Connecting sump pump hose to rain downspout.

[eastcoastguyz]

I am fairly new to all this, so please be kind. I will do my best to explain the problem.

A neighbor who knows less about this than me had a new sump pump installed. The installer simply poked a hole in the wall from his basement and pushed out a black flex hose outside extending only a foot or so from the house. The problem is, it pumps water which is pooling in his yard causing a trail of soggy mud which spills into my yard causing a swamp. A friend visiting pointed out to me, that this guy's sump pump hose was lying right next to the rain downspout which goes right into the ground. He suggested that this neighbor could have his sump pump hose tied into what appears to be an underground drainage for the downspouts. I had mentioned the problem in a very nice way to this neighbor, but they are clueless about how to fix it.

Ok, how can this be done? Does this require digging down to the underground drainage to connect the sump pump hose, or can it be connected above ground? What tools would be required to do this and is it simple to do?

I'm looking for a workable solution to this, even web sites which explain it with photos if possible, so I can be ready to share this with this neighbor to be as helpful as possible. I'm very concerned they might do something incorrect to make the problem worse in order just to do something. Thanks!

[Harry K]

Not being able to see his down spout/drain connection I can't say how. In general all that is needed is somehow to put the nose of the sump pump pipe into the same hole as the downspout. In my case, it woiuld just be a matter of dropping it in as there is plenty of room. No, except for aethetics, there is no need to connect it underground. It may be necessary, however, to dig out enough of the drain to intall a "Y" so you can have two entrances to it.

Harry K

[eastcoastguyz]

Thanks for the helpful reply! The end of the downspout meets right up to something in the ground which looks to the the exact size as the downspout, so it doesn't look like a sump pump hose could be pushed down into it.

What is a "Y" connection? Is this something that can be purchased like at Home Depot? Thanks!

[Tomes]

If I was going to do this, and I don't know anything about any codes so take this for what it is worth (no guarantees and all...), I would try to find a downspout Y and feed both water sources into it. Think of it this way, if two raingutters fed into the same downspout there would need to be a Y so they could both feed into the downspout. That is what you would need, and I would imagine that a HD might have it or maybe someplace online.

Now, I would also add this feature so you will not siphon water from the roof into the basement. Have an air gap between the sump line and the Y. This means have the water drop where you can see it falling down. This precludes the water going upwards (it would spill out the gap instead).

The other interesting thing to find out would be if the place that all this water goes would have the capacity to handle the extra water amount.

I am not saying to do this, just that if I would this is what I would be thinking. Hope this helps, Tomes

[Harry K]

Plumbing fitting come in many combinations. T and Y are two. It refers to the way they look. It allows 2 pipes to be connected so they feed into one. Hard to describe without a picture. You can try to find a Y for the downspout and not have to do any digging. Just ask at the lumberyard and they will show you.

Harry K

[souperman]