Daylighting Pipes in Cold Climates
Daylighting Pipes in Cold Climates
(OP)
I'm trying to get a feel for what the standard of care is when daylighting small diameter pipes in cold climates. In particular, a 6-inch foundation drain that also accepts downspouts. I often see these systems form ice plugs at the discharge point, whether its discharging into an open swale or a shallow open grate inlet. Once plugged, the system fills up and then bad expensive things can happen at the building. I dont see much in the way of code requirements, but feel that there has to be some sort of standard rule of thumb. If anyone can comment and/or provide reference to any useful documents I'd be grateful!





RE: Daylighting Pipes in Cold Climates
RE: Daylighting Pipes in Cold Climates
I agree with cvg on the account of the down spouts not being connected to the found. drain system. Normally, during the winter the found. drainage volume settles down, so you may not have much flow. Two ideas, and I’ve used the latter one with success. Up-line from the outfall, could you run your line through a deep enough dry well so that the smaller volume during the winter would most likely never get to daylight, and would not freeze? We used to put some straw insulation over the open end of a similar drainage system at the outfall. This kept the pipe end and the ground from freezing so the drainage could continue to work.
RE: Daylighting Pipes in Cold Climates
dhengr, I agree straw insulation is a good approach. as it pertains to a design drawing, is that something you would specify to the owner as a yearly maintenance requirement?
RE: Daylighting Pipes in Cold Climates
RE: Daylighting Pipes in Cold Climates
RE: Daylighting Pipes in Cold Climates
RE: Daylighting Pipes in Cold Climates
RE: Daylighting Pipes in Cold Climates
RE: Daylighting Pipes in Cold Climates
This has been discussed:
http://www.eng-tips.com/viewthread.cfm?qid=352222
In the north, people run the roof drains underground and have them daylight downstream, but the pipe is not perforated near the building or foundation. It is possible to drain a residence into a french drain (also located away from the structure). However, your structure will have too much roof runoff for a simple French drain.
As the others have posted, it is not a good idea to run the roof drains into the foundation drain. That is asking for trouble.
RE: Daylighting Pipes in Cold Climates
good practice to reduce the chance of freeze up is to use larger pipes, steeper pipe slopes that can accommodate more ice buildup without plugging. if you want to eliminate the ice totally than you might need to heat trace it or possibly drain to a covered and insulated dry well. An overflow can be provided to allow flow to continue if the pipe plugs at the end.
I would not expect much flow from a foundation drain in the winter.
RE: Daylighting Pipes in Cold Climates
If the owner decides to go with the cheap option, which is basically a 4" plastic pipe daylighted to the surface, I highly encourage the following:
1. Make sure the pipe daylight is located away from snow storage and roof drainage areas.
2. Install a DIP or steel pipe at the outlet, because (whether they want to or not) they will have to chip away at ice blockage and will destroy the plastic pipe in the first winter.
If they want to go a more expensive route, I try to get the roof drain system to connect to a public storm sewer system and put the foundation drain into a dry well that discharges well below the frost line.
RE: Daylighting Pipes in Cold Climates
CVG, you would be surprised at how much flow can occur in the winter. Get a sunny day with a high of 30 degrees and you usually have something flowing in the system through the night. Trickle of water is the worst to build up a plug.
RE: Daylighting Pipes in Cold Climates
Richard A. Cornelius, P.E.
WWW.amlinereast.com