We solve all types of unwanted water problems in and around your home or business. Oklahoma Drainage Provides: Drainage System Installation utilizing French Drains, Surface Drains, Channel Drains, and Sump Pumps
.
If you need a French Drain along an exterior wall, or a surface drain installed in concrete in a sidewalk or driveway, or a sump pump in a basement, we can help. There are literally thousands of specific drain installation applications.
Hard rain and flooding seem to be more common all the time. When I started this business in 1993, having over an inch of rainfall in an hour was pretty extreme. Now having over 4 inch an hour rainfall is not unheard of and is becoming more common.
Protecting our homes and businesses from unwanted water should be a goal for all of us.
Oklahoma Drainage has seen and dealt with virtually every possible Drainage and Standing water problem that can occur in or around your home. With over 2700 Drainage Systems installed since 1993; we have amassed a great deal of experience. This is helpful in seeing underlying problems.
We look for Secondary Water Issues not just the Primary ones. In this business EXPERIENCE TRULY COUNTS!
Hiring your brother- in- law or a Landscape Company to put in your Drainage System is a bad idea. If a landscape company also installs French Drains, you should run!
Why don't they specialize??? Does your Lawyer also do physical therapy?
Some Builders also make bad choices concerning drainage on new homes they are building. New houses should not have problems with water. Builders usually have a landscape company that installs their drains. Sometimes it's a maintenance guy that works for the builder. It's Usually the cheapest fix possible. I've testified in more than one class action lawsuit where a whole housing sub-division had unnecessary Drainage Issues.
Water can cause a huge amount of damage. How important is your money and your home? Over 30% of the work done by Oklahoma Drainage is fixing other people's mistakes. I appreciate the work, but I get frustrated when bad things happen to good people concerning water!
Blane Callen, 405 203 9419
If you have water damaging your foundation, or water standing on your driveway, or water getting anyplace else that you don’t want it to be, in your home or business, We can help.
Drainage Systemsare designed to protect your home or business from standing water. Storm-Water Runoff can cause damage in many ways. Water from your gutters can seep down into your home’s foundation if it has no good way to drain off. If the temperature then drops below freezing, the water around your foundation can freeze and cause serious damage to the home’s foundation. Foundation repair can cost more than a Drainage System.
ADrainage Systemmay utilize one or several types of Drains. We might install, for example, A Surface Drain in the middle of a driveway that runs to a gutter that is connected into the drainpipe. The Drainpipe might continue to a French Drainrunning parallel to a home’s foundation. Next the drainpipe might continue to a channel drain cutting across a sidewalk. The Drainpipemight then reach its exit point running out through a curb fitting installed and cemented through the curb.
A Surface Drain basically is a basin that has a grate on the top. A drain pipe is connected to the basin below ground. The water flows in through the grate and down into the basin. The water then exits the Basin through the Drain Pipe and move toward the exit point of the Drainage System.
Surface Drains are designed to handle water that accumulates in a low area. These areas should not be too large or broad, and the water that drains into a surface drain should not be moving very fast. Surface Drains can become overwhelmed if they are placed in an area that must move a large volume of water, quickly. Selecting the correct drain for the specific drainage problem is a benefit that we provide through twenty 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. The Drainpipe should have a neoprene sock around thePerforated Drainpipe. This is to ensure that the Drainpipe does not become clogged.
Haul Away Dirt
The dirt that was 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 limestone. It is the most economical option in my area. Pea Gravel or some other type of small stone can work just as well. The limestone or gravel is placed in the trench on top of the perforated Drainpipe and filled all the way to the surface (ground level).
In some cases where the French Drainneeds to be deep or is being placed in sandy soil, a special trench liner must be placed in the trench before the perforated Drainpipe 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, It maintains the Drainage Trench keeping it clean.
AFrench Drainis designed to handle a large volume of water and cover a large area. The Drain is anyplace the trench goes. It has many applications and can be used in many situations. It can be installed by itself or incorporated into a Drainage System withSurface Drains or Gutter Down-Spouts connected to it.
The main downfall of a French Drain is that they, for the most part aren’t very pretty. They don’t look very nice in a yard once they are completed.
Depending on the area the French Drain is installed and the type of grass around the French Drain, will dictate whether grass grows over the lime stone. Grass can grow up and through the gravel in the French Drain over time eventually covering the gravel. This is Ok. It won’t have a measurable effect on the performance of the drain.
