Dry Well Installation

If you want to protect your landscape from water runoff, you may want to install a dry well to divert that water. Dry wells are not difficult to install, but they will take some time and effort. If you feel up for the job, you will need to understand the procedure.

Things You'll Need:

• Shovel


• Rake


• Level


• 50-foot tape measure


• Landscape fabric


• Gravel


• PVC pipe both perforated and solid


• Overflow valve


• Downspout adapters and fittings


• Concrete drainage shell

Construction of the Well

1. Select a low area of the yard that is away from the foundation of the house.


2. Use the shovel to dig a pit a minimum of 6 feet deep, and as wide as is suitable for your property, and line it with the landscape fabric. Then place 3 to 6 inches of gravel over that and even it with the rake.


3. Place the concrete drainage shell in the center of the gravel and run the PVC pipe through the opening and extend it 6 inches on the outside of the shell wall. Fill in the area between the outside of the shell and the wall of the pit with gravel, and set the shell lid in place.


4. Follow the instructions on installing the drainage valve, and fold the landscape fabric over the entire concrete shell and cover with dirt and tamp it down.

Build the Pipeline

1. Use the tape measure to get the distance from the well to the downspout. This will give you the amount of pipe you will need.


2. Use the shovel to dig a trench about 12 inches deep all the way from the well to the downspout. It only has to be wide enough to accommodate the pipe.


3. Use the adapters and fittings to connect a length of the solid pipe to the downspout, and place gravel under this length of pipe to create a slope at ¼ inch per pipe foot. The level will help with this.


4. Begin at the end of the solid pipe, and place landscape fabric in the trench and more gravel to continue the slope to the well.


5. Use fittings to attach perforated pipe to the solid pipe and continue this to the well. Cover the pipe with landscape fabric.


6. Shovel gravel over the rest of the pipe, cover this will dirt for an even surface and tamp it down.