What is a Drainage System - Everything You Need To Know
A drainage system moves liquids away from areas that are not needed so they can be disposed of properly. A “drainage system” can be anything that removes rainwater from a building, such as gutters and drains, stormwater systems that channel water from the sky into roadside drains, and drainage systems that channel sewage from homes into public “sewers” for disposal.
Since drainage system also matters in every home, it’s always the best option to continuously seek professional landscaping companies during construction about this matter.
To learn more, join us as we discuss briefly all the essential things we need to know about our drainage system, types and why it is essential to have the proper system at home.
What is a Drainage System?
A drainage system is a vast network of pipes that begins with the homeowner’s duty to maintain their gutters, downpipes, and pipelines. After that, it joins the drainage system that runs throughout towns and cities to prevent flooding in nearby neighbourhoods.
The drainage system reduces the likelihood of floods by securely transporting stormwater away from dwellings to creeks and rivers and dumping wastewater from your home into the main sewer line. Because inadequate drainage can cause various issues, effective and well-maintained drainage systems are crucial.
The network that water flows through to reach the outlet can be seen as a tree, with the exit at its base. The tree’s branches represent stream channels. A junction or node is the point where two stream channels converge. Stream links are the parts of a stream channel that connect two subsequent junctions or a junction and the outflow.
Types of Drainage Systems
Surface Drainage System
Surface drainage systems use channels or ditches to remove extra water from the ground’s surface. Occasionally, grading or shaping the ground surface creates a slope toward the channels. Open drains, humps and hollows, levees, and grassed streams are a few different forms of surface drainage systems.
Surface drainage is beneficial in transporting extra water from land to a controlled drainage system or natural watercourse as soon as possible. Environmental damage cannot occur during this process.
Insufficient subsurface and surface water are typically the causes of wet soil issues in dairy pastures. It’s critical to understand that surface drains are ineffective for draining the soil profile in most soil types and removing surface water.
Gutter and Downspout System
The first line of defence against overflow by stormwater is a structure’s downspout and gutter systems. They are frequently discharged into a rain barrel, an aluminium extension, a hidden drainpipe, or another container. The idea is to divert water and direct it to other street or sidewalk drainage systems. Gutter drains or “subsurface drains” are occasionally used to link them to an underground sewer line.
Subsurface Drainage System
Systems for subsurface drainage are put in place below the soil’s surface. They function at the root level to drain excess water and are occasionally referred to as French drains. To install the pipes for underground drains and dig ditches.
The subsurface drainage system typically empties into a ditch or a stream. The outlets and outlet ditches need some minor work to improve subsurface drainage. Surface drainage improvements typically cost less to build than subsurface drainage improvements for the same amount of treated acreage. Drainage’s primary goal is rapidly and adequately removing extra water to reduce crop damage risk.
Slope Drainage System
Water can drain from a structure downwardly using slope drainage systems. Pipes that travel through the slope are used to help. The pipe that has been placed is attached to an inclination, which directs the water through the pipe and quickly removes it from the structure.
An essential component of guaranteeing the long-term stability of a slope is the provision of slope drainage. More precisely, it lowers groundwater levels and permits water to flow without harming the slope or infrastructure below.
Anywhere along a slope, drill holes may be used to install upwardly inclined or drilled drains. These are made of perforated pipe with a geotextile filter layer on the outside. This enables the pipes to stop seepage in particular places. These drains typically have a diameter of 65 to 95 mm and can extend for more than 20 meters.
Why is Having a Proper Drainage System Important
Water accumulation around your property might potentially harm the building or foundations. Still, it can be avoided with a sound drainage system. The extra water is instead redirected and drained away from the location. A drainage system lowers the possibility of soil erosion and stops mud and topsoil from washing away. This keeps your property’s water balance in good shape, which might impact construction projects and structural changes. Proper drainage is crucial for maintaining people’s health as it securely eliminates wastewater.
Here are some of the best reasons why having a proper drainage system is essential:
Health safety and hygiene
Sewage and wastewater have the potential to pollute our water supply. Additionally, it can foster the spread of infections. By reducing condensation, which hinders the development of mould and mildew, an adequate drainage system also keeps you comfortable and healthy. It also prevents moisture buildup, which can encourage the growth of mildew and dust mites.
Protect your landscapes
During the building of your home, water may spill onto the site and harm the landscape. This may be avoided with a reliable drainage system, saving you the expense of redoing the landscape.
Protect the home's structural strength.
In addition to posing health risks, polluted water can seriously harm the home’s exterior. It may harm ceilings, floors, and walls. Additionally, it may result in fissures and structural harm to the foundation.
Helps in energy conservation
A proper drainage system also promotes energy conservation. It stops water from building up on ceilings, floors, and walls. This aids in preventing the development of ice dams, which can seriously harm your roof. These ice dams cause heat to be lost, which raises energy costs.
This stops soil erosion.
When a home has a sound drainage system, soil erosion is less likely to occur since there won’t be any still water on the ground, which prevents mudslides. Drainage systems assist in preventing soil deterioration, which frequently results in soil erosion. In this manner, you are spared the worry of ongoing soil maintenance.
Frequently Asked Questions
The significant distinction between plumbing and drainage is that one involves water inflow into your home or its usage. In contrast, the other involves the wastewater drains from your home.
Generally, a landscaping expert can assist with most yard drainage issues.
Buildings can be damaged, and dirt can be moved from where it is required to where it causes difficulty due to poor drainage brought on by the nature of the terrain or by insufficient drainage systems. Poor drainage systems may have an impact on health, highways, and rivers, in addition to individual properties.
One of the drainage system’s jobs is to gather surface and subsurface water and then divert it elsewhere, keeping the ballast bed dry. The drainage system must also safeguard the foundation from eroding, getting wet, and losing its stability and ability to support loads.
Key Takeaways
Building design must consider drainage carefully. A robust drainage system is essential to avoid floods, mould growth, and structural damage to your house. If you don’t prepare for it, water can result in many issues.
Making sure you have a drainage plan before you begin building will prevent errors. It can assist in preventing problems from developing in the future and other aspects of your tear-down and rebuild development. A drainage plan ensures that the building of your new house goes well by assisting other tradespeople onsite in locating the drainage system.
