My basement window well fill pipe cracked last winter

The corrugated pipe that runs from my window well down to the weeping tile froze up and split right at the elbow joint back in February. I didn't notice until a big rain in April when water started pooling in the well instead of draining away. Ended up digging out the old pipe and replacing it with a solid 4-inch PVC pipe with a proper cleanout. Has anyone else had issues with those black corrugated drain pipes freezing in Edmonton winters?

2 comments

2 Comments

gavin_clark1mo ago

Schedule 40 is actually the thin wall stuff for low pressure. You probably used Schedule 20, which is the thicker grade for drain, waste, and vent applications. Solid pipe is definitely the way to go though, that corrugated junk is garbage.

william_taylor1mo agoMost Upvoted

I put in Schedule 40 PVC after my corrugated pipe collapsed under the driveway back in 2017. The black stuff is just way too flimsy for our freeze-thaw cycles, especially at the elbow where the ice builds up. I also added a couple inches of pea gravel around the base of the cleanout to stop any dirt from washing in. That solid pipe has been PERFECT through three winters now without a single issue.