Yeah, I’ve run into that problem before—people get all excited about putting in a French drain and then realize the water’s just pooling somewhere else, or worse, popping up in a neighbor’s yard. When I did mine, I followed kind of a step-by-step to try and avoid those soggy corners. First, I dug the trench deeper than I thought I’d need (better to overdo it than have to redo it). Then I lined it with landscaping fabric, which honestly makes a huge difference for keeping silt out of the gravel over time.
After that, a thick layer of gravel went down—like, at least a few inches below and around the pipe. Some folks skip the fabric or skimp on gravel, but that’s where you end up with the musty smell or standing water. Also, I tried to angle the exit toward a rain garden area instead of just dumping it onto grass. It’s not perfect—sometimes after a really heavy rain there’s still a bit of pooling—but it blends into the landscaping way better than just having a pipe sticking out.
Curious if anyone’s tried using those dry well kits? I’ve seen them around but haven’t used one yet... Wondering if they help with that last bit of drainage.
I get the appeal of French drains, but honestly, I’ve seen them cause more headaches than they solve if you don’t have a clear exit for all that water. You can dig the Grand Canyon in your yard and line it with gold-plated fabric, but if your soil’s heavy clay like mine, it just turns into a fancy underground puddle. I tried a dry well once—ended up with a “wet well” instead. Sometimes routing the water to the street or tying into an existing storm drain (if your city allows it) is worth the extra hassle. Otherwise, you’re just playing whack-a-mole with the puddles.
Yeah, I’ve run into the same issue with French drains in clay-heavy yards—water just sits there, no matter how well you build it out. If you’re draining a pool, here’s what’s worked for me: First, check if your city allows you to connect to the storm drain. If not, I’ve had luck using a long discharge hose to direct the water all the way to the street gutter. It’s a pain to set up, but way better than flooding your own lawn or your neighbor’s basement. Just make sure you’re not blasting water into a spot where it’ll come right back at you... Learned that the hard way once.
I hear you on the clay soil—French drains just don’t cut it in my yard either.
Been there, done that, and ended up with a swampy mess by the fence line. Ever tried a dry well setup? I’ve read mixed things, especially with heavy soil, but I’m curious if anyone’s had real luck with them. Or are we all just doomed to wrangle hoses every time the pool needs draining?“Just make sure you’re not blasting water into a spot where it’ll come right back at you...”
Dry wells in clay are a bit of a gamble, honestly. I tried one a couple years back, thinking it’d be the magic fix, but the water just kind of sat there since the soil’s so dense. What helped me a bit was digging a wider, shallower pit and filling it with gravel—sort of a mini soakaway. Not perfect, but it slowed the swamp down. It’s definitely not just you wrangling hoses... clay soil is a whole different beast. Don’t get discouraged, though—sometimes it’s just about finding what works “well enough” for your yard.
