Driveway drainage options

[dta1984]

I have a section of my asphalt driveway that is a low spot and tends to collect water. This can be a real mess after a heavy rain, or even winter snow melt. I'd like to find an economical option to help the water drain better. Some thoughts... cut away some of the asphalt and add a round drain near the low spot in the red circle, or fill in the depression with asphalt..... or something else. I'd be doing the work myself. The red circle in the pic is the low spot. You can see how it fills and back fills to other driveway areas. That water needs to go somewhere. There is a nearby drain pipe I can tie into if needed. Any thoughts?

 

[CJ7VFR]

How old is the asphalt on the driveway? As the ground under the asphalt settles, you are going to get those spots no matter what after a while.

I don't honestly think I have ever seen a completely flat driveway ever, where there are not at least a few spots where the water will pool up after a good rain.

You don't want to go making holes in the asphalt to install drains and what-not for that amount of water that is settling in those spots, as doing that will provide a means for water to get under the asphalt and erode the ground under it, which will cause more low spots and maybe even cracks.

Around my area, a lot of people ask to have the driveway crowned, like roads are supposed to be, so that the center of the driveway is a bit higher up than the sides so water will flow off of it.

Jim

 

[dta1984]

How old is the asphalt on the driveway? As the ground under the asphalt settles, you are going to get those spots no matter what after a while.

I don't honestly think I have ever seen a completely flat driveway ever, where there are not at least a few spots where the water will pool up after a good rain.

You don't want to go making holes in the asphalt to install drains and what-not for that amount of water that is settling in those spots, as doing that will provide a means for water to get under the asphalt and erode the ground under it, which will cause more low spots and maybe even cracks.

Around my area, a lot of people ask to have the driveway crowned, like roads are supposed to be, so that the center of the driveway is a bit higher up than the sides so water will flow off of it.

Jim

Its about 5 years old....not old at all.

I even was thinking about a drain in the grass next to the driveway. Not sure how much that would actually help though.

 

[machsnell]

Take a torch and slowly heat the asphalt. Keep the torch moving. You dont want to burn the liquid in the asphalt and cook it or you will be left with gravel.

Heat outside the edge of puddle between it and the grass and use a hand tamp or even a rake (or asphalt lure if you have) and lower the area outside low areas so water drains off driveway.

Then take a drain, a 12x12 or a 4 inch by 36 or whatever and encase it in concrete so water goes into drain. Make a little concrete slope around drain so drain is the low spot.

Tie in the line to your existing drainpipe.

As said before the driveway should have accounted for slope and drainage but it is what it is now.

This would be possible for a homeowner to complete.

Heat slowly. It will take awhile dont be impatient. When its burnt, it is too late and you would need to take it out and get some fresh hot rock.

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[dta1984]

Take a torch and slowly heat the asphalt. Keep the torch moving. You dont want to burn the liquid in the asphalt and cook it or you will be left with gravel.

Heat outside the edge of puddle between it and the grass and use a hand tamp or even a rake (or asphalt lure if you have) and lower the area outside low areas so water drains off driveway.

Then take a drain, a 12x12 or a 4 inch by 36 or whatever and encase it in concrete so water goes into drain. Make a little concrete slope around drain so drain is the low spot.

Tie in the line to your existing drainpipe.

As said before the driveway should have accounted for slope and drainage but it is what it is now.

This would be possible for a homeowner to complete.

Heat slowly. It will take awhile dont be impatient. When its burnt, it is too late and you would need to take it out and get some fresh hot rock.

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Wow thank you for the detailed explanation! This would be essentially re shaping the asphalt to create a funnel to drain elsewhere....ie a new drain. Would a propane torch be enough for this?

 

[tinmanwpk]

Can you cut some type of groove in it to assist drainage?

 

[dta1984]

Can you cut some type of groove in it to assist drainage?

That was one thought I had... just a way to funnel the water some place else.

 

[machsnell]

Wow thank you for the detailed explanation! This would be essentially re shaping the asphalt to create a funnel to drain elsewhere....ie a new drain. Would a propane torch be enough for this?

Not a small soldering propane torch. you need a torch attached to a propane tank they are often called weed burners.

