Retaining wall drainage pipe inspection guidelines
By My Yard Editorial Team · 7/28/2026
The Quick Answer
Check outlets twice a year, and look for a clear flow within 24 hours of heavy rain. Bulging blocks, opened joints, or a wall leaning more than 1 inch per 4 feet of height mean the drain has failed.
The Witty Breakdown
You can't inspect what you can't reach, which is why cleanouts should be part of every install and rarely are.
Silted-in drains are common at 10–15 years. Jetting is cheap; rebuilding a wall is not.
Step-by-Step Fix
- 1
Locate and flag every drain outlet.
- 2
After a heavy rain, confirm each is discharging.
- 3
Clear mulch, mud, and rodent nests from the outlets seasonally.
- 4
If outlets are dry after a storm, hire a jetting service before the wall moves.
Pro-Tip / Do Not Do This
Don't landscape over your drain outlets to make them prettier. A buried outlet is a wall failure with a delay timer.
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