Water Drain from Patio Ideas NEEDED

[Cedric Watlington]

Just purchased my home and I'm in the Mid-Atlantic area. We have seen 7 straight days of rain. I've noticed that my back patio holds water, instead or draining away. Long term concern is that it affects foundation because it just stands there.

My question: any ideas how to easily drain water from this area (see picture). My only thought is to cut into the stone retaining wall so the water has somewhere to go. Any other ideas that are a little simpler?? Thanks!
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[Snoonyb]

Your links cannot be viewed from this site, or found on google.

 

[bud16415]

I can view your photos fine. With the area raised it should be easy enough to get it to drain. The raised curb is a poor design feature IMO.


What is under the brick?


I would maybe start with a few weeping slots cut into the curb from above. That might be simple to try and DIY friendly.

 

[Snoonyb]

The link's produce an error msg. generated from this site.

Or drill weep holes thru the curb, however the level of the adjacent landscape will be the determiner for that.

 

[Steve123]

Your patio looks like it was built too high. Looks same level as your door threshold. Might have some rot under there.

Yeah, rent a wet saw and cut some slits in the concrete curb. At least 1/2" wide. If your slits are just the width of the saw blade, they may clog up too often.

 

[joecaption]

Just brakes my heart when I see things like this.
Whoever sold you this house for sure knew there was this issue.
Any home inspector unless they showed up with a white cane and a guide dog should have picked up on this potential issue.
Just an overall poor design, starting at the the way the house foundation was built.
I'd be more concerned with water coming in under the threshold, and what happens when this area freezes in the winter .
The only fix I see is removing that whole patio and starting over.
Just cutting out some sections of the curbing will help, but not fix the real issues.
As mentioned that curb needs to go, the pavers should have been permeable pavers.
http://www.belgard.com/products/permeable-pavers
If it was my home I'd go further and remove that door, fill in the bottom of the foundation where the door sits to raise where the threshold sits and waterproof outside, reframe the door opening.
That way you could back fill in enough to make the patio naturaly drain toward the yard.
Please do not think I'm just trying to poke fun at your house!
The one I'm living in now that I ended up with accidently was even worst than yours is.
The slab was poured lower than the grade, the yard is dead flat, steel drains and water lines inside the slab that had all rusted away.
First big rain storm I had water coming up through the floor in the kitchen, it's been adventure

 

[Cedric Watlington]

Thanks for the response. Yea the home inspector definitely mentioned the this being a likely outcome of a lack of grading in the patio and good drainage. Im going to try some weeping slits first, then maybe the options you noted here. Thanks again.

QUOTE="joecaption, post: 238092, member: 21184"]Just brakes my heart when I see things like this.
Whoever sold you this house for sure knew there was this issue.
Any home inspector unless they showed up with a white cane and a guide dog should have picked up on this potential issue.
Just an overall poor design, starting at the the way the house foundation was built.
I'd be more concerned with water coming in under the threshold, and what happens when this area freezes in the winter .
The only fix I see is removing that whole patio and starting over.
Just cutting out some sections of the curbing will help, but not fix the real issues.
As mentioned that curb needs to go, the pavers should have been permeable pavers.
http://www.belgard.com/products/permeable-pavers
If it was my home I'd go further and remove that door, fill in the bottom of the foundation where the door sits to raise where the threshold sits and waterproof outside, reframe the door opening.
That way you could back fill in enough to make the patio naturaly drain toward the yard.
Please do not think I'm just trying to poke fun at your house!
The one I'm living in now that I ended up with accidently was even worst than yours is.
The slab was poured lower than the grade, the yard is dead flat, steel drains and water lines inside the slab that had all rusted away.
First big rain storm I had water coming up through the floor in the kitchen, it's been adventure [/QUOTE]

 

[Cedric Watlington]

Yup, I think I am going to try this first. Do you think slits in the top or drill some 1/2" holes through the face of the stone?

Your patio looks like it was built too high. Looks same level as your door threshold. Might have some rot under there.

Yeah, rent a wet saw and cut some slits in the concrete curb. At least 1/2" wide. If your slits are just the width of the saw blade, they may clog up too often.

 

[Cedric Watlington]

Under the brick, looks like it's just dirty.

Do you think I should saw slits in the top or drill some 1/2" holes through the face of the stone?

Thanks again.

I can view your photos fine. With the area raised it should be easy enough to get it to drain. The raised curb is a poor design feature IMO.


What is under the brick?


I would maybe start with a few weeping slots cut into the curb from above. That might be simple to try and DIY friendly.
View attachment 20598

 

[joecaption]

Just slits and drilling is not going to even remotely fix all the issues.
If I was going to try and fix this without a major rehab I'd remove the railings, rent a concrete saw and cut out at least a 4" wide whole sections of that curbing.
Slits are going to just stay plugged up.
Drilling holes to try and drain it also will do nothing, it's just going to cause shrink swell issues.

 

[head-first]

Are the pavers exposed from the side? If so, I'd try to remove some from underneath the curb (by hammer and chisel) every 3 or 4 feet so the water had a place to go. At least for a short-term solution.

 

[bud16415]

Under the brick, looks like it's just dirty.

Do you think I should saw slits in the top or drill some 1/2" holes through the face of the stone?

Thanks again.

After looking at your problem again. I think I would look at a trench drain product like this.


https://www.homedepot.com/p/U-S-Tre...An5bEALw_wcB&dclid=CMS467jultsCFctGDAodm2IBcg


There is a video there you can watch that sums up how the product works.


I would remove the last 2 rows of bricks on the two sides and run trench drain to the corner, At that corner I would bust thru the retaining wall and take the water out thru 4” PVC. I would try and get it out away from the wall at that point into an area of the yard where it can soak in.