DIY guideGround and drainage
Clear the ditch and the culvert
Find both ends of the pipe under the driveway, rake out what blocks them, and keep the ditch flowing before heavy rain.
- 30 min to 2 hr
- 7 steps
- Every step animated
7 steps
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Walk the ditch and find the pipe under the driveway: where water goes in, and where it comes out.
Work when the ditch is dry or barely running, never while water is rushing through it.
Stay out of fast or deep water, and never reach or crawl into the pipe.Rake leaves, branches and trash out of the pipe's mouth, and lift them well up the bank.
At the far end, pull away silt and debris so water can leave the pipe freely.
Rake the ditch clear of leaves, grass cuttings and fallen branches along its length, so water runs to the pipe.
Run a hose or wait for rain, and watch the water go in one end and out the other.
A crushed or rusted-through pipe, a hole opening in the driveway, or water over it: ask Handyman for an excavation pro.
What you need
- A garden rake
- A shovel
- Work gloves and boots
- A garden hose
Call a pro if
- The pipe is crushed, rusted through or sagging
- A hole opens in the driveway over the pipe
- Water runs over the driveway in a rain
Handyman says: Keep off it. I'll find an excavation pro.
Free for every home. Handyman asks a few questions, then books a pro it trusts.
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