Installing a Quality PVC Drainage system to solve soggy yard

You can't go wrong with quality materials. PVC works great for moving problem water away from the house.
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[@darrenjensen5775]

Leadership - it is a compliment to you to have a crew who seemingly works in harmony. You provide an inclusive environment by asking for individual opinions and not just forcing your own objectives on job sites. You also have developed trust between everyone to know that the job would be done to the consistent standards by everyone regardless of who is working, which gets back to harmony and accountability. Right hand washes the left. Take a moment to applaud yourself and the crew for the shared leadership model. Appreciate the channel and wished you did work out in Texas, because I’d love your help!

[@GCFD]

Thank you Darren! I definitely take the role of leader over boss and try to use the collective talent around me.

[@josephj6521]

@@GCFD you do lead by example and I can see the crew respect you. Great to see PVC being installed and as we all know, it just works. 😉

[@nashvilleb8574]

My favorite part of these videos is the flow of water after it’s all finished up! Has to be very satisfying to see and know what an excellent job that has been done!

[@GCFD]

Yes it is satisfying. I often hear back from the client with pictures and video of how things are working. 👍

[@ronwallace7563]

It is sooo satisfying to see the end result and the water just flying right out to the curb.

[@GCFD]

My customers and I would agree Ron! I love seeing that problem water flowing away...

[@dylanhausinger2684]

Shawn as a drainage guy in Memphis I absolutely LOVE the core drill/bottle jack idea. It once took me 4 hours to drill a 80 year old curb. I’m using that next time buddy!

[@GCFD]

If we were coring vertically down into a large concrete culvert, we could apply lots of pressure by leaning on the core drill. It hit me that the bit and drill could take the pressure and that's what was so hard about coring horizontally into curbs. Plus some commenters mentioned the jack idea. It's a life saver!

[@lindajoyce1808]

Miss seeing your drainage videos and your long term workers.

[@GCFD]

The drainage videos take so long because I need to get the rain footage. I had been holding out on this one hoping for some better rain footage...

[@gregamaddio7120]

Sean they could at least put a elbow on that downspout on the back roof to devert the water into the gutter. Love your videos! Great crew you have.

[@GCFD]

For sure or send the water across the roof to be re-collected by the gutter.

[@redfishfun540]

I think you better keep these guys, can't find too many people that will work that hard anymore.

[@GCFD]

For sure! They're my biggest asset. 👍

[@bohhica1]

When you are on job site helping your employees and not just being a boss, people notice that, it always helps the business. A great video,awesome job, and good tunes, keep them coming!👍👍👍👍🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

[@ederler1129]

“A little planning goes a long way”. Well said!

[@GCFD]

👍👍

[@Deepanimosity]

No pipe left behind! That's what we like to see! Excellent job team

[@GCFD]

Thank you! I feel like if we're trenching past a pipe, it's too easy to catch it into our pipe. Just do it.

[@royordway9157]

I love it when Ronald and Jerime are on the job. Nice job as always.

[@doubleeranch169]

it might cost a little more but it would leave a better product aesthetically if you rented a sodcutter and used it over your spray painted lines, then trench, then flip it back over after pipes were installed... It might even wash out with the extra labor and expense of seeding and strawing. Love the videos, keep 'em coming!

[@GlobalistJuice]

First time I've ever seen carpet used for weed control, but honestly it's probably a very effective use-what-you-have solution!

[@GCFD]

Haa I thought the same thing. It works!

[@_P0tat07_]

I love the work you and your crew does. Very professional. Even the video production is pretty good. The drone shots are really cool. Of course the best part is when you return during a storm and watching the water flow out of the pipe or through a ditch

[@mfelton7041]

As always an excellent video and very informative. I was explaining to my mother about the issues your customers were having with storm water and how their neighbors are allowed to dump their storm water onto your customers property. We were quite glad neighbors cannot do that in New Zealand. It would make a huge mess with our high rainfall

[@GCFD]

I'm glad you're enjoying the channel!

