I almost installed one at a ropes course I worked up, but moved before I got around to it. Did a lot of looking into it though. The sock thing El mentioned works, but while I was at Lowes looking at it, some guys were there that worked at a landscaping place buying a lot of it. They said it works, but it can be a pain to get on the tube/pipe, especially the longer pieces. They said that was the only hard part of the job. But it was worth it because it makes the pipes stay clog free for much longer.

They also said if you have to do a job of any size, renting a trenching machine is very worth it.


Also, one of the cool things you can do with the water is collect it in underground tanks and use it to water your lawn and landscaping in dry times. I was watching a show on GreenTV station the other day where they did just that, and also ran the water gutters off their roofs into it, which helped keep from adding even more to the lawn.

Even if you didn't want to go with the underground tank, you could make your own rain barrel for less than $50, and that would keep a lot of the water from running off the roof and onto your lawn. Put a hose at the bottom of the barrel and water the plants with it, or just let it out in a more controlled manner on a dry day.

There are tons of guides online on how to make one. For instance, the Ace Hardware a couple blocks from my house has big PVC barrels for sale for $15 or so just for that reason. I would have one already but am living in an apt. right now.

Watch this video
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MGFDlkJOdaM[/media]