Pop up drain

[porsche tech]

The people who put in our paver driveway (probably 9 years ago) ran a big PVC flex tube from a down spout, under the driveway out to the yard so it wouldn’t have to drain right across the driveway. The pop up drain is continually getting covered up with dirt, needles, etc. Two questions for the brain trust: 1. Would there be any problem with raising the pop up drain so it was 4 or 5 inches above the soil? 2. What do you think would be the best way to try to clear that flex tube of debris that has gone into it from the gutter? I’m going to have to dig up the pop up drain to put a taller one on the end of the flex tube so maybe I could just try to force feed it with a garden hose from the gutter end when the drain is off the end of the flex tube. Thanks for any input.

[porsche tech]

Can’t get photo of drain to post. Will try to take another one tomorrow.

[porsche tech]

[dad911]

Flex not a good idea, especially under a driveway. Not rated for traffic, and the ridges hold back silt.
I would take the end off, and run a hose through and make sure it runs free.

Pop-up also prevents the pipe from completely draining, again holding back sediment.

Is there enough pitch to just run the pipe horizontally to drain?

[fintstone]

You can add a riser to raise it:

https://frenchdrainman.com/product/fdms-pop-up-emitter-riser/

or use a different type emitter

[porsche tech]

It’s so flat around here that I think part of the problem is not enough elevation change between down spout and pop up. Fintstone, I saw that drain on Amazon and I am considering something like that rather than a pop up. Guess I’d better get to digging.

[wdfifteen]

Any way you can seal the connection between the downspout and the drain? Head pressure from the downspout will help water flow through the pipe and keep it clear.

[porsche tech]

I’m thinking it might be clogged a little bit because during a hard rain some comes out the pop up but I think it comes out where the downspout joins the tube too. Have to look into how I might seal that.

[fintstone]

You don't want to seal where the downspout joins. You want a gap. If the popup or line gets completely plugged, it will back up the pipe all the way to the roof and then into your house.

[porsche tech]

Good point.