We get these. 500k btu.

You need to throw heat to it but keep moving torch head.

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[TommyK]

The first thing I would do is remove the sod at the edge of the driveway that appears to be trapping the water and see how much that improves the situation.

 

[dta1984]

The first thing I would do is remove the sod at the edge of the driveway that appears to be trapping the water and see how much that improves the situation.

O ya, that's a good idea. Probably fill that area with gravel would help too....not sure how deep, maybe 6"?

 

[dta1984]

O ya, that's a good idea. Probably fill that area with gravel would help too....not sure how deep, maybe 6"?

Now that I'm thinking of it.... I could just bury a section of pipe with holes (French drain) underneath the gravel to be my drain. This could tie into my main PVC drain pipe that runs to daylight.

 

[K'ledgeBldr]

Patching and filling will more likely just move the water to other further low areas. Personally, I think your being a little too OCD- for an asphalt drive. It doesn't have the base that an asphalt road would have, so it's definitely susceptible to freeze/thaw ground movement and vehicle weight.

The only way you would truly be able to keep the drive from puddling is to have reshaped- re-paved with a good crown so water will run to each side.

 

[dta1984]

Patching and filling will more likely just move the water to other further low areas. Personally, I think your being a little too OCD- for an asphalt drive. It doesn't have the base that an asphalt road would have, so it's definitely susceptible to freeze/thaw ground movement and vehicle weight.

The only way you would truly be able to keep the drive from puddling is to have reshaped- re-paved with a good crown so water will run to each side.

Haha o ya, I probably am. I was just looking for a simple solution. Removing a section of the grass and adding some gravel may be the first thing I try.

 

[Pluribus]

The first thing I would do is remove the sod at the edge of the driveway that appears to be trapping the water and see how much that improves the situation.

As soon as I saw the pictures, that came to mind.

Can't really tell what the grade is around your driveway, but it looks pretty level. If that's the case, you'll need to remove quite a bit of sod. The idea is that you want the driveway to be above the grade off to the sides of it. Gravel won't help if the driveway is below surrounding grade, unless you're using the gravel along with appropriately pitched drainage to an outlet spot lower than where the water is ponding. Was topsoil and/or sod brought in after the driveway was installed? Seems like the driveway sits awfully low from the pictures.

 

[bad_idea]

Do you have ditches or storm drains? The water is pooling at the edge of the driveway against the grass. The driveway isn't the problem. The driveway is pushing the water to the grass like it should. The grass is too high. Regrading the lawn to properly drain that would be a PITA. If you are on ditches, then this is an easy fix. If on storm drains it's a little more of a nuisance.

I would put a round drain grate right at the edge of the driveway in the lawn in the middle of the low area. If you have ditches, then you can slope the drain line underground and have it punch out the side of the yard right into the ditch. If you have storm drains, then you can pop the drain line out to daylight a fair distance from the driveway if you have enough slope to support (the drain line will start at about 6" below the driveway and need to slope an inch every 5' or so - meaning you will need the lawn to be about 12" lower than driveway within 25' or so).

If neither of those options will work, then you can dig a massive hole, backfill with gravel, and bury a barrel with a bunch of holes in the sides in the middle of the gravel. Then plumb the drain into the barrel. You want to bury the barrel deep enough that the water will bleed off into the water table in a timely manner. My FIL used this option to drain a low spot in his backyard that would pool ~4" deep after a good rain. He dug 6' deep or so and about 5' across. Lot of digging.

 

[NUTTSGT]

Hard to tell, as I'm on my phone, the yard does appear to be higher than the drive way. The water needs a way or place to get away.

 

[dta1984]

I appreciate the feedback from everyone. You're absolutely correct, the sod is higher than the driveway on the right corner, and even in a few other areas. It works out well because my pvc gutter drain pipe underground runs directly under where that high area of sod is on the right. I think a good plan would be to dig that corner, tee into my drain pipe with a perforated pipe (or yard drain), then backfill the area with gravel to below the driveway.

 

[flan]

How about hammer drilling a 5/16” hole in each low spot to allow the water to drain? Asphalt is porous and that’s where most of the water ends up anyways so I don’t see a huge problem doing so.