DONT COVER THE GRAVEL IN THEFRENCH DRAINWITH DIRT. THE FRENCH DRAIN WON’T WORK IF THE TRENCH IS CLOGGED WITH DIRT. DON’T EVEN INSTALL IT IF YOU ARE GOING TO COVER IT UP WITH DIRT.
DECORATIVE STONE CAN BE USED TO COVER AFRENCH DRAINAND THEY LOOK GREAT AND LAST A LIFETIME.
Standing Water on a Driveway or Sidewalk can be a real pain. Stepping out of your car into standing water is no fun. Many times, a channel drain can solve this kind of problem.
Channel Drains are usually set in concrete. Many times standing water requires that a new drain be set in concrete. This requires that the concrete be cut and removed and a drain installed in its place with new concrete around the edges.
Channel Drain Installed against wall
Obliviously Skill, Expertise, and Experience is required to make a big cut across a driveway or sidewalk.
Oklahoma Drainage
If a channel drain is installed correctly, it is very strong. A car can be driven over it.
Channel drains are of two kinds, Metal or Composite.
Metal Channel drains can be Crome, Cast Iron, or Stainless Steel.
A Composite Channel Drain is made up of very tough plastic combinations.
Channel Drain Installation is a primary focus for OklahomaDrainageand Sprinkler Repair. We have been installing Channel Drains as part of Drainage Systems since 1993. We also install Surface Drains, French Drains, and Sump Pumps to fit our customer’s needs.
NDS Grey Channel Drain Running Across Driveway in Edmond
Channel Drain Installation Is a Central Focus for Oklahoma Drainage. We have been Installing Channel Drains set in Concrete since 1993.
Channel Drains can look great and be very functional and durable.
However, A Channel Drain is not an easy thing to install! It takes a great deal of precision, Experience, and Attention to Detail. This is Definitely Not something to allow your Landscape Company to attempt, or your Brother-In-Law!
Just because someone is skilled at pushing a mower around, doesn’t mean you should let them cut across your driveway with a concrete saw.
I get a lot of business fixing and replacing Drains of all types that were installed incorrectly by landscape companies and armatures. Typically, they stick to messing up French Drains, but I have fixed Channel Drains that were an absolute “Train Wreck!” as well.
Hard rain and flooding seem to be more common all the time. When I started this business in 1993, having over an inch of rainfall in an hour was pretty extreme. Now having over 4 inch an hour rainfall is not unheard of and is becoming more common.
Connecting Gutter to French Drain
Oklahoma Drainage has seen and dealt with virtually every possible Drainage and Standing water problem that can occur in or around your home. With over 2000 Drainage Systems installed since 1993, we have amassed a great deal of experience. This is help full in seeing underlying problems and secondary issues that may be hard to see at first for the ” Untrained Eye.” This allows us to get things right the first time. In this business
EXPERIENCE TRULY COUNTS!
Hiring your brother-in-law to put in your Drainage System or French Drain is as bad as hiring a Lawn mowing company that does landscaping and drains too? Water can cause a huge amount of damage. How important is your money and your home?
designs and installs Drainage Systems. Water Drainage is a big concern to homeowners and small businesses. Standing Waterfrom Storm-Water runoff can cause all kinds of problems. Concrete in driveways, sidewalks, and foundations can be damaged. ProlongedDrainage Problems allow mold to occur along with deterioration to plants, trees, and property.
Just what is a “French Drain?” Many times, people incorrectly use the phrase, “French Drain,” to apply to many different types of Drains that could be used in a Drainage System. The term is widely used and many times incorrectly connected to “Surface Drains,” or “Channel Drains.”
A Surface Drain has a grate that sits on top of a basin. The basin is underground. A Drainpipe is connected underground to an outlet on the Drain Basin. Stormwater Drains through the grate into the Drain Basin. Once in the Drain Basin, water travels out of the basin through a Drainpipe. The Stormwater continues downhill in an undergroundDrainpipe to an exit point.
AChannel Drain is a type of Surface Drain, and many times is installed in concrete across sidewalks or driveways.
