Pop Up Drain Emitter Problems: Main Reasons And Effective Solutions

Are you struggling with your current drainage system? Considering a pop-up drain emitter but confused? Well, you have come to the right place.

Today we will address all your concerns regarding pop up drain emitter problems.

Pop-up drain emitters have been a lifesaving solution to homeowners struggling with their complicated traditional drainage system.

But, even if they come with their own set of problems, they can be solved with the help of some insight.

Problems With Pop-up Drain Emitter

Let’s see those problems quickly:

• Freezing in Winter
• Broken Lid
• Getting Clogged
• And so on!

The pop-up drain emitter does have some problems that you should be aware of. But it is not anything that you cannot solve.

• Pop up Emitter Freezing in Winter

As horrifying as it sounds, this problem is fixable. But before that, let us know what happens here. The water flow from the downspout can freeze in winter, resulting in the popup emitter freezing in the winter.

• Pop up Emitter Broken Lid

The most common problem you will face with the pop-up emitter is the broken lid. This usually happens due to an unfortunate encounter with the lawnmower.

• Pop Up Emitter Getting Clogged

As mentioned before, pop-up emitters are designed to not allow any debris or pests to get inside them. But if the gutter is not cleaned properly or debris is not removed from there, it can result in some clogging.

Now that you know about these problems, let us go over the solution to know what to do if you encounter any of them.

Fixing the Pop-up Emitter Problems

Pop-up emitter freezing in winter can be avoided if you take care of a few things while installing the entire drainage system altogether.

• Install the gutter extension properly. It is essential that you install the drainage system with a proper pitch according to the tube length. This allows the water to keep flowing instead of collecting in any high or low areas.
• Install heat cable on the gutter. The heat cable adjusts to the temperature of the environment and keeps the tube warm enough. And so, it helps to stop the water from freezing.
• Disconnect the system in winter. The drainage system should be designed in a manner that the outlet can be disconnected if needed.
• To fix broken lids, you can easily take the emitter out, pop off the lid, and put on a new lid. The entire process is very easy and will take just about 10 minutes to finish.
• You can also tape up the lid with some waterproof tape just to be on the safe side.
• Pop up emitter clogging can be avoided if you install gutter guards and a downspout screen in the drainage system.

How to Repair a Pop-up Drain Emitter?

Sometimes the pop-up drain emitter may end up getting damaged or need repairing. Depending on the damage, you can just dig up the emitter and repair the damages.

In case you have to replace the entire thing, the whole process may take up a little more time. But nothing you cannot do within a day.

• To replace the popup, drain emitter, you need to remove the grass and dig up the damaged emitter.
• Next, you will have to loosen the emitter from the drain tube.
• And then you install the new emitter.
• Make sure you do not end up changing the slope, or else it will hamper the new emitter from working properly.

Pop-up Drain Emitter: The Ultimate Drainage System?

If you think of the typical drainage system, you will see that most houses have gutters on the rooftop to catch the rainwater which flows into the downspout.

Usually, that water deposits at a distance from the house, keeping the basement and foundation of the house dry and safe.

But this system sometimes fails to do its works properly and ends up corroding the foundation. And that is where the pop-up drain emitter comes in to save the day.

Pop-up drain emitters are a more efficient drainage system that connects to the downspout through a canal. The downspout is connected to an emitter which diffuses water when the water pressure builds up inside.

If you are wondering how deep a pop-up drain can be, you should know that it can be installed up to 16 inches below the soil line depending on your drainage needs.

Why do You Need a Pop-up Drain Emitter?

The typical drainage system is more prone to getting clogged due to debris. No matter how much you clean it up, debris is something that you cannot get rid of. And cleaning this debris can be challenging at times.

The best part about pop-up drain emitters is that they do not collect any debris like the traditional drainage system. So, you will not have to worry about clogs and cleaning them all the time.

This drain emitter ensures the drainage of water to a specific area far from your house’s foundation. On top of that, the emitter works with hydrostatic pressure.

That means the flat lid of the emitter will stay closed in dry weather. So, you do not risk running the lawnmower over this.

And lastly, pop-up drain emitters are very easy to install and can be repaired or replaced very easily.

The Alternatives to Pop-up Drain Emitter

We have talked about the significance of a pop-up drain emitter along with their problems and fixes. But we understand if you want to explore other options.

So let us have a look at the alternative to pop-up drain emitters.

• Grates

Grates are installed at the end of the downspout that allows the underground drain pipe to direct the water to a proper location.

There are different types of grates for your yard drainage system.

1. Square Grates
2. Round Grates
3. Inverted Bowl Grates
4. Trench Grates
5. Catch Basin

Comparing with pop up drain emitters, grates can discharge relatively more water due to their wider opening. But that can stand up to be an issue due to the discharged water having no direction.

Other than that, the entry of the grate is very open. However, this may give an opening for debris and waste to get collected inside.

• Daylighting Pipes

Daylighting is the process of excavating underground pipelines to be exposed outside. For the home drainage system, you can daylight the underground pipe towards the sewer.

The main idea of doing this is to direct the water to a place outside of your property, far from your home.

The main drawback of this alternative is that a lot of neighborhoods do not allow this. In case they allow you, it is still best to talk to your neighbors about where to direct the drained water.

Apart from that, you must know daylighting the pipes may allow debris and other waste to get collected inside the pipes. Under those circumstances, this alternative may seem like a bad choice to make.

Final Words

Now that you know all about the pop up drain emitter problems and their easy fixes, you can design your drainage system with ease.

Your aim should be to design the best drainage system that suits your needs and environment.

And so, we recommend you consult with a professional in case you have any confusion regarding your best choice and alternatives. Good luck!

About Author

Den Hicks

Traveler, food lover, interior designer, and blogger. I love gardening a lot! I designed my home myself with the help of my beloved wife. You are welcome!

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