[@robertgeorgewerner]

Sean, I just wanted to second you on the condensate line causing soil saturation. I'm taking advantage of my air conditioning condensate line to grow some peppermint on one side of it and calla lilies on the other because during the summer of course we get just enough to mostly keep them moist and during the winter it gives them the swampy ground at those plants like. The wet spot isn't a problem in my house because I'm on a slab here in the Central Valley of California. However, I didn't want to have standing water and I figured the plants would be the best way to use it up and keep from having mosquito breeding grounds. Most of the year, that spot is moist and only at the hottest part of the summer does the air conditioning/heating condensate line not provide enough water to keep the plants fully happy.

[@GCFD]

Haha plants love condensate lines. 👍

[@danne77sthlm]

As always its a joy to watch you do these jobs, the care that is taking in to getting the water out is outstanding!

[@GCFD]

Thank you! I'm glad you enjoy my stuff.

[@allanb9360]

Another good job. I like how informative you are. Your crew is great. They are keepers

[@GCFD]

Thank you Allan. I try to make these entertaining and informative. I hope people learn something from my videos.

[@morlamweb]

Great job guys! I love seeing the evolution of your techniques from your first videos to today. I remember when you started using the core drill: it got a very tightly-fitted hole for the pipe, but it was hard work. Now you guys make it look easy!

[@GCFD]

Thank you! Using the jack like that is thanks to commenters suggesting it to me. I have gained so much from suggestions from the youtube community. That jack is such a lifesaver! Twelve minutes with minimal effort is just sooo sweet!

[@chrishelms1967]

No substitute for having the right tools and most importantly.....the experience to use them to the fullest

[@GCFD]

For sure Chris. I'm not shy about buying tools to save our backs.

[@douglaspierce8480]

I had to clean out the condensate line on my air conditioner and drained it temporarily into a 5-gallon bucket. That single line filled up the bucket in 24 hours, so your solution, I believe, was the best one.

[@GCFD]

Great story Douglas. They do put out a lot of water and it needs a way to escape. 👍

[@Amritt_Poncho_Villa]

Thank you for returning to your projects and showing the results of you work!! ; -)

[@anthonyfindlay466]

Well, it's been a while since the boys were all together on the same job, as always great teamwork and excellent results, shout outs to the crew Jeremy and the main man Ronald keep at it guys good work blessings.

[@joudatfd]

Nice little no drama job. Well done

[@GCFD]

Thank you!

[@jonathonbingle9803]

I could have missed it, but when you tie in AC condensate lines, it would be great if you could add a union on the condensate side of it. I know that it would be a little more work for you but you'll make the future HVAC techs life easier and or make it easier for the home owner to clear that line when it clogs (and they all do because of build up). ~random hvac tech

[@benjaminreinhardt259]

Those darn condensate lines! I piped the one at my last house to the concrete gutter on the street. Made for a water trail running down the street all summer. The new house has ditches (out in the county). I piped it to the ditch and it made a wet spot I couldn't mow all summer. Then I piped it into the septic system and all has been great since then.

[@monsantofungaro5704]

You all do such a great job. It's a joy watch these projects turn out.

[@camlendrim7609]

Loved the video as usual Shawn. I have noticed over the years that you often work in some beautiful and established neighborhoods in your part of NC. Good for you and the GCF crew. 👍

[@johnzohill605]

Fantastic job. I was pumped to see a new GCFD video on my feed.

[@GCFD]

Thank you Johnzo!

[@mangos2888]

Oooh I love the shot of you with the trencher & drone overhead!

[@tristardiggin]

You have a great crew with an exceptional work ethic. Have a blessed Thanksgiving!

[@ipaddlemyowncanoe.7441]

Another fine job turned out really nice. 👍👍🙂🇨🇦☔

[@GCFD]

Thank you! 👍

[@Sophie_Emilia_von_Zerbst]

As you already said: The AC condensate line can be a huge contributor to saggy/saturated ground if it just ends there. I got myself a tine monoblock AC to cool the room of my tiny appartment in hot/humid summer days. And it produces around 1L/h of condensate for a small 11m^2 room. That would be already enough to keep a significant amount of soil saturated. Now imagine you are cooling an entire home... In humid weather it will be literally flowing... (even mine does and I can see the bottle catching it fill up with the bare eye)

[@TimMcArdle]

Great idea for the core drill. I can imagine that thing is a bear to push for any amount of time. Take care my friend!

