor pricing, often with inferior results.
Thanks for bringing this to us. I'm a geologist and am embarrassed I never thought of this. For everyone poo-pooing: it's not the volume of the hole that removes water, it's that the hole allows water to reach a more permeable soil layer and disperse within it.
@@lolwtnick4362 Certainly if the water table in your area of concern is effectively at the surface then this wouldn't work. But then again you also must live on the edge of a swamp, so there's that.
@@MsOhinds Hard for me to say definitively. How deep is your leech field? Do you know exactly where it is to avoid hitting it? What type of soil is in your yard? Have you done a percolation test? I suppose a risk could be you flooding your leech field with ground water and it backflowing into your septic tank. The primary benefit of these holes is in areas where the surface layers of soil have low permeability so water pools on the surface while it slowly drains away. Think compacted soils and clays. If you can penetrate that layer and allow the water to reach a more permeable layer (sand or gravel?) then the water will have a faster path to the water table. If you have standing water because your soil is already saturated and the water table is high in your area, then the benefit might not be there. I live in NW Florida nowadays and my soil is very sandy. During heavy rainfall I get pools of water that measure over a foot deep, but it drains within an hour or two, so putting these in doesn't seem necessary for me. If I had standing water or saturated soil a day later? I'd try.
Dug two holes right underneath my side gate leading out of the backyard to the driveway - was flooding so bad that water was getting into the garage and you had to step over a huge puddle just to get out the gate! unfortunately two holes at 24 inches was not enough...so I dug two more on either side of them, this time at 36 inches - like magic, no more pooling! even in a tight space I found room to dig the necessary holes and now, even after HEAVY rainfall, the water is gone is less than ten minutes, and there's no more flooding in the garage. GREAT solution for when you can't run a proper french drain out to the street or somewhere else.
@@appledrains I have a similar problem. Rainwater runs down my drive. Some goes into my shed while the majority runs over a bank next to it. The bank is quickly eroding. I won’t even talk about the damage it’s done to my shed. Do you think vertical drains might work on this heavy water run off?
You are my hero!!! Im in los angeles and we are experiencing biblical rainfall this week, if i had not done the vertical drains im almost certain our home would have flooded last night. Rain started at 2pm and rained all night till 11am this morning, and just started coming down again, and is expected all week due to pineapple express. Thank you so very much for this video, i would love to buy you a beer!!! 🙏
I love your personality and attitude! You seem like such a chill guy and I love the positivity! Keep up the great work. It’s awesome to see someone in an industry continuing to learn and try new things to improve their craft!
I appreciate you so much Mr. for sharing this video and sharing this information that you found out. Something has been telling me to dig a deep ditch like strip on the side of my driveway and my driveway and my backyard and my neighbor’s backyard to keep the rain water from his’ yard from flowing into my backyard. Now I run across your video, and I am so ecstatic and thankful and praising the LORD our God for allowing me to see your video. I APPRECIATE YOU SHARING!
This is the 3rd INCREDIBLY useful and directly relevant solution to my water/plumbing issues I’ve learned from this channel. You sir, have saved my thousands and thousands of dollars in the last 3 years. Thank you.
I use a wider hole to make the fabric and gravel install easier. Used this trick for a long time. Really works. Don’t necessarily need the fabric but last longer if you do.
Living here in New England and having a swamp in my backyard when it rains heavy. I dug two deep holes in two separate locations where the water pooled. I used gravel also and used 4” PVC pipe covered by fabric sock that went over the top and a drain cap. I noticed that the yard drained alot faster. Remember to clean the fabric off now and then or use weed block material on top. Thanks for the video.
@@GURRZILLAx Yes I did. I made two such holes and so far they seem to work pretty good. I got those 4” drain slotted caps for the tops. Just remember to clean them once and a while due to sand and debris on the tops of them.
@@GURRZILLAx hi It’s a mixture below the top soil of red dirt,sand and clay and a natural spring down about 12 feet underground. It drains better now with the two drain pipes I put in. I aerate the yard every year which helps also.
I was considering a dry well at a spot in my back yard, but I think I'll try this when it gets warmer as it seems much easier and probably a lot more effective for working around the tree roots.
If you've got a post hole borer do a deeper hole. Down here in New Zealand we use these drains quite a bit, nothing wrong with a 250mm (10 inch) by 1.5m (60 inches or 5 foot) to 3m (10 foot) , less holes but deeper. We just use the rock no sacking. We have a lot of clay.
@@GURRZILLAx In Virginia Beach as well, Birchwood area. With the rain we had the past few days, Ive got a couple of ponds in my backyard. I'm going to try the vertical wells.
I've seen this used in UK. Either fill with 2mm pea shingle or for clay use limestone chips-apparently the limestone slowly dissolves and converts the clay to loam (so I've heard) which will naturally improve the drainage
I didn’t think to check after the flash flooding we had but still decided to do another one in the front yard & near the rain barrels & bought more rocks…I have faith! 😁
Very useful in all kinds of weird spots that hold water. You NEED THE FABRIC ... just filling the hole with rocks will simply silt up over time and you will be back at square one. That barrier to keep the dirt, mud separated from the rocks, is very important.
@@Zeppled23 I usually Bought large rolls, but it isn't like the 'Home Depot' weed mat. It is a Woven Geo- Textile it is heavier than weed mat but it lets water flow through nicely. I used it on Retaining walls of Timbers, Lock Blocks (they have pins), every job is different, but especially if you are using rocks or perforated pipe it is imperative to keep the soil from getting to the rock as it will just fill all the spaces around the rocks and it is like solid ground. Did for 30 years and learned from a good teacher but also learned a lot along the way. Walls and features are not cheap if you want them to last for 35-50 years, seen many retaining walls looking pretty sad. Also for areas that hold water, like the video, here in Fl they build so close that there is a swamp between most houses during the rainy season. We would dig trenches the size of the Vertical drains we were going to use plus 6 to 12 inches depends on where the water is sitting. You line the trenches with that Geo Cloth with enough to fold over and pin in place afterwards. Put a base of course builders sand then install the vertical drains (google it) and back fill around the pipe as you go and it has fittings, I usually duct taped them so they never come apart. You more or less are making the drain like a hand shape that creates fissures for the water to drain away and hook to any solid pipe to flow away ore perf pipe if you have no place to dump. ( They use it a lot on golf courses on the tee or hole area to keep them dry) Then fold that cloth over all the sand and pipe and I would use ground staples to hold the flap tightly in place, and top with some soil and sod.Sorry so long need to right a book. There is so much to building something that will last.
Awesome! Thank you so much!!!! All i had at the time was weed barrier and i actually tested this barrier beforehand to see if water could seep through and the water would NOT so i cut slits in the barrier. We will see what happens. Again, thank you so much for your reply!!😊
You are a VERY good teacher I also appreciate your practicality and cost-awareness ! We DO have drainage problems A retaining wall and grading has been estimated at $10,000 I have NOTHING TO LOSE by trying this ! Just to see I'm subscribing 👊🏽
I used what I call is a French Trench. Like a French Drain just no exit. My neighbor over watered and it fixed my ponding in July and August. With little rain.
This sounds like exactly what I need. My hardpan is so hard I couldn't even drive a screw in anchor into it without the metal giving first. I always get wet spots in the spring as my yard has zero slope, and I was doubtful I could have even gotten slope to drain a french drain. I'll try this soon, but it makes sense that it should work, and it's so cheap and easy that I don't mind trying just to find out.
Thanks for this! I have a place by my driveway that holds water after a rain. I tried digging a small drainage ditch that runs out to the large ditch that runs along the front of my yard to help it drain. However, it always gets clogged up with leaves (have 2 LARGE oak trees in my front yard that drop a LOT of leaves every fall). I may get out there and try this method to see if it works.
Did this years ago. I should have made a video 10 plus years ago. I used perforated drain pipe and wrapped it in weed block. I went down about four feet on two in my backyard. Put a drain cap on them like a normal drain would have exposed. My rear yard drains rather quick allowing the water to percolate into the soil. Asked a friend who is a landscaper about over saturating the ground, he said where I live it would never happen.
While watching this I was thinking the same thing, why not use a perforated pvc straight down in the hole to ensure no collapsing of the soil or disturbing the rocks inside. Also what you mentioned about going 4 feet makes even more sense to me.
I did basically the same thing but drilled holes in a piece of 2" pvc, wrapped it in landscape felt placed it in the hole and put gravel between the felt and the dirt. My soil is a sandy loam and just the one drains a swimming pool sized(only 3-4 inches deep) in minutes after the rain stops that used to stand in my driveway for days to a week. The puddle receives a considerable constant inflow and outflow of water while it is raining, but this doesn't seem to impact the drains performance. I have been using it for two years and have never recieved a greater benefit for 30 minutes of easy work in my considerably l9ng life.
Wow, this is awesome! I’ve been dealing with water issues at the top of my yard which has resulted in flooding in my lower yard. I’m thinking these may work at the top of my yard to capture a lot of the water runoff!
I've been thinking about trying this in my backyard for about two years, but I hadn't decided between a few large diameter holes, like you did, or many smaller holes using the longest drill-bit auger I can find. I have seen some that are 2 inches in diameter and 30 inches long. The main thing was to get through the hardpan as you said, but seeing you put that fabric in there made me realize that would be really hard to do with the smaller holes. Maybe the larger ones are the way to go. I'm on the east coast in Canada, and we have a lot of clay in our soil, so the fabric does extend the life of the drain, but it also makes it drain slowly. I had the pleasure of digging up the previous owners no-fabric gravel-only curtain drain, and the soil had completely filled in any gaps around the gravel. It was just very rocky soil at that point and did nothing to drain.
Better yet, consider a cheep power auger like the Harbor Freight Predator. I got mine for around $169 on sale and with coupons. This little thing has been a workhorse for us for setting fence posts, planting trees, and drainage projects.
I did a quick search for the best material and it is “non-woven geotextile”. Non-woven lets water flow through better than woven. This stuff is usually sold in big rolls but the smallest one I could find online was 3’ X 25’ for about $30.00. Probably will settle for the weed mat stuff at the local store.
OMG!! This is genius!!My gutter drains directly into a grated drain in middle of my bricked patio. Whenever it rains hard, the drain can't handle the gutter's volume of water...It floods my patio & remaining water backs up against the foundation & drains into crawlspace under my house. It flows like a stream into a trench filled w rocks under the house.. Which keeps basement from flooding...My issue is the damp envronment will cause mold & a host of issues ..The patio drain isnt clogged ..its just not wide enough to handle the water...
Ive been doing this for years. I dig a 6' x 6' hole 5' to 7' deep till I hit shale. Fill the hole part way with gravel add a layer of landscape fabric, finish to the top with more gravel. Works like a bathtub drain. In PA we have a lot of shale. Other areas of the country might be different as to how deep you have to go.
Recently did this where a pool deck and house gutters had nowhere to go flooding the cellar. Dug a pit down to sand where the ground just sucked water up. Put the gutters into perferated pipe in the pit and filled to surface with pea gravel as a decorative rock garden that provides drainage between a concrete patio and a pool deck. Was a nightmare of a drainage situation that was fixed.with a simple technique and NO PUMPS!
I'm going to give it a shot. I've had 2 separate companies come out and quote me $2500 and $3900 for french drains. I have a fairly large area, so I am going to go with larger holes.
I’m so happy this video popped up. My property just holds water in the yard with massive rains. Weeping tile can’t move it anywhere. We just installed a sump pump so we’re waiting to see how it responds. Will try this after I get city to look at the yard for wires or pipes. The water stands near the home. Is there anything I should be concerned about? Subscribed!
Here in RM (Chile) a farmer thought a similar idea, and used TNT to break hardpan sections and plant apple trees (filling the holes with fresh soil) eventually over time the hardpan regenerated and the trees died before entering full production, they dug and found the roots completely surrounded by the hardpan. I´m not saying this metod didn´t work, but depending on your soil hardpan characteristics your mileage will vary on how long lasting this solution will work
I’d be interested in a follow up video on how these hold up. Did you notice a different with the weed barrier and the non barrier? Also has the gravel compacted leaving a divot where the holes are? Should I compact the gravel with a tamper?
I may have to try this soon (rezoning behind home for new construction that may cause flooding in back yard) so you have my many thanks for this idea to try!!!
Remember...before you dig....to always considet what utilitys may be hidden in the sub terrain....electrical cables, gas pipe, water pipe and drains etc
I tried this a couple years ago. Worked amazing. Went 4 ft down. Stopped working the second year. Hence im watching these videos again. Im gona dig it up and see why it stopped draining. Had to have clogged up somehow.
Wow, that's awesome, I'm definitely gonna give that a try. My back yard here in Virginia Beach, VA pools up with water after a heavy rain. Been looking for a cheap way to drain it, this is ideal for me. Thank you so much for sharing.
i grew up in VB - Thalia specifically. I could never dig a hole very deep without hitting water so I wouldn't think this would work where I lived. My backyard flooded all the time when it rained any significant amount. If you try it, I'd be interested to hear if it works for you. Digging holes with post hole diggers is pretty easy so I guess it's worth a shot to try, but I don't know where the water would go if there's already water down there. Good luck!
@@Valerie_BerettanelliThis was my question too - would it work in areas with a high water table? We live in a coastal area and hit water at probably only a foot or so. Also wondering if water would come back up through vertical drainage during high tides or heavy rains.
@@Valerie_Berettanelli I came across this video on Friday, live on the boarder of chesapeake and virginia beach, and gave it a try. did 5 drains according to the instructions in this video. I think it helped! a specific area up against our house looked like a bowl of soup after the the rain we got in the first half of last week, and now, it's dry, and i never really saw any rain accumulate during the rains on saturday. I think it's worth giving it a try. I dug about 2 feet down, found the hard pan he refers to in the video (clay that won't absorb water), and once I got past it and found water starting to accumulate, that's where I stopped and did the fabric/pebbles.
Very interesting and completely makes sense. Another thing I wished you had mentioned and more was changing the grade by adding soil in depression’s and grading high spots to divert water
@@appledrains thank you. tried to dig one today. went 40 inches down. used landscaping stuff then filled with rocks. didn't drain well. what type of wrap did you put in the hole?
@@appledrains that's funny because that is what I bought. Until 3 months ago I was working PT at Lowes LOL I was still in clay at 40" down. I will try to get farther. But my hand hole digger won't go much farther. Thanks
what do you think gravel is....crushed rock small stone go to a quarry and watch a rock crusher smash down rock into gravel such as 3/4 minus screened 3/4 or 1 inch, 2 1/2 3 inch etc. pea gravel gravel crusher dust (all the minus) is rock period. I have been an excavator and a drainage specialist for over 40 years. not bragging I just know because ive walked in those boots. his idea is like a manhole drain but much simpler and dirt cheap.What an awesome idea anyone can do. Round rock crushed rock w/o the minus all works the same. Cheers and spread the word. Good day
@@garykentner7557 I've been buying gravel and crushed stone for years and they are two different products on the invoice. That's like saying 1.5 " stone or 2.5" stone is gravel. You probably call concrete cement too. What I saw come out of the bag was stone and he can tell us what the product is called. I would never put gravel in a drainage trench, always crushed stone. I hope you do the same?
@@garykentner7557 I've been buying gravel and crushed stone for years and they are two different products on the invoice. If you put gravel in drainage trenches instead of crushed stone rapped in fabric, you are not the genius you think you are. Water moves through crushed stone a lot better than gravel. You probably also call concrete cement.
Hi Chuck. This solution has me thrilled to try it out. I'm in Wisconsin with serious clay soil just 6 inches down. There is nowhere to move my water without creating a problem for my neighbors. My back yard is a swamp after rain. How will I know I've dug deep enough in this type of soil and would it be a good idea for me to first put in a pvc pipe and fill that with rocks and maybe add an overflow cap?
I'm in Wisconsin and I am going to try sand mixed with the stone, fill the gaps to filter the dirt out. Tamp the gravel mix or pour some water to move the sand to fill the gaps completely. The hole may have to be 2 - 4 feet deep because of the clay. Good luck.
Totally depends on soil type and if you can get it deep enough to actually drain. Many places with solid clay you would have to go down 5 or more feet or may never punch through and you accomplished nothing. Right soil layers and it works great
This probably could be used with a circular grate also.my house was built in 1931 and there are colums with holes 3 ft lobg in back yard. I think there was another house, business here back in the day but. I find boulders and all kinds of huge 12 in wide, tall square stones buried in the ground..i use the grates to cover the holes of those post in the ground and collect some water..my backyard was flooding previously..
Great idea! Will this work in soil with a lot of clay, or will the clay prevent water from penetrating? I have a fairly large area in my backyard that pools water just like you were showing in your video.
I definitely plan on doing this. However my low spots also tend to not grow grass. If I do this and it helps with the water collection, what’s my next step?
If your problem is a fairly shallow and thin impermeable layer, is fine. if you're sitting on ledge, or 9+ feet of clay, it won' help at all. Either way, you probably ought to give some thought to where the water ends up going. A puddle is better than a sinkhole or a flooded basement. and if you waterlog the wrong hillside, you might wind up at the bottom of it.
I like the idea and will try this in my yard, but I don't know what part of the country you live in that you can buy corrugated pipe, two grates and two bags of stone for less than $10!
If your puddling is due to hardpan and not soil saturation it might do something, if you penetrate the hardpan. If it is due simply to the soil being saturated with water, then this won't work.
if its just saturated with water, no vertical,french drain will fix it, meaning that its at or near the water table and shouldnt have anything built on there in the first place.
We're on about a quarter acre in a city and I think I'd like to try this. Our back and side yards consistently pool water, especially after heavy rains. Is there a number of holes that would need to be put down per amount of land? How do you know if you've gone past the distance needed to be able to then pour the gravel? I'm not sure how deep ours would be. Thanks for the video. I've been looking for a solution that wouldn't require a large cost.
Is there a way to calculate how many drains and how far apart each would be needed for an area? Does installing a lot of these impact the integrity/safety of the ground? Tx.
Does it make a difference whether you add the fabric or not? Thanks again for the informative video. I've been wondering how to handle this small puddle for years. This is great!
A layer of clay that is very hard, plant roots usually won't penetrate it. Sometimes almost as hard as concrete. Often found in areas that were plowed many times over the years, so typically a little deeper than the plow reached.
how do you know if younhave dug deep enough to get past hardpan or into the hardpan? i live in MD/DC area and have dug about 23 inches and noticed a soil type change from a moist topsoil to a dry sandish like layer. is that the hardpan? any info would be greatly appreciated.
You have to be kidding me!!! I’ve been living with a soggy yard for over 20 years! This is the first time I’ve seen anything like this! I have a few questions though. I have a couple acres, what’s the recommendation for the number of holes and how far apart should they be?
We live near a creek that floods into our backyard occasionally. Water gets into the lower level of our split level home. Would this work if we dug deeper holes? Thank you!!
we have a LOT of flooding. estimate 300 sq ft. this would be a lot of work but how many holes would be needed? I may try this in the worse areas - about 50sq ft.
Sounds like a good idea for me to try. 1 side has a ‘bowl’ and the water sits. Grass does not grow very well when the water sits for a day or 4 so I’ll give it a go. The gravel will allow the water to flow and keep the dirt out. The top plug will do fine and the roots will grow through the fabric. 😊
The water has to have somewhere to drain down. If the water table is at or just below the surface, these won't work. You'll just have a deep hole full of water. Simple to check. Just dig a hole and wait. I'm guessing yours will have water seeping in quite quickly.
Hard pan is just a dense, impermeable layer of soil at some point below the topsoil. That would be your caliche layer. You'll need to dig through it, unless you topsoil in very thick.
This absolutely works. I did it in my yard several years ago. Problem solved. I saw it even my parents do it when I was young and I'm 63 in the meantime. Old ideas still work. Greetings from Belgium 🇧🇪🇧🇪🇧🇪🇧🇪
Hello Belgium! I grew up in the 60's and 70's in New England, USA, and yes! those old timers had great methods and knew so many clever tricks. I love nothing more than finding the rare 'grumpy old man' who says, "Nah, you don't need all that, let me show you how..." out comes whatever tool is needed, and in no time... problem solved - always an inexpensive fix and sometimes free, or as they say, "Diggin's free!" I fear we are losing our connection to those incredible people and are failing to garner and pass on their knowledge in favor of big box stores, fancy solutions, and paying exorbitant contractor pricing, often with inferior results.
Thanks for bringing this to us. I'm a geologist and am embarrassed I never thought of this.
For everyone poo-pooing: it's not the volume of the hole that removes water, it's that the hole allows water to reach a more permeable soil layer and disperse within it.
the water table says no
@@lolwtnick4362 Certainly if the water table in your area of concern is effectively at the surface then this wouldn't work. But then again you also must live on the edge of a swamp, so there's that.
What about near the drainage field of our septic tank. Would that cause any issues?
@@MsOhinds Hard for me to say definitively. How deep is your leech field? Do you know exactly where it is to avoid hitting it? What type of soil is in your yard? Have you done a percolation test? I suppose a risk could be you flooding your leech field with ground water and it backflowing into your septic tank.
The primary benefit of these holes is in areas where the surface layers of soil have low permeability so water pools on the surface while it slowly drains away. Think compacted soils and clays. If you can penetrate that layer and allow the water to reach a more permeable layer (sand or gravel?) then the water will have a faster path to the water table. If you have standing water because your soil is already saturated and the water table is high in your area, then the benefit might not be there.
I live in NW Florida nowadays and my soil is very sandy. During heavy rainfall I get pools of water that measure over a foot deep, but it drains within an hour or two, so putting these in doesn't seem necessary for me. If I had standing water or saturated soil a day later? I'd try.
Does limestone chippings fill have any chance of working to improve the drainage? Especially if you can't get below the clay layer?
Dug two holes right underneath my side gate leading out of the backyard to the driveway - was flooding so bad that water was getting into the garage and you had to step over a huge puddle just to get out the gate! unfortunately two holes at 24 inches was not enough...so I dug two more on either side of them, this time at 36 inches - like magic, no more pooling! even in a tight space I found room to dig the necessary holes and now, even after HEAVY rainfall, the water is gone is less than ten minutes, and there's no more flooding in the garage. GREAT solution for when you can't run a proper french drain out to the street or somewhere else.
@@gallagherhelen good job
@@appledrains I have a similar problem. Rainwater runs down my drive. Some goes into my shed while the majority runs over a bank next to it. The bank is quickly eroding. I won’t even talk about the damage it’s done to my shed. Do you think vertical drains might work on this heavy water run off?
@@rosew.1728 it might but also might need catch basin with line to street
Where does the water go ?
You are my hero!!! Im in los angeles and we are experiencing biblical rainfall this week, if i had not done the vertical drains im almost certain our home would have flooded last night. Rain started at 2pm and rained all night till 11am this morning, and just started coming down again, and is expected all week due to pineapple express. Thank you so very much for this video, i would love to buy you a beer!!! 🙏
That’s what Supers are for
😀
Good to hear you saved the house with your work
Thanks
Chuck
Im in Bakersfield, and my side of the house is quickly accumulating water. Once it dries up im going to do this
Not sure which will come first, California getting washed away, or them deciding the term "pineapple express" is racist
i'll take the beer if mr. apple drains doesn't want any beer. 😅
I love your personality and attitude! You seem like such a chill guy and I love the positivity! Keep up the great work. It’s awesome to see someone in an industry continuing to learn and try new things to improve their craft!
I appreciate you so much Mr. for sharing this video and sharing this information that you found out. Something has been telling me to dig a deep ditch like strip on the side of my driveway and my driveway and my backyard and my neighbor’s backyard to keep the rain water from his’ yard from flowing into my backyard. Now I run across your video, and I am so ecstatic and thankful and praising the LORD our God for allowing me to see your video. I APPRECIATE YOU SHARING!
Hi Chuck I put in 7 vertical drains in my yard a month ago. The remnants of Debbie past by Ottawa today no water pooling Wow thanks
Thanks for shsting. I live in Montresl and Ineill never forget Debbie.. my basement was floided..will tty this!!!
This is the 3rd INCREDIBLY useful and directly relevant solution to my water/plumbing issues I’ve learned from this channel.
You sir, have saved my thousands and thousands of dollars in the last 3 years. Thank you.
I use a wider hole to make the fabric and gravel install easier. Used this trick for a long time. Really works. Don’t necessarily need the fabric but last longer if you do.
what type of fabric do you use? thanks for any reply!
I was literally wondering the same thing
Thanks for the common sense project! Put 4 of these in today. Already working and looking great; forgot how much "fun" post-hole digging can be! 😆
Living here in New England and having a swamp in my backyard when it rains heavy. I dug two deep holes in two separate locations where the water pooled. I used gravel also and used 4” PVC pipe covered by fabric sock that went over the top and a drain cap. I noticed that the yard drained alot faster. Remember to clean the fabric off now and then or use weed block material on top. Thanks for the video.
Did you put the ovc pipe in the hole vertical?
@@GURRZILLAx Yes I did. I made two such holes and so far they seem to work pretty good. I got those 4” drain slotted caps for the tops. Just remember to clean them once and a while due to sand and debris on the tops of them.
@@scotsmanofnewengland7713 do you have clay in your yard as well?
@@GURRZILLAx hi It’s a mixture below the top soil of red dirt,sand and clay and a natural spring down about 12 feet underground. It drains better now with the two drain pipes I put in. I aerate the yard every year which helps also.
@@GURRZILLAxyes I did and it works good.
I was considering a dry well at a spot in my back yard, but I think I'll try this when it gets warmer as it seems much easier and probably a lot more effective for working around the tree roots.
Sometimes the easiest and cheapest solutions are the best solutions.
If you've got a post hole borer do a deeper hole.
Down here in New Zealand we use these drains quite a bit, nothing wrong with a 250mm (10 inch) by 1.5m (60 inches or 5 foot) to 3m (10 foot) , less holes but deeper.
We just use the rock no sacking.
We have a lot of clay.
I’m in Texas and also have clay. I wondered how efficient this would be.
I have clay in my yard as well. I’m in Virginia Beach. Since y’all have clay, does it still work?
@@GURRZILLAx
In Virginia Beach as well, Birchwood area. With the rain we had the past few days, Ive got a couple of ponds in my backyard.
I'm going to try the vertical wells.
Kia ora! Cheers.
I've seen this used in UK. Either fill with 2mm pea shingle or for clay use limestone chips-apparently the limestone slowly dissolves and converts the clay to loam (so I've heard) which will naturally improve the drainage
My jaw is just dropping & I’m over the moon to do this vs the project I was dreading to do today….I AM SO EXCITED. 💜💜💜💜
How did it go? The side of the house stays soaked after raining, no grass really grows. I was outside today trying to figure out what to do!
I didn’t think to check after the flash flooding we had but still decided to do another one in the front yard & near the rain barrels & bought more rocks…I have faith! 😁
@@RottieMomCreationshas it rained again?
Very useful in all kinds of weird spots that hold water. You NEED THE FABRIC ... just filling the hole with rocks will simply silt up over time and you will be back at square one. That barrier to keep the dirt, mud separated from the rocks, is very important.
What type of fabric? Weed barrier? Water needs to get through the fabric, correct?
@@Zeppled23 I usually Bought large rolls, but it isn't like the 'Home Depot' weed mat. It is a Woven Geo- Textile it is heavier than weed mat but it lets water flow through nicely. I used it on Retaining walls of Timbers, Lock Blocks (they have pins), every job is different, but especially if you are using rocks or perforated pipe it is imperative to keep the soil from getting to the rock as it will just fill all the spaces around the rocks and it is like solid ground. Did for 30 years and learned from a good teacher but also learned a lot along the way. Walls and features are not cheap if you want them to last for 35-50 years, seen many retaining walls looking pretty sad. Also for areas that hold water, like the video, here in Fl they build so close that there is a swamp between most houses during the rainy season. We would dig trenches the size of the Vertical drains we were going to use plus 6 to 12 inches depends on where the water is sitting. You line the trenches with that Geo Cloth with enough to fold over and pin in place afterwards. Put a base of course builders sand then install the vertical drains (google it) and back fill around the pipe as you go and it has fittings, I usually duct taped them so they never come apart. You more or less are making the drain like a hand shape that creates fissures for the water to drain away and hook to any solid pipe to flow away ore perf pipe if you have no place to dump. ( They use it a lot on golf courses on the tee or hole area to keep them dry) Then fold that cloth over all the sand and pipe and I would use ground staples to hold the flap tightly in place, and top with some soil and sod.Sorry so long need to right a book. There is so much to building something that will last.
Awesome! Thank you so much!!!! All i had at the time was weed barrier and i actually tested this barrier beforehand to see if water could seep through and the water would NOT so i cut slits in the barrier. We will see what happens. Again, thank you so much for your reply!!😊
You are a VERY good teacher
I also appreciate your practicality and cost-awareness !
We DO have drainage problems
A retaining wall and grading has been estimated at $10,000
I have NOTHING TO LOSE by trying this !
Just to see
I'm subscribing 👊🏽
I used what I call is a French Trench. Like a French Drain just no exit. My neighbor over watered and it fixed my ponding in July and August. With little rain.
Man…I am totally going to do this. Thanks so much for sharing!!!
Seems kind of like a mini dry well... worth a try if you're already at a very low point in your yard and are having trouble going horizontally
Here in PNW the rain would have a good long laugh at that size hole. But the concept itself makes sense.
This sounds like exactly what I need. My hardpan is so hard I couldn't even drive a screw in anchor into it without the metal giving first. I always get wet spots in the spring as my yard has zero slope, and I was doubtful I could have even gotten slope to drain a french drain. I'll try this soon, but it makes sense that it should work, and it's so cheap and easy that I don't mind trying just to find out.
Thanks for this!
I have a place by my driveway that holds water after a rain. I tried digging a small drainage ditch that runs out to the large ditch that runs along the front of my yard to help it drain. However, it always gets clogged up with leaves (have 2 LARGE oak trees in my front yard that drop a LOT of leaves every fall). I may get out there and try this method to see if it works.
Did this years ago. I should have made a video 10 plus years ago.
I used perforated drain pipe and wrapped it in weed block. I went down about four feet on two in my backyard. Put a drain cap on them like a normal drain would have exposed. My rear yard drains rather quick allowing the water to percolate into the soil. Asked a friend who is a landscaper about over saturating the ground, he said where I live it would never happen.
While watching this I was thinking the same thing, why not use a perforated pvc straight down in the hole to ensure no collapsing of the soil or disturbing the rocks inside. Also what you mentioned about going 4 feet makes even more sense to me.
Did you put gravel in the drain pipe?
@@Jim_Bob_Farm No. Gravel or rock will displace the volume of water the pipe can take in.
I did basically the same thing but drilled holes in a piece of 2" pvc, wrapped it in landscape felt placed it in the hole and put gravel between the felt and the dirt. My soil is a sandy loam and just the one drains a swimming pool sized(only 3-4 inches deep) in minutes after the rain stops that used to stand in my driveway for days to a week. The puddle receives a considerable constant inflow and outflow of water while it is raining, but this doesn't seem to impact the drains performance. I have been using it for two years and have never recieved a greater benefit for 30 minutes of easy work in my considerably l9ng life.
Thanks for sharing I was thinking the same idea, appreciate your confirmation. 😊
This might actually work for me cause where we live it's literally sand after the hard pan. Thanks for the excellent video man!
Wow, this is awesome!
I’ve been dealing with water issues at the top of my yard which has resulted in flooding in my lower yard.
I’m thinking these may work at the top of my yard to capture a lot of the water runoff!
I've been thinking about trying this in my backyard for about two years, but I hadn't decided between a few large diameter holes, like you did, or many smaller holes using the longest drill-bit auger I can find. I have seen some that are 2 inches in diameter and 30 inches long. The main thing was to get through the hardpan as you said, but seeing you put that fabric in there made me realize that would be really hard to do with the smaller holes. Maybe the larger ones are the way to go.
I'm on the east coast in Canada, and we have a lot of clay in our soil, so the fabric does extend the life of the drain, but it also makes it drain slowly. I had the pleasure of digging up the previous owners no-fabric gravel-only curtain drain, and the soil had completely filled in any gaps around the gravel. It was just very rocky soil at that point and did nothing to drain.
Put a 40-50 gallon flow well it’s way better
@@stavroslask1292 Thanks for the suggestion! Looks like a dry well, but better.
Better yet, consider a cheep power auger like the Harbor Freight Predator. I got mine for around $169 on sale and with coupons. This little thing has been a workhorse for us for setting fence posts, planting trees, and drainage projects.
I did a quick search for the best material and it is “non-woven geotextile”. Non-woven lets water flow through better than woven.
This stuff is usually sold in big rolls but the smallest one I could find online was 3’ X 25’ for about $30.00. Probably will settle for the weed mat stuff at the local store.
OMG!! This is genius!!My gutter drains directly into a grated drain in middle of my bricked patio. Whenever it rains hard, the drain can't handle the gutter's volume of water...It floods my patio & remaining water backs up against the foundation & drains into crawlspace under my house. It flows like a stream into a trench filled w rocks under the house.. Which keeps basement from flooding...My issue is the damp envronment will cause mold & a host of issues ..The patio drain isnt clogged ..its just not wide enough to handle the water...
Ive been doing this for years. I dig a 6' x 6' hole 5' to 7' deep till I hit shale. Fill the hole part way with gravel add a layer of landscape fabric, finish to the top with more gravel. Works like a bathtub drain. In PA we have a lot of shale. Other areas of the country might be different as to how deep you have to go.
Recently did this where a pool deck and house gutters had nowhere to go flooding the cellar. Dug a pit down to sand where the ground just sucked water up. Put the gutters into perferated pipe in the pit and filled to surface with pea gravel as a decorative rock garden that provides drainage between a concrete patio and a pool deck. Was a nightmare of a drainage situation that was fixed.with a simple technique and NO PUMPS!
Cool! We're never too old to learn something new.
I was seriously just thinking about pulling my auger out and trying this yesterday and this popped up!!!
Great idea. Thank you. Where I live there's clay just 12 inches down. I'm going to have to dig through that clay.
I'm going to give it a shot. I've had 2 separate companies come out and quote me $2500 and $3900 for french drains. I have a fairly large area, so I am going to go with larger holes.
how did it go?
@@chrislyonm didn't help in the least
I’m so happy this video popped up. My property just holds water in the yard with massive rains. Weeping tile can’t move it anywhere. We just installed a sump pump so we’re waiting to see how it responds. Will try this after I get city to look at the yard for wires or pipes. The water stands near the home. Is there anything I should be concerned about? Subscribed!
Here in RM (Chile) a farmer thought a similar idea, and used TNT to break hardpan sections and plant apple trees (filling the holes with fresh soil) eventually over time the hardpan regenerated and the trees died before entering full production, they dug and found the roots completely surrounded by the hardpan.
I´m not saying this metod didn´t work, but depending on your soil hardpan characteristics your mileage will vary on how long lasting this solution will work
Many years ago my lawn used to get sodden, and that was ideal for moss. So I dug several of these around the lawn. We call them soakaways.