Channel Drain
A French Drain is completely different from a Surface Drain. A basic French Drain consists of a Perforated Drainpipe in the bottom of a trench. The Drainpipe should have a neoprene sock around the Perforated Drainpipe. This is to ensure that the Drainpipedoes not become clogged.
The dirt that was 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 limestone. It is the most economical option in my area. Pea Gravel or some other type of small stone can work just as well.
Crushed Limestone
The lime-stone or gravel is placed in the trench on top of the perforated Drainpipe and filled all the way to the surface (ground level). In some cases where theFrench 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 Drainpipe 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 aFrench Drain Every time.
French Drain
Large Water Volume
A French Drain is designed to handle a large volume of water and cover a large area. The Drain is anyplace the trench goes. It has many applications and can be used in many situations. It can be installed by itself or incorporated into aDrainage System with Surface Drains or Gutter Down-Spouts connected to it.
The main downfall of aFrench Drain is that they, for the most part isn’t very pretty. They don’t look very nice in a yard once they are completed.
Depending on the area the French Drain is installed and the type of grass around theFrench Drain, will dictate whether grass grows over the limestone. Grass can grow up and through the gravel in the French Drain over time eventually covering the gravel. This is Ok. It won’t have a measurable effect on the performance of the drain.
DON’T COVER THE GRAVEL IN THEFRENCH DRAIN WITH DIRT. THE FRENCH DRAIN WON’T WORK IF THE TRENCH IS CLOGGED WITH DIRT. DON’T EVEN INSTALL IT IF YOU ARE GOING TO COVER IT UP WITH DIRT.
DECORATIVE STONE CAN BE USED TO COVER AFRENCH DRAINAND THEY LOOK GREAT AND LAST A LIFETIME.
Channel Drain Installation is a primary focus for OklahomaDrainageand Sprinkler Repair. We have been installing Channel Drains as part of Drainage Systems since 1993. We also install Surface Drains, French Drains, and Sump Pumps to fit our customer’s needs.
Setting the concrete around the channel drain
ADrainage System is made up of three parts. An Intake, a transition, and Exit.
An intake is a Drain or a group of Drains that brings water into the Drainage System. It can be a French Drain, Surface Drains, Channel Drain, or Sump Pump.
A Drainage Systemcan have one intake or several. If more than one, it can be any combination of French Drains, Surface Drains, Etc.
For Example: You might have aSurface Drainset in your sidewalk and a Channel Drain next to your driveway and a French Drainin your yard. They all connect to each other through drainpipe and feed water into the Drainage System.
The Transition
The Transition is the Drainpipe that takes the water to the exit point. It can be a large pipe or small depending on how much water needs to be moved and how fast it needs to drain. More than one Drainage Exit Point. This increases the amount of water that theDrainage System can move.
There are other things to take into account and consider as well.
Oklahoma Drainage and Sprinkler Repairinstall French Drains and Surface Drains in lawns, flower beds and many other places. We also install Surface Drains and Channel Drains Set in concrete in sidewalks and driveways. Wherever you need a Drain to help protect your home or property, we are there to help. Experience Counts, going on 33 years now.
Oklahoma Drainage and Sprinkler Repair 405 203 9419 — We provide:
Just what is a “French Drain?” Many times, people incorrectly Harsh weather in Oklahoma seems to become more common. In 2013, Norman Oklahoma had 4 inches of rain in two hours. That’s the most rain in a short time that I can remember. Storm-Water runoffcan cause damage to all types of property and buildings.
Water getting inside your house is never a good thing.
Drains can protect your home and property from water damage. Large 6 Inch French Drain Installed in Norman
Drainage Systems can be made up of one drain or a combination of many drains. Drainage problems can be very complex. Complex Drainage Problems may require a combination of several different types of drains all inter-connected and working together. Other times the drainage problem may be simple and straight-forward requiring only one drain or several of the same type of drain connected together.
Complex French Drain
An example of a complex drainage system would be: A French Drain in the back yard connected to a Surface Drain near a flower bed connected to several gutter downspouts, which are connected to a Channel Drain going across a driveway, which is connected to additional Surface Drain in the front yard, which runs to a Curb Fittingthat lets all the water drain out on to the street.
A simple Drainage System might consist of a Surface Drainthat is connected to a second Surface Drain which runs to a Pop-up Emitter which lets water drain over the curb and into the street.
