French Drain and Drainage by Oklahoma Drainage. We installed our first French Drain and completed our first Sprinkler Repair in Norman in 1993.
Central and Western Oklahoma is our Service Area since 1993.
(405) 203-9419
French Drain Information
A Channel Drain Across the, soon to be installed driveway would be a good idea too!
Channel Drain set in Driveway
FRENCH DRAIN CONNECTED TO GUTTERS
Many different types of Drains can be hooked together by one Drainpipe. The Drainpipe then runs to an Exit Point. This makes up a Drainage System.
One common type of Drain used in a Drainage System is A “French Drain.”
Many times, a French Drain is installed close to a building foundation or in a low area next to a home or business. This puts the French Drain in close proximity to Gutter Down Spouts.
Rather than have water come off the roof and out the Down Spout and on to the ground below, it is much better to tie a Gutter Down Spout Directly into a French Drain. Connecting The Down Spouts Directly into a French Drain is much more efficient and causes suction to occur in the French Drain. This makes the Drainage System work better.
What French Drain Can Do
Keep water away from foundations — A French Drain is best because it can move Surface Water and Sub-Surface Water (water moving underground) away from the foundation.
French Drains can move large amounts of water over a broad area. They can move Surface Water and Ground Water.
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. They can easily become overwhelmed during a heavy rain. A Surface Drain can’t cover or protect a broad enough area.
Surface Drains are designed to be placed in smaller areas that have a specific low area. They can move low to moderate amounts of water. They can only move Surface Water.
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Surface Drain along sidewalk
Surface Drain move water based on the size and number of basins and are limited by the size of the Drainpipe.
What is A Drainage System?
Simply put, a Drainage System is one or a group of underground Drainpipes 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 Drain for the water to enter, a Drainpipe 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 downhill 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 Counts
Experience at diagnosing drainage problems helps, however. How much water needs to be moved will help determine the type and size of the Surface Drain or 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:
6 inch, 9 inch, and 12 inch Surface Drains –
3 inch, 4 inch, and 6 inch Drain Pipes —
3 inch, 4 inch, and 6 inch French Drains —
French Drains move more water than Surface Drains —
French Drains move Surface Water and Sub-Surface Water
Surface Drains move 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?)
Curb Outlet
The Drainage Curb Fitting is installed when the desired exit point for the French Drain will release the Drainage 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 Drain Pipe coming from a French Drain or Surface Drain is connected to the Drainage Curb fitting and then covered with dirt.
Pop-Up Emitter
The Drainage Pop-Up Emitter is connected to the end of a Drain Pipe. It is downhill from a French Drain or 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.
Drainage System installation and design is a big part of our business. Does your sidewalk turn into a moat after a hard rain? Does part of your yard look like a pond after a thunderstorm? Worst of all, are you experiencing concrete deterioration to your foundation, sidewalk, or driveway.
Oklahoma Drainage can design a Drainage System to solve your Drainage Problems. Our Drainage Systems can be simple or complex. We utilize, French Drains, Surface Drains, Channel Drains, Basin Drains, Basement Drains, Trench Drains, and Sump Pumps. Estimates are free!
Oklahoma Drainage and Sprinkler Repair: Servicing all of Central and Western Oklahoma since 1993.
Standing Water on Your Driveway? A Surface Drain set in concrete may be what you need. Or maybe you need a French Drain Running alongside your driveway instead. Handling water problems is what we are good at. If you need help, Oklahoma Drainage can provide the best solution for your unwanted water problems.
In the Above picture, we installed a French Drain under the left edge of the pool walkway. The Drain PIpe From the French Drain runs perpendicular from left to right under the walkway stones. Check out the pictures below.
Installing French Drain Under Walkway
Oklahoma Drainage
Heavy rain went through central Oklahoma last night. Many Oklahomans have homes or businesses that don’t Drain very well. Water stands on sidewalks and driveways. Storm-water runoff turns yards into ponds. Water can damage foundations, driveways and sidewalks. Standing water doesn’t do trees, grass or plants any good either! