Oklahoma Drainage : 405-203-9419

Oklahoma Drainage and Sprinkler Repair 405 203 9419 — We provide:

    French Drain Installation, Surface Drain Installation, Drainage System Installation

    Sprinkler Repair for all aspects of Residential Sprinkler Systems

    Emergency Sprinkler Repair Service, AFTER HOURS AND WEEKENDS.

Drainage Systems, French Drains, Surface Drains, Channel Drains, Sump Pumps, Sprinkler Repair, with 26 years of experience. 

 

A French Drain is completely different from a Surface Drain.  A basic French Drain consists of a Perforated Drain Pipe in the bottom of a trench.  A  Trench Liner is sometimes used depending on the Drainage System Design and the type of soil.   The Drain Pipe should have a neoprene sock around the Perforated Drain Pipe.   This is to ensure that the Drain Pipe does not become clogged. A trench is dug that is slightly wider than the French Drain Pipe that is being used.  There are several sizes of French Drain Pipe.   Three Inch, Four Inch, and Six Inch are the most common sizes of French drain Pipe. The dirt that is taken out to make the trench is hauled away.  It is replaced by some type of small stone or gravel depending on what is desired or available.  I prefer crushed 1 inch lime stone.  It is the most economical option in my area.  Pea Gravel or some other type of small stone can work just as well.    The lime-stone or gravel is placed in the trench on top of the perforated Drain Pipe and filled all the way to the surface (ground level).   In some cases where the French Drain needs to be deep or is being placed in sandy soil, a special trench liner must be placed in the trench before the perforated Drain Pipe or the Gravel are installed.  This helps maintain the integrity of the trench over time.  It also increases the cost of the French Drain and the amount of time to install it.  I install a trench liner in a French Drain about 20% of the time.  Most of the time a liner in not needed.

 

Oklahoma Drainage and Sprinkler Repair – 405203 9419

 

FRENCH DRAIN INSTALLATION IN EDMOND OKLAHOMA

Edmond Oklahoma has been the location for many French Drain Installations for us in the past several years.  Recently we ripped out an old Surface Drain that was under a deck.  The Surface Drain was too small for the job and did not Protect the Foundation from Standing Water.  The First step was to take out part of the deck along the wall.  Next we took out the Surface Drain and the Three Inch Pipe which was too small.  Digging a trench along the foundation came next.  We had to ensure the, “Fall” to make sure the water would run from left to right.  Next a French Drain Liner needed to be installed.  This was necessary to maintain the integrity of the trench and to keep the French Drain Pipe from filling up with sand and getting clogged over the next few years.  We then installed 4 inch ADS Perf/Soc French Drain Pipe along the course of the French Drain.  Next we connected the end of the French Drain Pipe to Solid 4 Inch ADS Drain pipe to continue along the trench to the Pop-Up Emitter at the Exit Point.

 

A good Drainage System has a point where water enters the System.  This is usually through a French Drain, Surface Drain, or a Gutter Down Spout that is connected into a Drain Pipe.   Water will run through either Perforated French Drain Pipe or Solid Drain Pipe depending on the Drainage System Design.  Water will flow down hill to an Exit Point where the water will be released out of the Drainage System.  This is a done through a Pop-Up Emitter or a Curb Fitting.

 

Installing Cement around Curb Fitting for French Drain

 

 

A French Drain is a long perforated pipe in the bottom of a trench.  The trench runs through the problem drainage area.  The trench is filled with gravel or crushed lime stone.  The French Drain takes in water any place that water runs into the trench.

A French Drain will move large amounts of water from the Drainage Problem Area to the Exit point.

A French Drain will Drain away water that gets to the Drainage Problem Area in 3 ways.

1.  Water gets to the problem area by falling from the sky.

2.  Water gets to the problem area by flowing down hill over the ground.

3.  Water gets to the problem area by flowing underground. (Sub-Surface water flow)

Number 3,  Sub-Surface water flow is the big consideration.  When doing a Drainage Diagnostic, this is the area that is many times missed or not considered by less experienced companies.    Many Times it is cheaper and more effective to install a French Drain over a Surface Drain.  A Surface Drain can’t move as much water as a French Drain, and a Surface Drain can’t Drain away Sub-Surface water.  Surface Drains should be installed in areas where the Drainage Problem area is smaller and is not affected by sub-surface water.

The draw back to a French Drain, is that it is not a pretty as a Surface Drain.

French Drains do a great job running along foundations and driveways.  A French Drain will keep water away from cement and prevent damage to concrete if water should freeze up against it.  A French Drain can keep your foundation Dry.

 

We just finished a 4 inch Drainage System in Yukon.  It was a complicated system to install.  It utilized 4 inch French Drain in the flower beds,  12 inch Surface Drains on the side of the house,  6 inch French Drain along the garage foundation with 2 Pop – Up Emitters in the back yard and 3 Curb Fittings in the front.    First we installed 4 inch French Drain in the flowerbeds on both sides of the front door.  We connected 4 inch solid Drain Pipe into the French Drain and ran them underside walk to the curb.  Next we cut the curb with a concrete saw and installed 3 curb outlets for 3 separate French Drains.

Next we installed 4 12 Inch Drain Basins with grates along both sides of the house continuing with Solid Drain Pipe to the Pop-Up Emitters on the back fence. Finally we completed the Drainage System by installing a long run of 6 inch French Drain down the side of the garage foundation.   Installing the French Drains in the flower beds was the most difficult and took the most time.  Each French Drain took over a ton of crushed limestone to fill the French Drain trench.  The Six inch French Drain took even more limestone.

French Drains can utilize  several types and sizes of French Drain Pipe.  An older type that is not commonly used any more is 4 inch PVC Pipe with large half inch holes drilled in the Pipe.  This doesn’t work very well,   Because the holes are too large and the number of holes in the French Drain Pipe are too few.  Also there is no filter or “Soc” around this particular French Drain Pipe.  If it is used in sandy or loose soil the holes will clog and the pipe will fill up with sand.  PVC French Drain Pipe should be avoided.

ADS French Drain Pipe is much better, the holes are smaller and much more numerous.  It also comes inside a soc that acts as a filter and helps keep sand and debris out of the French Drain Pipe.  It works very well.

For Small business and Residential French Drains, Four inch ADS Perf/Soc French Drain pipe is adequate and the most common.  It is used for the majority of all French Drains installed.  French Drains can be installed using 3 inch ADS Perf/Soc but many times it is too small and can be overwhelmed by a heavy rain or from a bad design.  (Too many gutter down spouts connected directly into the French Drain, For Example)  Three Inch French Drain Pipe should be avoided if possible.

Six inch  ADS Perf/Soc French Drain Pipe is usually a good idea when possible.  It carries a much larger volume of water.  Six Inch French Drains are rarely overwhelmed.

The Drawbacks to 6 inch French Drain installation are:  1.  The Materials Cost is higher for six-inch French Drain Compared to Four Inch Pipe.

                                                                                                                    2.  Many times 6 Inch French Drain Pipe is too large for many applications, Such as going under a fence or sidewalk.  

                                                                                                                   3.  The trench for a 6 inch French Drain must be much larger than a 4 Inch

                                                                                                                   4.  The amount of gravel or limestone or River Rock used to Cover the 6 inch French Drain is Much larger

 

All things being considered, the performance and longevity of a 6 inch French Drain is well worth it if you are trying to protect something of value to you!  If the higher cost and the additional labor and materials are not a problem and 6 inch French Drain pipe is not too big for what you want to do then a 6 inch French Drain would be the best.