Yeah, decent fabric definitely helps. I flipped a house a few years back where the previous owner had rigged up some DIY drainage without any fabric at all—just gravel and wishful thinking. You can imagine how that went... ended up with a swampy mess every time it rained. Swapped it out for proper fabric and pipe, and problem solved. Glad yours is still going strong after 8 years; always nice when something simple actually does the trick.
Totally agree, fabric makes a huge difference. Curious though, have you considered adding some native plants or a rain garden nearby to help absorb the excess water naturally? Might be a nice eco-friendly complement to your setup...
Native plants and rain gardens are fantastic, but just a heads-up—make sure you choose plants that don't mind occasional chlorine exposure. Learned that the hard way when my client's lovely flowerbed turned into a sad, wilted mess after pool drainage day... oops. Ornamental grasses or certain hardy shrubs usually hold up well. Also, consider a gravel-filled trench or French drain nearby to help disperse water more evenly. Saves your yard and your plants from unintended poolside drama.
Good points on the chlorine—seen that happen more than once myself. Grasses are usually solid bets, but I've also had luck with junipers and boxwoods near pool drainage areas. They're pretty tough and seem to shrug off chlorine better than most. And yeah, gravel trenches are lifesavers. Last summer, a client insisted his yard didn't need drainage... until he flooded his patio furniture. Lesson learned, haha.
"Last summer, a client insisted his yard didn't need drainage... until he flooded his patio furniture. Lesson learned, haha."
Haha, sounds like something I'd do. Curious though—anyone tried using rain barrels or storage tanks to catch pool water? Seems like a waste to just drain it away, especially if you can reuse it for watering plants later. Might be a budget-friendly option too, if gravel trenches aren't doable right now.