Drainage Exit
An “Exit Point” is the term used for where all the water leaves theDrainage System. Determining the Exit Point is very critical. It is one of the first things we do when diagnosing a Drainage Problem.
Many Folks don’t know the difference. Actually there are many differences and a few similarities. One difference is, a French Drain takes in a larger amount of water into the drain Pipe than a Surface Drain. A French Drain consists of water passing through gravel and into a perforated pipe below it. The perforated Drain Pipe lies in a trench usually about 18 inches below ground but this can vary greatly depending on the variables and requirements of the French Drain.
French DrainInstalled, Water is gone, just need to clean the mud off the sidewalk
A Surface Drain is a Drain Receptacle with Grate that is connected to a solid drain pipe.
Servicing all of Central and Western Oklahoma since 1993.
Oklahoma Drainage recently diagnosed a Drainage Problem in South Oklahoma City. The Home owner had a sump Pump in their basement that was fed from a French Drain outside the Basement Wall. The French Drain was 14 feet down along the Stem wall of the house. The French Drain Pipe was cheap and had collapsed. We brought in a Mini Excavator and dug up the pipe and replaced it with Durable ADS 4 inch perf/soc French Drain pipe. In the end, we were able to dig up the pipe and Replace it.
inOklahoma seems to becoming more common. In 2013, Norman Oklahoma had 4 inches of rain in two hours. That’s the most rain in a short time that I can remember. Storm-Water runoffcan cause damage to all types of property and buildings. Water getting inside your house is never a good thing. A Drainage System that utilizes a French Drain can help.
Drains can protect your home and property from water damage. Oklahoma Drainage install a wide variety of Drains in many different places. A Drain or Group of Drains with Drainpipe going to an exit point is a “Drainage System.”
A “French Drain” Moves “surface water” away from a low lying problem drainage area. Sub surface water is many times not considered or thought about when a drainage system is being installed. People only think about what they can see and don’t think much about what they can’t see.
water is water that is underground and saturated in the soil. Just like water above ground (Surface Water) moves. Water under ground moves too and is a very big part of any drainage problem.
Water flows over the surface into the area that floods and is a problem. A big mistake that is made be the casual eye, is that all the water in a swampy problem area got there by running over the surface. Yes, it probably did, but it also got there by moving there underground as well. This is called SUB SURFACE WATER MOVEMENT, and it is important to any kind of Drainage System that might be installed.
Water can only be drained away that is on the surface. It goes into the top of the Drain on the Surface. It’s Name is ” A Surface Drain.” It Drains Surface Water ONLY!
A French Drain can drain Surface water and Sub Surface water both. It water is in the problem area by means of Sub – Surface movement, then it will enter the French Drain Laterally, underground, and be drained away along with the surface water.
Surface Drains look nice, but they have limited applications. They must be installed in situations that they are designed for. Surface Water only in smaller volume applications. Surface Drains don’t move as much water as French Drain
Design
Drainage Systems can be made up of one drain or a combination of many drains. Drainage problems can be very complex. Complex Drainage Problems may require a combination of several different types of drainsall inter-connected and working together. Other times the drainage problem may be simple and straight-forward requiring only one drain or several of the same type of drainconnected together.
An example of a complex drainage system would be: A French Drainin the back yard connected to a Surface Drain near a flower bed connected to several gutter downspouts, which are connected to a Channel Draingoing across a driveway, which is connected to additional Surface Drain in the front yard, which runs to a Curb Fittingthat lets all the water drain out on to the street.
A simple Drainage Systemmight consist of a Surface Drain that is connected to a second Surface Drain which runs to a Pop-up Emitter which lets water drain over the curb and into the street.
An “Exit Point” is the term used for where all the water leaves theDrainage System. Determining the Exit Point is very critical. It is one of the first things we do when diagnosing a Drainage Problem.
Drainage Systems can:
1. Keep water away from foundations— AFrench Drainis best because it can move Surface Water and Sub-Surface Water(water moving under ground) away from the foundation. Many times less experienced companies install Surface Drains to keep water away from foundations. This can be a big mistake. A Surface Drain can’t move or drain Sub-Surface Water.
Also A Surface Drain often can’t move enough water fast enough and easily becomes overwhelmed during a heavy rain. A Surface Drainalso can’t cover or protect a broad enough area. Surface Drains should be designed in a Drainage System to be located in smaller Drainage Areas moving moderate amounts of water. Surface Drainslook better than French Drains.