[@whip205inthebam3]

Shawn, WTG great job! and to Jeremy and Get'r done Ron also a great job! 👍

[@steverusie6986]

That was a nice clean job. It is impressive on how you were able to get that angle correct the first time. Great job as always! Looking forward to your next video.

[@leonjbarela]

I love watching these, nice job!

[@GCFD]

Thank you Leon 👍

[@emiliojorge5794]

I’ll I do is go to the end to watch the results… love the vids!!

[@10lauset]

Cheers to you and your crew.

[@GCFD]

👍👍 Laurie

[@itas0r]

Every time I watch you guys gluing PVC pipe, I think you could really use that Ridgid Straplock tool or two of them. It would be perfect for making the large pipe glue up process much easier!

[@andresmcruz]

You guys are the beast of yard and soil improvement!!! Thanks to your info I coincidentally finished my FD system yesterday.

[@matt08015]

i really miss seeing your drainage video's hope they pick back up but still like see your other ones to

[@GCFD]

I feel the same way Matt. I have so many that are waiting for rain footage.

[@MrDbone75]

A very good Wednesday evening to you all from Wellington Somerset in the uk

[@tinkeringtaylor3053]

Excellent job done Shaun, really tidy finish you have a good team of lads well done

[@firstnamesurname1743]

Nice job, Shawn. Would be interesting to know how the owner got on with monitoring the drainage issues in the rear garden. All the best.

[@ericnewton5720]

FYI I think you should always air gap the condensation line, and not directly hook into the drain just so you don’t create a vacuum. But I’m not 100% sure about that but refer to some HVAC videos where the technician finds condensate lines extended too far and they cause backup issues in the condenser

[@GCFD]

Great point. I have been on many service calls with my HVAC friend where we had to use a nitrogen bottle to vacuum out a clogged condensate line. A clogged line causes the float switch at the evaporator to kill the system. I could easily add a 3/4" Tee left open in there.

[@oldnstillworkin5709]

Thanks a lot Sean! I had to stop work to watch your video. 😂

[@dylantrinder1571]

Great job as always guys.

[@GCFD]

Thank you Dylan! 👍

[@StormWaterDrainageSolutions]

Awesome install! 💪🚧

[@dhabbott41]

Did you fix the gutter on the roof in the backyard? Would you recommend replacing the concrete?

[@GCFD]

Nope, they haven't said anything about that area. That concrete needs to be replaced to send the water around the front and down the driveway.

[@MultiJamie12345]

Great job Shawn, nice looking area too, enjoy the drone footage.

[@tmactheplumber4966]

Another job well done !

[@runningray]

Wow Shawn great video quality. Your editing is really improved. I mean it's night and day from the old videos.

[@Chris__UU]

What's the difference between regular Sch40 and foam core Sch40 when it comes to drainage applications like in this video? I need to go under a 20 ft stretch of driveway (that I will need to cut with a saw, remove, bury the pipe, and re-concrete over) and then through 100 ft of yard into a ditch. Should I use regular sch40 for under the driveway? Can I use foam core for the yard? Thank you for your videos.

[@GCFD]

Chris foam core will probably be good enough, especially under concrete. But, you can't go wrong with going full sch 40 because it is much heavier and stronger. I bought some grey electrical conduit which is full sch 40 and I use that to go under driveways.

[@southpike1000]

Great video. Also, maybe you should get a small generator for that drill.

[@GCFD]

Yes we've been using a small one for it instead of using shore power.

[@johnhamilton9229]

Custom core every time 👊

[@EivindfxW]

I wish there was more footage of the result, of the area where it was very vet and if the drainage helped in the corners of the house including the downspout that was overshooting if that was dealt with.

[@GCFD]

They haven't said anything about addressing the other side so I'm not sure what's up.

[@hollandduck79]

Hello from the Netherlands . Shawn you should come and ride a bicycle here in the Netherlands or come on a cycling holiday, I think you would certainly like it and maybe even be surprised. take a look at what I mean otherwise on the KZbin channel of : not just bikes . he has made a video about the largest bicycle parking garages in the world here in the Netherlands. that channel belongs to an American or Canadian who now lives in the Netherlands . thanks for the video Shawn . Sincerely, Hollandduck

[@GCFD]

Thanks Hollandduck! It looks like you've got some good riding near you.