Hi Graham
Watch for follow up video about soakaway
I’d be interested in a follow up video on how these hold up. Did you notice a different with the weed barrier and the non barrier? Also has the gravel compacted leaving a divot where the holes are? Should I compact the gravel with a tamper?
In Louisiana we have a high water table and get lots of rain. Im sceptical of this but for the cost its worth a try.
Did it work?
In my yard if I go below the hardpan, I am into the water table. It's only about 30 inches. Mike from MASS.
I may have to try this soon (rezoning behind home for new construction that may cause flooding in back yard) so you have my many thanks for this idea to try!!!
I wish we had soil like that! Ours is filled with rocks of all sizes in CT. I’ve dug holes like that for fence posts but it takes all day!
I believe this is called a dry well. It is commonly used for routing gutter spouts fro the foundation away from the house.
Remember...before you dig....to always considet what utilitys may be hidden in the sub terrain....electrical cables, gas pipe, water pipe and drains etc
I tried this a couple years ago. Worked amazing. Went 4 ft down. Stopped working the second year. Hence im watching these videos again. Im gona dig it up and see why it stopped draining. Had to have clogged up somehow.
Let’s us know what you find!
Wow, that's awesome, I'm definitely gonna give that a try. My back yard here in Virginia Beach, VA pools up with water after a heavy rain. Been looking for a cheap way to drain it, this is ideal for me. Thank you so much for sharing.
i grew up in VB - Thalia specifically. I could never dig a hole very deep without hitting water so I wouldn't think this would work where I lived. My backyard flooded all the time when it rained any significant amount. If you try it, I'd be interested to hear if it works for you. Digging holes with post hole diggers is pretty easy so I guess it's worth a shot to try, but I don't know where the water would go if there's already water down there. Good luck!
@@Valerie_BerettanelliThis was my question too - would it work in areas with a high water table? We live in a coastal area and hit water at probably only a foot or so. Also wondering if water would come back up through vertical drainage during high tides or heavy rains.
@@Valerie_Berettanelli I came across this video on Friday, live on the boarder of chesapeake and virginia beach, and gave it a try. did 5 drains according to the instructions in this video. I think it helped! a specific area up against our house looked like a bowl of soup after the the rain we got in the first half of last week, and now, it's dry, and i never really saw any rain accumulate during the rains on saturday. I think it's worth giving it a try. I dug about 2 feet down, found the hard pan he refers to in the video (clay that won't absorb water), and once I got past it and found water starting to accumulate, that's where I stopped and did the fabric/pebbles.
Very interesting and completely makes sense.
Another thing I wished you had mentioned and more was changing the grade by adding soil in depression’s and grading high spots to divert water
What kind of fabric did you use and what size stones did you use and when do you know when you hit hard pan in the hole thank bill
That is so simple and neat! I get puddles in the backyard, so I can just dig a cylinder down and put rocks in there that I already have.
Soo thankful..definitely doing this this weekend in my yard👍🏼
Definitely giving this a try. Here in the temperate rain forest of Appalachia I have water puddling in a couple of places. Thank you.
Good luck with your project
@@appledrains thank you. tried to dig one today. went 40 inches down. used landscaping stuff then filled with rocks. didn't drain well.
what type of wrap did you put in the hole?
I used StaGreen from Lowe’s. I hope you have success from your project
@@appledrains that's funny because that is what I bought. Until 3 months ago I was working PT at Lowes LOL
I was still in clay at 40" down. I will try to get farther. But my hand hole digger won't go much farther. Thanks
@@DavidMChampeau I understand. Sometimes it’s a slow drain. Here is really works great. Keep us posted
Great video Where does the water go ?
That wasn't gravel, it was crushed stone - a big difference. Great idea, I look forward to trying it because it makes sense to me.
what do you think gravel is....crushed rock small stone go to a quarry and watch a rock crusher smash down rock into gravel such as 3/4 minus screened 3/4 or 1 inch, 2 1/2 3 inch etc. pea gravel gravel crusher dust (all the minus) is rock period. I have been an excavator and a drainage specialist for over 40 years. not bragging I just know because ive walked in those boots. his idea is like a manhole drain but much simpler and dirt cheap.What an awesome idea anyone can do. Round rock crushed rock w/o the minus all works the same. Cheers and spread the word. Good day
@@garykentner7557 I've been buying gravel and crushed stone for years and they are two different products on the invoice. That's like saying 1.5 " stone or 2.5" stone is gravel. You probably call concrete cement too. What I saw come out of the bag was stone and he can tell us what the product is called. I would never put gravel in a drainage trench, always crushed stone. I hope you do the same?
@@garykentner7557 I've been buying gravel and crushed stone for years and they are two different products on the invoice. If you put gravel in drainage trenches instead of crushed stone rapped in fabric, you are not the genius you think you are. Water moves through crushed stone a lot better than gravel. You probably also call concrete cement.
This is common in the UK where storm water runs into a "soak away" pit - usually 1 cubic meter or more - filled with rocks/gravel
Yes. To reiterate, 1) down through the hard pan, and a rare 2) assumes that the water-table is not directly below the hardpan.
Hi Chuck. This solution has me thrilled to try it out. I'm in Wisconsin with serious clay soil just 6 inches down. There is nowhere to move my water without creating a problem for my neighbors. My back yard is a swamp after rain. How will I know I've dug deep enough in this type of soil and would it be a good idea for me to first put in a pvc pipe and fill that with rocks and maybe add an overflow cap?
I'm in Wisconsin and I am going to try sand mixed with the stone, fill the gaps to filter the dirt out. Tamp the gravel mix or pour some water to move the sand to fill the gaps completely. The hole may have to be 2 - 4 feet deep because of the clay. Good luck.
Totally depends on soil type and if you can get it deep enough to actually drain. Many places with solid clay you would have to go down 5 or more feet or may never punch through and you accomplished nothing. Right soil layers and it works great
This is an amazing idea...thank you for sharing with us! I will be trying this for sure.
Can I dig one or two close to my well head? Thanks, I can't wait to try this.
Also read that filling with sand is better, any opinions?
