I hear you on the rain barrel thing—mosquitoes love those setups if you’re not on top of them. I tried mesh screens and dunk tablets, but it was just another thing to babysit. Tarp channels are ugly, yeah, but at least they don’t turn into a science experiment. Have you looked into using a pool cover pump with a long hose? I ran one out to the street gutter last year and it kept the flow slow enough to avoid flooding, plus no standing water left behind. Not the prettiest solution, but it’s less hassle than tarps or barrels.
I’ve actually tried the pool cover pump trick, but my hose wasn’t long enough to reach the street, so I ended up with a soggy patch in the middle of the yard. Not ideal. Did you have to buy a special hose, or just use a regular garden one? I keep thinking there’s gotta be a way to make this less of a hassle (and cheaper).
I just used a regular garden hose, but honestly, it barely reached the curb and the flow was super slow. Ended up buying one of those cheap sump pump hoses from the hardware store—way longer and not that expensive. If you’re trying to save money, you could try connecting two garden hoses with a coupler, but sometimes they leak at the joint. Not perfect, but it worked better than flooding my lawn.
That’s a smart workaround. Those sump pump hoses really do make a difference, don’t they? I tried the double-garden-hose trick ages ago and ended up with more water on my shoes than in the street. Did you notice any issues with water pressure using the longer hose, or did it move along pretty well?
I tried the double-garden-hose trick ages ago and ended up with more water on my shoes than in the street.
Haha, same here. I swear, garden hoses are like magnets for my socks—no matter what, I end up soaked. The sump pump hose was a game changer for me, though. I did notice the water slowed down a bit with the longer hose, but it still beat the “puddle around my feet” method. Only thing is, if there’s any uphill at all, it’s like the water just gives up halfway and sulks.