If ,”appearance” is more important
than Drainage Capacity, Go with the Surface Drain. Just know what you are getting into and what your expectations should be. One side of a foundation alone, can be over 100 feet. A 4 inch or 6 inch French Drain is best when protecting a large area such as a foundation. Surface Drain Installed next to sidewalk in Oklahoma City.
2. Keep water away from small or enclosed areas. This might be a low area just through a gate on the side of a house, or the low area between a flowerbed and the wall of a house, or standing water on or near a sidewalk or driveway. These types of Drainage Problems are best served with Surface Drains. A Surface Drain can move water away from a low area that is relatively small. This can occur in yards, flowerbeds, sidewalks and driveways. A Surface Drain is designed to move Surface Water away from a problem area to a predetermined exit point. Surface Drains are available in many sizes. How quickly they remove standing water is usually determined by the size of the Drain Pipe that is connected to the Drain. Surface Drain Installation in Norman
Simply put,
a Drainage System is one or a group of underground Drain Pipes that take water away from a place that has water standing on it or flowing across it. The water that is in the problem area, can be causing damage or may be inconvenient or both. (Usually Both) A simple Drainage System is a Drainfor the water to enter, a Drain Pipe to move the water away from the Drain, and an Exit Point for the water to be released out of the Drainpipe.
Drainage Systems quickly can become more complicated. Considerations must include:
How does the water get to the problem area? There may be one or many sources.
Water Sources:
1. It falls from the sky directly
2. It flows down hill over the surface (surface water)
3. It flows underground under the surface (sub-surface water)
4. It flows from the edge of a roof ( There may be many roofs near the problem area, neighbors etc.)
5. It flows from a gutter downspout
6. It flows over the edge of a gutter because the gutter is too small is is clogged
7. It flows up from the ground (seeps and springs are common in Oklahoma)
8. It flows from a sprinkler system use ( yours or your neighbors)
9. It flows from a leaking pipe ( water mains, water meters, water lines, sprinkler pipes, sprinkler valves)
There are other reasons for Drainage Problems, the above reasons are just the most common.
Once the number of water sources is determined,
a rough estimate of the amount of water that needs to be drained away on average must be estimated. This can be simplified down to “SMALL, MEDIUM, OR LARGE AMOUNTS OF WATER TO BE DRAINED AWAY. You don’t have to be an engineer trying to calculate fluid dynamics. Experience at diagnosing drainage problems helps however.
How much water needs to be moved will help determine the type and size of the Surface Drainor French Drain that needs to be installed. It also helps to determine the size of Drain Pipe required for the Drainage System. A good rule to follow is, “If in doubt, install a larger Drain and Drain Pipe.” Unused Drainage Capacity is better than property damage caused by a Drain that is overwhelmed by too much water.
For home and small business use typical materials used are:
French Drains move Surface Water and Sub-Surface Water
Surface Drainsmove Surface Water only
Surface Drains look nicer than French Drains in most cases
Once the type and number of drains is determined and what size Drainpipe will connect them, an exit point must be selected. (Where is the Drainage System going to take the water to and release it?)
The Drainage Curb Fitting
is installed when the desired exit point for the French Drain will release theDrainage Water into the Street. The Drainage Curb Fitting is rectangular in shape and made to be installed through the curb. A small section of Curb is cut out with a concrete saw. The Section is a few inches wider than the Drainage Curb Fitting. We then install new concrete around the curb fitting. Once the concrete has dried, the Drainpipe coming from a French Drain or Surface Drain is connected to the Drainage Curb fitting and then covered with dirt. Cutting The Curb and Installing Curb Fitting for French Drain
The Drainage Pop-Up Emitter
is connected to the end of a Drainpipe. It is downhill from a French Drainor a Surface Drain. It is a small release basin with a green pop-up lid. When releasing water, it pops up about an inch to release the water from the French Drain or Surface Drain. When the Storm Water has moved through the Drainage System and out of the Pop-Up Emitter, the green lid closes back to its original closed position. The emitter is designed to release water out into a yard or down a hill or other desirable Drainage Exit Point where there is no curb. Popup Emitter to release water from a Drainage System in Yukon.
Over time a French Drain may start to perform poorly. It may quit working entirely. This is due to many possible reasons.