This probably could be used with a circular grate also.my house was built in 1931 and there are colums with holes 3 ft lobg in back yard. I think there was another house, business here back in the day but. I find boulders and all kinds of huge 12 in wide, tall square stones buried in the ground..i use the grates to cover the holes of those post in the ground and collect some water..my backyard was flooding previously..
What a good guy. This is even better than another video I saw. Easy work. Saving thousands hahaha.
Great idea! Will this work in soil with a lot of clay, or will the clay prevent water from penetrating? I have a fairly large area in my backyard that pools water just like you were showing in your video.
Id like to know that too.
I think you missed the point. The clay is the hatdpan. Need to dig deeper than the hard pan clay level.
@@steveletson6616 bold of you to assume there’s a shallow area of clay where we live.
@@jeffreyesguitar5129 Is your clay layer deep?
Yes, i will do this ... next weekend. Thank you.
Thank you for this information. I guess I'm getting a post hole digger.
Would like to have seen your 'before' photos to show standing water. This seems very logical.
Did you watch to end?
I definitely plan on doing this. However my low spots also tend to not grow grass. If I do this and it helps with the water collection, what’s my next step?
Add new sod
Great idea I have a driveway that floods when snow thaws too fast. I’m trying this for sure definitely can’t hurt..I’ll let ya know how it works.🙏
If your problem is a fairly shallow and thin impermeable layer, is fine. if you're sitting on ledge, or 9+ feet of clay, it won' help at all.
Either way, you probably ought to give some thought to where the water ends up going. A puddle is better than a sinkhole or a flooded basement.
and if you waterlog the wrong hillside, you might wind up at the bottom of it.
I like the idea and will try this in my yard, but I don't know what part of the country you live in that you can buy corrugated pipe, two grates and two bags of stone for less than $10!
If your puddling is due to hardpan and not soil saturation it might do something, if you penetrate the hardpan. If it is due simply to the soil being saturated with water, then this won't work.
if its just saturated with water, no vertical,french drain will fix it, meaning that its at or near the water table and shouldnt have anything built on there in the first place.
Thanks Chuck! Go easy on the new idea's! You are gonna put yourself out of business!
Would this technique work for a leach/septic field? Would a 10x10 field work?
We're on about a quarter acre in a city and I think I'd like to try this. Our back and side yards consistently pool water, especially after heavy rains. Is there a number of holes that would need to be put down per amount of land? How do you know if you've gone past the distance needed to be able to then pour the gravel? I'm not sure how deep ours would be. Thanks for the video. I've been looking for a solution that wouldn't require a large cost.
looks like a great way to open up a sinkhole down here in Florida
Is there a way to calculate how many drains and how far apart each would be needed for an area? Does installing a lot of these impact the integrity/safety of the ground? Tx.
Would this be worth doing on a larger area? What spacing is recommended for Gulf Coast area? Deeper hole = less holes needed?
excellent! I will be trying this in my yard. thank you.
Does it make a difference whether you add the fabric or not? Thanks again for the informative video. I've been wondering how to handle this small puddle for years. This is great!
What is a hard pan and how do you know you are below it?
A layer of clay that is very hard, plant roots usually won't penetrate it. Sometimes almost as hard as concrete. Often found in areas that were plowed many times over the years, so typically a little deeper than the plow reached.
how do you know if younhave dug deep enough to get past hardpan or into the hardpan? i live in MD/DC area and have dug about 23 inches and noticed a soil type change from a moist topsoil to a dry sandish like layer. is that the hardpan? any info would be greatly appreciated.
Omg I love this idea can’t wait to try this. Thanks for sharing this
What do you think about this application in high water table areas?
You have to be kidding me!!! I’ve been living with a soggy yard for over 20 years! This is the first time I’ve seen anything like this!
I have a few questions though. I have a couple acres, what’s the recommendation for the number of holes and how far apart should they be?
@@mrswiggles4790 you need catch basins in French Drain . These vertical drains are designed for small puddles.
You know, you could have used black corrugated drainage pipe in place of using the fabric to put the rock in. Your Geo Cell video gave me the idea.
im gonna have to try this, though it seemed when i was digging down 4ft for a meter pole all i got was clay. will see about other areas though
i was quoted like 20k for a french drain dug, so even if this works 50% it's a huge win. so you're saying the fabric is optional?
Used this my whole life, grew up on a farm lol
Will weed barrier work for the fabric?
Interesting... i dug a hole and after about 12 in deep I could see standing ground water in the hole is that the water sitting on top of the hard pan?
For a noob, how do I tell when I’ve gotten through the hard top layer? Does soil change color or is it just that noticeable of a difference?
We live near a creek that floods into our backyard occasionally. Water gets into the lower level of our split level home. Would this work if we dug deeper holes? Thank you!!
we have a LOT of flooding. estimate 300 sq ft. this would be a lot of work but how many holes would be needed? I may try this in the worse areas - about 50sq ft.
Sounds like a good idea for me to try. 1 side has a ‘bowl’ and the water sits. Grass does not grow very well when the water sits for a day or 4 so I’ll give it a go. The gravel will allow the water to flow and keep the dirt out. The top plug will do fine and the roots will grow through the fabric. 😊
How do you know you're below the hard pan?
This might be exactly what I need. Awesome.
Would this work in areas that are at sea level or that are naturally prone to flooding?
The water has to have somewhere to drain down. If the water table is at or just below the surface, these won't work. You'll just have a deep hole full of water. Simple to check. Just dig a hole and wait. I'm guessing yours will have water seeping in quite quickly.
Does it work for fl which is right at sea level?
@@baywatch3707 yes
We get our chestnut-size crushed rock from the quarry. By the truckload. It's cheap.
That was awesome, I have the perfect yard to try this👍🏻🇺🇸
What is the hard pan? I live in Texas and have a heavy clay (caliche) just below the surface dirt. Do I need to dig below that?
Hard pan is just a dense, impermeable layer of soil at some point below the topsoil. That would be your caliche layer. You'll need to dig through it, unless you topsoil in very thick.
The clay layer is the hardpan.