 

[bad_idea]

The huge problem would be come winter time when water settles into those holes and freezes.

If you already have a drain pipe going through, you are in there. Tee in a drain grate even with driveway height and grade a small channel the height of the driveway to the drain grate. No need for gravel, just fill in with dirt and allow the grass to grow. The drain cover is green, so it will blend in with the lawn easily. The idea is to get the water to go into the drain pipe and away. No need for the water to soak into the soil along the driveway.

 

[dta1984]

The huge problem would be come winter time when water settles into those holes and freezes.

If you already have a drain pipe going through, you are in there. Tee in a drain grate even with driveway height and grade a small channel the height of the driveway to the drain grate. No need for gravel, just fill in with dirt and allow the grass to grow. The drain cover is green, so it will blend in with the lawn easily. The idea is to get the water to go into the drain pipe and away. No need for the water to soak into the soil along the driveway.

Great, thanks! I'll try to get this done in the next week.

 

[kbs2244]

Remove some sod first.

Even a 2 inch wide groove to a lower spot will move a lot of rain.

You can see water in the low spot in the background of your PIC.
Aim it that way.

 

[dta1984]

So I removed the sod (quite a bit ), teed a catch basin into my underground pvc drain pipe and back filled with some stone and gravel I had laying around.

Two issues. First, I need to move the drain down. Meaning the catch basin sits too tall...its almost even with the driveway. I think I found a smaller drain to use at depot that i may buy and try.

The other issue is there is still a small lip on the edge of the driveway. I know it's been mentioned that I could heat and tamp this. Would a grinder work ?

 

[dta1984]

I added the drain, and it definitely seems to help. May have gone a bit overboard with the rock, but I had it laying around. We haven't had a ton of rain to test it out more. Now, the only standing water is in the depression in the driveway in front of the drain. Perhaps next summer I'll try to re heat and tamp that area. Thanks for all of the assistance!

 

[casmurbax]

nice job.

How long has it been since you sealed the driveway?

 

[dta1984]

nice job.

How long has it been since you sealed the driveway?

Thanks. It was paved 3 years ago and has not been sealed. I was actually just thinking about that recently. With the cold weather approaching, I'll probably do it in the spring time. I do have a few cracks I am going to fill before winter though.

 

[NUTTSGT]

Grass will be growing over that rock come Spring. Not a bad thing as it will cover it up but still should allow the water to drain away.

 

[Bondo]

Ayuh,...... In the 2nd picture of yer 1st post, it's painfully obvious that the lawn is to high, creatin' a dam, holdin' the water on the driveway,......

In yer last picture, I see a huge hole fulla rocks, that Still doesn't get the last few feet to where the water will naturally, Flow Downhill,......

Lower the lawn in the radius, around the kick-out, 'n that whole corner will dry out,.....

As it is with yer rock basin, the water is gonna perk into the soil, 'n under the driveway, where it'll freeze, heavin' the driveway, bustin' up yer blacktop,.....

For reference, I've been buildin' blacktop driveways, parkin' lots, 'n roads for the same outfit for the last 26 years,......

Good luck,.....

 

[egdede]

I think the drain is piped out to allow the basin to drain.

 

[dta1984]

Ayuh,...... In the 2nd picture of yer 1st post, it's painfully obvious that the lawn is to high, creatin' a dam, holdin' the water on the driveway,......

In yer last picture, I see a huge hole fulla rocks, that Still doesn't get the last few feet to where the water will naturally, Flow Downhill,......

Lower the lawn in the radius, around the kick-out, 'n that whole corner will dry out,.....

As it is with yer rock basin, the water is gonna perk into the soil, 'n under the driveway, where it'll freeze, heavin' the driveway, bustin' up yer blacktop,.....

For reference, I've been buildin' blacktop driveways, parkin' lots, 'n roads for the same outfit for the last 26 years,......

Good luck,.....

Ok, I do see your point. I am thinking of removing the majority of the rock. Then, I'll add top soil back in and grade that edge toward the drain. I did grade it with the rock, but the water is going to run down under the driveway easier, not towards the drain. The drain does go to a ditch where it drains.