Perforated drain pipes are an ideal solution for areas that are susceptible to localised flooding. Providing slow and steady drainage directly from the soil, they help surface water drain across larger areas and distribute the water much more evenly. This post looks at the benefits of using perforated drain pipes, alongside the best way to install them.
What is a perforated drain pipe?
Perforated drain pipes have small holes along the full length of the pipe that allow water to pass through. It means that water from the ground can seep into the pipe and drain at the same or even different points, but more slowly, reducing the risk of localised flooding.
What are perforated drain pipes used for?
Perforated drain pipes are most commonly used for land drainage. They may be used across a variety of commercial and domestic projects, so they are likely to appear as back garden drainage solutions, in parks and sports grounds, but also across agricultural land to improve soil quality, and as part of larger scale construction projects.
What are the benefits of a perforated drain pipe?
The benefits of using perforated drain pipes include:
- They offer a sustainable and low-maintenance land drainage solution for gardens by allowing slower surface water drainage into the ground and redirecting water to different areas.
- They can help keep gardens healthy in hotter climates by collecting excess water from the soil and draining it directly into the plants’ roots.
- Perforated drain pipes underneath properties also help to drain excess water when there’s been a period of heavy rainfall.
An additional benefit of perforated pipes is that they are an ideal solution for filling swimming pools as they allow water to pass through but not any unwanted debris.
Installing a perforated pipe
The success of your perforated pipes will be reliant on ensuring proper installation. Firstly, installing on a slope is imperative for optimal drainage, whether there’s a natural one in the land or it needs to be created. A trench twice as wide as the pipe and deep enough to avoid frost damage is then required, and if a slope is needed to allow for better drainage, this will also have to be created.
Level the soil in the drainage trench and fill it with gravel to ensure the pipe stays in the correct position and doesn’t sink. Once level, lay the perforated pipe with the perforations facing downwards and fill the remaining trench with gravel to cover the pipe. Replace the overlaying ground.
Should the perforations on a land drainage pipe face downward or upwards?
It depends on the application. If you are using the perforated pipe as a land drain, then facing the perforations upwards is better so that water can seep into the pipe and run away. However, if you are using the perforated pipe in a drainage field or to disseminate water into the ground, then face the perforations downwards so that the water can exit the pipe into the ground. Some perforated pipes have perforations the whole way around them, and these still help spread excess water from waterlogged areas to dryer areas.
Drainfast stocks a wide variety of perforated drain pipes in varying sizes to suit all manner of building projects. If you have any questions and wish to speak to our experts, you can contact us via email or telephone.