Tree roots may be the issue. Dirt may clog the perforated pipe. The French Drainpipe may have become damaged as well.
Oklahoma Drainage and Sprinkler Repair has been Servicing and Repairing French Drains since 1993. Over time almost everything needs service.
In the past 33 years,
Oklahoma Drainage has designed and installed a large number of Drainage Systems. For the most part, we have utilized French Drains and Surface Drains of many different shapes and sizes. In two decades, we have built up a high level of experience diagnosing Drainage Problems. We know what to look for, what to expect, and how to approach a wide variety of situations where water is in a harmful or undesirable place.
along foundations near walls – behind retaining walls – in and around flower beds – in basements – near sidewalks and along driveways – pool decks and around swimming pools – on hillsides and on slopes to protect building and homes –
Surface Drain Installation
in sidewalks set in concrete – in driveway set in concrete – on side of house to catch water from gutter downspout – in basement with Sump Pump inside to pump out the water – in low spot in yard to handle a moderate amount of water – next to driveway to catch water run-off – next to sidewalk to catch water run-off – connected to gutter down-spout –
Just what is a “French Drain?”
Many times people incorrectly use the phrase, “French Drain,” to apply to many different types of Drains that could be used in a Drainage System. The term is widely used and many times incorrectly connected to “Surface Drains,” or “Channel Drains.”
A Surface Drain has a grate that sits on top of a basin. The basin is underground. A Drainpipe is connected underground to an outlet on the Drain Basin. Stormwater Drains through the grate into the Drain Basin. Once in the Drain Basin, water travels out of the basin through a Drainpipe.
continues downhill in an underground Drainpipe to an exit point. A Surface Drain may come in many different shapes or sizes. It is a Drain Basin with a Drain Grate on top and a Drainpipe connected on the side. The Drain Grate may be round or square.
AChannel Drain is a type ofSurface Drain,and many times is installed in concrete across sidewalks or driveways. It is long and narrow with a grate on top. Channel Drain installed in a sidewalk by a front door.
consists of a Perforated Drainpipe in the bottom of a trench. A Trench Liner is sometimes used depending on the Drainage System Design and the type of soil.
Three Inch, Four Inch, and Six Inch are the most common sizes of French drainpipe.
ADS Drainpipe, 6 Inch on the left, 4 Inch on the right.
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 limestone. It is the most economical option in my area. Pea Gravel or some other type of small stone can work just as well. The limestone or gravel is placed in the trench on top of the perforated Drainpipe 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 Drainpipeor 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 Every time.
A French Drain is designed to handle a large volume of water and cover a large area. The Drain is anyplace the trench goes. It has many applications and can be used in many situations. It can be installed by itself or incorporated into a Drainage System with Surface Drains or Gutter Down-Spouts connected to it.
of a French Drain is that they, for the most part isn’t very pretty. They don’t look very nice in a yard once they are completed.
Depending on the area the French Drainis installed and the type of grass around the French Drain, will dictate whether grass grows over the limestone. Grass can grow up and through the gravel in the French Drain over time eventually covering the gravel. This is OK. It won’t have a measurable effect on the performance of the drain.
DONT COVER THE GRAVEL IN THE FRENCH DRAIN WITH DIRT. THE FRENCH DRAIN WON’T WORK IF THE TRENCH IS CLOGGED WITH DIRT. DON’T EVEN INSTALL IT IF YOU ARE GOING TO COVER IT UP WITH DIRT.
DECORATIVE STONE CAN BE USED TO COVER A FRENCH DRAIN AND THEY LOOK GREAT AND LAST A LONG TIME.
Recently Oklahoma Drainage installed a large 6 inch French Drain in Edmond. The customer had water running under his back porch step and into his basement.
A Free Drainage Diagnostic and Quote was provided. The French Drain design that we proposed would intercept the surface water and subsurface water that was flowing under the steps.
The French Drain design called for a 6-inch French Drain to be installed above and several feet away from the steps. It would run around the house parallel to the foundation and about 5 feet to the East.
It would run past the steps to a point where water must cross the French Drain or run up hill to the steps which in this case was not possible. Once past the steps, the French Drain would transition to Solid 6-inch Drainpipe and continue on around the house to the Pop-Up Emitter downhill in the side yard.
