I've got three 2" PVC pipes sticking up in my backyard, about 30 feet away from my house. They each end with what seem like 'pop-up' valves that let water out but keep it from coming back in. I think they're exposed because the soil has eroded over the years. The tops are green to help them blend in with the grass, and they're spaced about 15 feet apart. The odd part is I'm almost certain they aren't connected to my house's plumbing. Just to clarify, I don't have a septic tank, I don't have sump pumps, and my downspouts don't go underground. What could these be?
3 Answers
Just a note, 2" is on the smaller side for downspouts. Are you sure you don't have any sump pumps? Sometimes houses do have hidden drains that tie in somewhere you might not see, especially if it was part of the original build.
Those PVC pipes are likely storm water drains, especially since you see those pop-up emitters. If your gutter downspouts don’t go underground, it sounds like they might be directing surface water away from your home, possibly from a French drain system. Although if you can’t find any connections inside, they may just be surface drains for your yard.
That makes sense! I thought it could be a French drain, but our basement is unfinished, and there’s no sign of any pipes being laid when the foundation was poured.
Those pipes could definitely be for yard drainage. If your parents had flooding issues, digging a trench and using drains like that fixed their problem. Maybe you could consider adding something similar if you find water pooling during rains.
No sump pumps here! It's all just open space down there.