I need help in preventing storm water from getting into the house - with paint image

[The Stigenator]

First off Image:

So the problem started when LA City redid the road. We have a 'french drain' going from the planter area to the street. French drains = pipe, so lets things in and out.

When it rains the storm water drain on the street backs up and then it flows into the french drain and into the planter area, when the planter fills up, it flows into the house.

The house is a 3 level town house. Ground floor is the garage, which is 5-6 feet below ground surface. There was water proofing put into the wall a couple of years ago to try prevent water coming in, but that really didnt solve the problem, since it seeps up from the foundation.

I had the french pipe blocked with a 3" compression pipe test thingamagig, and while it worked all this time, it turns out the french drain is filled with 'soil' now and it pushed it out and while pushing it out, it broke the little bit of the pipe, so the compression tester did not fit anymore.

So I need a solution, its a 3" pipe, its about 3-4 inches inside the side walk concrete. One option is to permanently block it with concrete, but for now I have stuffed a filled coke bottle into the hole (with a rubber mallot) in hopes that it does not let any more water in, as it stands, the rain is going to be coming down even harder..

Ive already diverted the roof drain to flow to the side so it does not flow into the planter, but the main problem is that the french drain was unblocked for a while and water has gotten in now.. I need a Long term solution.

 

[AFurryReptile]

Too much going on in that image. Losing inter...

 

[The Stigenator]

There is a top view and a side view.. thats whats going on..

 

[Greenman]

Looks like a sump pump will be your answer.

 

[bonkers325]

the drain is there for a reason, and its usually to protect the foundation of your home from water infiltration. if you block the drain, you may be causing another problem down the road. get some professional advice before you start in-filling your drain.

 

[CaptnKirk]

http://imgs.tootoo.com/a3/be/a3be426f874250de15a11a5d39041659.jpg

 

[Jesusthewererabbit]

Dig a moat. It will serve double duty by keeping the peasants out.

 

[The Stigenator]

the drain is there for a reason, and its usually to protect the foundation of your home from water infiltration. if you block the drain, you may be causing another problem down the road. get some professional advice before you start in-filling your drain.

Yes I know why the drain exists, but the problem is that its letting in water rather than letting OUT water.. so the damn thing is filling up. Heck our garage sump is working over time as water is flowing into our underground garage by its outlet, that outlet is a little above the surface unlike my planter one which is at surface level.

 

[skyking]

so this pipe exits out through the curb?
Is it PVC or ABS or the ribbed stuff?

 

[The Stigenator]

so this pipe exits out through the curb?
Is it PVC or ABS or the ribbed stuff?

Last time I looked at it, it was grey colored I cant tell if its PVC or ABS. Yes it does exit through the curb.

 

[skyking]

Short term fix:
Put in a test ball and pump it up. Get a hose extension if need, same place that sells test ball has 2' extension hoses.

http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/CHERNE-INDUSTRIES-Test-Ball-Plug-1VNF1

Long term:
Dig up the pipe behind the sidewalk somewhere, and install a backwater valve.

http://www.backwater-valves.com/

 

[iGas]

You can cap off the pipe that is going into the street if their is no water draining into it from the roof.

You can also get a backwater valve/check valve as suggested above.

 

[dud]

OP, it never rains in California.

Seriously, price a one-way valve for the pipe which will allow water to drain to the street but not from the street to the house.

 

[DrPizza]

OP, it never rains in California.

Seriously, price a one-way valve for the pipe which will allow water to drain to the street but not from the street to the house.

I don't see how that's going to help. If the depth of the water is greater in the road, a valve isn't going to miraculously make the water reverse direction in the pipe. It will do little more than what he's already done - stop water from backing up in the pipe. However, after the water has gone down in the storm drain, then it will later on drain out.