[@hollandduck79]

@@GCFD yes that's right Shawn . here in the Netherlands you can indulge yourself as a cycling enthusiast

[@MechanismBasics]

Very nice work and fun to watch. All the best to you, Jeremy, Ronald and the rest of the crew for a happy Thanksgiving.

[@DocteGaby]

Need a t-shirt with "mind your fall!"

[@elBanndito]

From the second plan 12:47, it can be assumed that there will be a new job for the team in the area.😄

[@GCFD]

👍👍

[@joeshmoe7789]

This would've been better to see a day after the rain than during.

[@juliehoffman92]

Fantastic

[@GCFD]

Thank you Julie 👍

[@nathanlunsford7110]

Hey I gotta wonder why you don't put a cleanout for a shopvac hose in the condensate line to suck out the gunk that can accumulate in the line? You can add a ball valve downstream so you can close it so you'll have good suction upstream

[@GCFD]

You definitely could do that. I've been on many service calls where we have to use a suction device and bottle of Nitrogen to suck out clogged condensate lines.

[@kilcool01]

Great video and great explanations

[@paulnakada]

What's your feeling about feeding one roof gutter into another. It feels like each gutter should flow directly to the ground so that each downspout has only one gutter to service.

[@GCFD]

Paul I like to keep water that's in a pipe, in a pipe. I like taking each downspout to the ground like you said.

[@tomgriffith1952]

Nice work!

[@GCFD]

👍

[@larryehrlich57]

The back yard gutter that you cought...should have had a sealed pipe that went up at least two feet into the gutter downspout in order to help push/force the gutter water to the street. Then there would be no fall issue's there by forcing the water to the street.

[@jacobculp1104]

Hilti makes a grease for those things they need it pretty regularly. Especially the metal ones

[@GCFD]

Thank you Jacob. I'll check into it because my drill needs it for sure!

[@oermama]

Greatwork 👌

[@timwarriner842]

Well done sir

[@elained9591]

Shawn, too bad y’all are on the other side of the State, I’d hire you in a New York minute! I’ve spent this rainy morning watching your videos. I certainly understand why you don’t use the gutter to pipe connectors, keeps rodents from running up to the gutters😂. We are getting ready to replace some of the black corrugated perforated pipe that was originally used on a home we just purchased. The pipe is now full of roots from trees and Bermuda grass as well as leaf debris. We probably should’ve done it before we installed the new gutter system. We will be using 4” pop up emitters at the end and my concern is the amount of water that will come out of the pipe may be too much for them. I imagine the first rain we get after we move in will tell us. I do have a couple of questions if you don’t mind sir…we need to replace the same type of pipe in front of the house. It has cemented stone to create a raised bed around it and then a bricked in sidewalk. How do we go under these without removing them? I couldn’t find any of your videos where it showed tunneling under… Thanks for showing us how to connect condensate lines to pvc!

[@thomasvnl]

The noise coming of one of those AC units is really ridiculous. I would be an extremely annoyed neighbor if that were to be next to my bedroom window!

[@chrisformby3039]

That's exactly what I was thinking. They have the money to do drainage but none to repair that fan.🤦‍♂

[@GCFD]

They all do it. I think the camera picked it up.

[@cheskydivision]

Been missing your crew

[@GCFD]

👍

[@citticat2]

How deep and wide is your trench? I am curious as to why they omitted fabric and crushed rock - won't the pipe end up getting clogged with dirt?

[@GCFD]

We were catching point water in this case (Gutters), so it needed to be a solid pipe and not a french drain style with gravel, perforated pipe, and a wide trench. We were just running solid pipe here to remove the gutter water.

[@citticat2]

@@GCFD Still won't that PVC pipe get clogged?

[@MrBobby781]

Hi Shawn, another nice clean job…….Bobby L

[@GCFD]

Thank you Bobby!

[@sideshow1297]

Shawn, great job, I always like when you catch other lines in addition to the gutters - get it all out of here. Do you think they'll do a French drain along that backyard fence like you did at another property? Also your timing on this video is impeccable - my brother's a fan of your channel too, he's coming in from out of town, and we'll for sure take 30 minutes to check this one out. Happy Thanksgiving!

[@GLUFSAREN]

if you have two ladders the triangle ones, dunno what they are called in english, you can use those to get over fences if you have 2 that are big enough. Might be a safety hazard, but that's what I would do.

