Vera Puddles

2024-02-07

It's been wet lately!

We have water collect in the backyard, especially after several days of rain.

Currently there's a small sump pump (this one - Wayne EEAUP250) installed about a foot below the driveway. Water moves from the NE side of the backyard, under the gate, to the driveway near the garage. Then a little cement channel directs the water to a small basin dug out in the driveway. The pump's in the basin and that pushes water towards the street via PVC pipe laid under the driveway.

Clay soil, wish I didn't have to pump it out but I think I do. It's definitely better than it was when we moved in -- we made the backyard more permeable..but it can still saturate.

Things to make better

drainage for the other corner of the yard
try to install a check valve..again.. last time the pump seemingly couldn't push the valve open
drain to street-side of sidewalk with angle vs just bubbling up
better electrical connection to the pump + switching
deeper and larger pump basin
better basin cover

Main issue now is the pump is just plugged into an outdoor outlet, and I don't like to let it run all the time due to the lack of a working check valve. So I go to manually plug/unplug it during storms. The outlet is GFCI but it's falling apart :/

Options

Could I reinstall the outlet with a better cover? Add a manual outdoor switch? Or a wireless one? Could I wire it all in the crawlspace instead? I would be satisfied with a waterproof cover and manual weather-rated switch.

Reading/watching

some good tips here
I like this fellow's video; nice tip to use a flexible coupling near the pump outlet to relieve stress on those connections
video on a full drainage system including a "dry well", which is like a big deep basin full of stones, deep in the ground, where water can collect and presumably enter into the ground