Gutter Drain Problem – Resolved

When I built my shed, it was not intended as a garage,, later it was updated to a garage.

Well the rain runoff from the  roof became a problem as a garage, heavy rain would come under the garage door. I needed a gutter,,, the problem was, I had no place convenient to run the water.

I decided to build a “mini-septic system” to cause the rain water to “leach” away. I had a plan, now, I needed to implement. The 20X40 foot roof had a gutter added, all I needed to to was dig the leach field.

I selected a spot between two giant oak trees, the yard was always dry there because those two trees sucked up any available water. A local building supply sells leaching chambers. the chambers are 6 feet long, almost 3 feet wide, and about a foot tall. I purchased the chamber and 2 endcaps.

Next, the digging. I dug a trench with a continuous fall to the spot I wanted the chamber.

Then at the chamber location, I dug a 18 inch wide hole under where the chamber would set, about 4 additional feed deep, and filled it with rock. I estimate the entire chamber can hold close to 300 gallons. The chamber was put in at the end of the 4 inch pipe.

In case there was too much rain, and the chamber was not able to hold all the water, I added a “T” fitting bringing the pipe to the surface. (in 3 years, and MANY heavy rains, the chamber has never filled)

All of the digging was done with the CADplans CADDigger Model 821. The backhoe was used to dig as deep as 7 feet under the chamber, it will dig to 8 feet.

I back-filled the trench with the Model 821, then finish graded with a Gravely tiller and a landscape rake.

A little research found that the water in the chamber develops 1/2PSI pressure for each foot of height.The water in the chamber would be able to cause over 3PSI pressure forcing the water into the soil. That pressure does not seem like much, but, with the large surface area under the chamber, the leach chamber will never overfill. The water will go into the soil before there is any water seen above ground. This spring, I will cut off the “T” below grade (it is not needed) and regrade some minor settling that occurred along the pipe, then the project will be done.

NO MORE GUTTER WATER WORRIES FROM THAT ROOF!!