Along the way we attached several Gutter Down Spouts into the Drainage System.
Oklahoma Drainage and Sprinkler Repair has been diagnosing and solving Drainage Problems since 1993.
Diagnosing the Problem
Water has the ability to get into places around your home where you really don’t want it to be. Some drainage problems are easy to solve. Typically water enters the problem drainage area one way from one source. The really tricky drainage problems occur when water enters the problem drainage area from multiple directions and from multiple sources.
Sometimes a secondary water source can’t be seen or identified until the primary water problem source is eliminated.
An example of this occurs when water is running into a problem area in an obvious way over the ground where you can see it.
A drainage system is installed with a surface drain as the “intake” with drainage pipe running to an exit point. Initially the water drains away, and everything looks great.
The next day water is back and is all around the surface drain, but below the edge and it hasn’t rained at all, so no additional water ran over the surface of the ground to flood the area.
The primary water source was solved, (The surface water run off) but the secondary water source was not. Which was sub-surface water, (ground water) running into the area.
Sump Pumps can be connected to French Drains. When you have a low-lying area that needs a French Drain, but it is up-hill in all directions and there is no way for the French Drain to move water to the Exit Point, a Sump Pumpcan be used.
Pump Size refers to how powerful it is not how physically large it is. For Home or Small Business use a 1/3 Horse or a 1/2 Horse Works Best. Larger Pumps such as a 1 Horse Pump must be ordered by a supplier and must be Hard Wired to 220 voltage by an electrician.
Setting the concrete around the channel drain
Sump Pump Connected to Channel Drain
Oklahoma City French Drain Installation, Norman, Edmond, Midwest City
In the past 32 years, we have installed French Drains to keep water away from home and business foundations. Surface Drains can keep water away from sidewalks and driveways. Trench Drains, and French Drains to keep standing water out of flowerbeds and yards. a
can be installed by themselves, or as part of a Drainage System that uses other French Drains, Surface Drains, or other Drain combinations.
Typically, a French Drain is used to protect a broad area that has a lot of standing water. A French Drain might run alongside a home’s foundation.
If water is running toward your home underground (through sandy soil), A French Drain is the only Solution for draining away water flowing underground.
Oklahoma Drainage Recently installed a Drainage System in Nichols Hills. The Drainage Systemwas made up of a 4 inch French Drain starting in the back yard. It ran between the garage and the pool. Several gutters were connected directly into theFrench Drain. From this point, we expanded up to a larger 6 inch Drainpipe to handle the added water into the system from the gutters. In several places the French Drain had to run through areas where Sprinkler Pipes were in the way. We had to re-rout all the Sprinkler Pipes and Wires under the French Drain.
Once the Sprinkler System had been redesigned and the gutters had been connected, we ran the 6 inch Drainpipefrom the end of the French Drain, around the house to release through the curb. We cut the curb and installed a 6 inch curb fitting with acrylic concrete. A few days later a major thunderstorm poured down on the property. The French Drain and the Drainage System Worked Perfectly.
This week
we installed a 6 Inch French Drain in Oklahoma City. Water was running down the hill, under the back fence, into the back yard, across the sidewalk, and into the side door going into the garage. After every heavy rain, water was getting into the garage. We installed a 6 Inch French Drainacross the back yard to divert the water. We also connected the Gutter Down Spouts Directly into the French Drain. Once the French Drain was down hill from the house, we changed from French Drain Pipeto solid 6 inch ADS Drainpipe and continued across the front yard to the street. Once at the curb, we cut the curb with a concrete saw and installed a Curb Outlet for the French Drain. Problem solved!
— Most people see and deal with what is obvious when it comes toDrainage Problems. Surface Water is “Obvious”! People see it washing over the surface into the area that collects the water. Simple enough.
Designing a Drainage Systemto intercept the Surface Water is the first step, but many times is not the only step. Often Sub-Surface Water(Water Running Under Ground) is not accounted for by people with less experience in designing Drainage Systems. They install A Drainage System that uses Surface Drains to Intercept the running surface water. Sometimes that works if that is the only water source to theProblem Drainage Area.
Surface Drain Can’t Drain Ground Water
Surface Drains drain surface water away only. Sub Surface water runs right around them and into the same Problem Drainage Area. There may be less water there than there was before but the problem still remains.