[@jacksonbennett6151]

Step ladder or A frame ladder

[@GCFD]

Great idea! It would have to be one that has steps on both sides. That could save a lot of walking around.

[@tunepatrol]

Hey what happened to addressing the gutter pipe that came down the roof at an angle and then splurged over the concrete below? Was that not part of the quoted job?

[@GCFD]

No that wasn't part of the job. They were going to let me know about phase 2 on the other side.

[@geraldblackburn4883]

That core is a good paper weight !

[@andyduane3308]

Do you ever use string lines to determine longer distance levels to see if there is enough fall? Kinda like concrete guys do?

[@GCFD]

Typically we'll use a transit laser over stringlines.

[@roberthernandez1985]

Looks great as usual! one question Shawn I know you can jet these from the gutters but why not leave a cleanout by each gutter for easier future cleaning? That’s usually what I do

[@tonymeijer8532]

Have you considered using 3d printing? Seems like a perfect usecase for speciality connectors…

[@GCFD]

No I don't know anything about it. These fittings are pretty inexpensive

[@tonymeijer8532]

@@GCFD ok. Might be worth having a look into, it's quiet good for organization and speciality tools, but there are of course limitations.

[@russell-c2655]

Great channel, Shawn. England

[@base2solutions861]

👍

[@GCFD]

👍

[@jonathanjudd3168]

Do those two outside AC units have a condensation drip line? The one captured looks like it came form a second floor window unit?

[@GCFD]

I wondered about that but didn't see any.

[@Mark.Watson]

They're probably both tied together in the attic.

[@josephj6521]

Great job. 👍 Does the owner want to sort out their rear roof drainage issue?

[@GCFD]

Thank you Joseph. I haven't heard anything from then on the back.

[@joedoakes8307]

When , you combine the flow of several gutters with 4 inch PVC pipes , Shouldn't you increase the size of the Main line to say 6 inch PVC to be able to carry the total volume of water to the final drain point ?

[@GCFD]

You could, but 4" pipe at a full bubble of fall will carry a lot of water. Since it is glued and sealed any extra water will create head pressure and push things even faster. When I get more than five or so gutters I typically move into 6" pipe.

[@calvingreene90]

With the downspout linked to the curb restricting the second downspout would reduce the patio problem without increasing the problem beside the house.

[@martinworrall5888]

Hi Shaun, I wonder why the builders don’t sort the drainage out when the houses are built?

[@GCFD]

They try but things do change over the years. Neighbors do things, trees come and go and weather changes.

[@martinworrall5888]

@@GCFD understand 👍

[@Martin.Ferrier]

Thx for the videos… I’ve learnt a lot by following you. I have a similar condensate line issue … now I have an idea on how to solve it! Thank you One question … if the main pipe gets a blockage, it looks like the next lowest outlet point (for the backed up water), would be through the sump pump line, and into the house … is that correct? Would adding a catchment basin somewhere in the lawn solve the problem?

[@TonyTonieTone]

Nice to see ya bright and early

[@cheddarcheese]

It's very green there. We have green cactuses.

[@GCFD]

I like cacti...until I fall off my mountain bike into them. haha

[@rjsmith2007]

LMAO that gutter shute

[@GCFD]

👍

[@thenexthobby]

I have short brick "walls" (about 2' or less tall) on the yard edge. On the other side of the brick is the driveway. Would I need something like that corer to go through? Or just break it out and rebuild the brick or mortar around the pipe later?

[@sportsbros1232]

Great video and message about getting water out of there! What’s going to happen when that yard gets aerated? That PVC only looked 3” or so deep. Will that be a problem down the road with aerating, etc if the yard settles alittle right there and with normal wash off?

[@ryanwenzel4598]

How much fall did you achieve on this job? Doesn't seem like much but I guess if there isn't any solids minimum pitch is necessary

[@johnflynn3824]

Sean look at your Brown Ford it's awesome

[@ericnewton5720]

Do you use a 4” trench digging chain?

[@GCFD]

The pipe is 4.5" so I use a 6" chain. The trencher I have has a 24"x6" bar and chain.

[@claysikes3233]

Nice videos and explanations. I live in Florida and have rain gutters that are 4.5 " x 3". What would you recommend to connect to 4" PVC?