A French Drain is the solution when water is running into a problem area over the surface and underground. A French Drain solves both problems and the area will be dry.
Water standing on Driveway, a channel drain is needed.
A Channel Drain is a type of Surface Drain, and many times is installed in concrete across sidewalks or driveways. It is long and narrow with a grate on top.
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 limestone. It is the most economical option in my area. Pea Gravel or some other type of small stone can work just as well. The limestone or gravel is placed in the trench on top of the perforated Drainpipeand 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 Drainpipe 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 Every time.
Typically, a French Drain is used to protect a broad area that has a lot of standing water. A French Drain might run alongside a home’s foundation, or beside a driveway, or on any Drainage Project where Sub-Surface water is the primary problem. If water is running toward your home underground (through sandy soil), A French Drain is the only Solution for draining away water flowing underground.
is a big part of our business in Central Oklahoma. We help people with Drainage Problems in and around their home or business. If your sidewalk turns into a moat after a hard rain, or if your back yard floods after a thunderstorm, give usa call. Standing water can damage cement and concrete in sidewalks, driveways, and foundations.
Oklahoma Drainage has been diagnosing and solving Drainage Problems since 1993. Water has the ability to get into places around your home where you really don’t want it to be. Some drainage problems are easy to solve. Typically water enters the problem drainage area one way from one source. The really tricky drainage problems occur when water enters the problem drainage area from multiple directions and from multiple sources. Sometimes a secondary water source can’t be seen or identified until the primary water problem source is eliminated.
An example of this occurs when water is running into a problem area in an obvious way over the ground where you can see it.
A drainage systemis installed with a surface drain as the “intake” with drainage pipe running to an exit point. Initially the water drains away and everything looks great. The next day water is back and is all around the surface drain, but below the edge and it hasn’t rained at all, so no additional water ran over the surface of the ground to flood the area. The primary water source was solved, ( The surface water run off ) but the secondary water source was not. Which was sub-surface water, (ground water) running into the area. A surface drain can’t drain “ground water.” A French Drain should have initially been installed instead of a Surface Drain. A French Drain can drain both Surface Water and Ground Water.
A basicFrench Drainconsists of aPerforated Drain Pipein the bottom of a trench. The French Drain Trench runs through a Problem Drainage Areathat needs to be drained. The French Drain Pipe is perforated (Full of Small Holes) and has Neo-Prene Soc around the pipe. This soc helps prevent debris from clogging the French Drain Pipe.
All Drainage Systems and French Drains need a place for the water to go. This is called an Exit Point. We use two types of Exits. The first is a curb outlet. We cut the curb with a concrete saw and install a rectangular curb outlet set in acrylic concrete.
A rectangular outlet is superior to a round one. Air travels back up the pipe through the top two corners to allow a more continuous water flow. If you have ever poured liquid out of a 2 liter bottle turning it completely upside down, you will see that it drains but not very well.
Wow, Some Drainage Problems are tougher than others. Had a customer in Chickasha with an unusual Drainage Problem. She had a new Driveway installed. The Cement work was nice enough but they left out one major consideration when installing the new Driveway. Even after a small rain the water would run right down the driveway, under the Garage Door and directly into the Garage. This was a bad problem that was about to get worse. The first big rain came and everything was magnified. The Rushing water took out the garage door and the back wall of the garage. Yikes!!
Hmm,? What to do? The company that installed the Driveway was nowhere to be found. No surprise.
The water volume was huge and the customer had no means to redo the driveway which was substantial.
The solution took a little “Out Of The Box Thinking”.
We Installed an 8 inch metal channel drain grate across the driveway. But with no channel drain underneath. A large channel drain could not handle the water volume that we were dealing with. Instead of installing a channel drain underneath the grate, we cut completely through the driveway concrete and installed two 6 inch French Drains stacked on top of each other underneath the Channel Drain Grate.
This took place in July of 2017. Since then not a drop of water has reached the garage.
The Drainage part of our company name means that we solve water problems for people in Oklahoma. Heavy rain is becoming more common. Back in 1993 when I first started, a hard rain was considered to be about an Inch per/hour. It was fairly rare but not too uncommon. Today things are different. A weather report of rain fall at or above 4 inches per/hour was not uncommon in 2019. Excess water causes all types of damage to property both residential and commercial.
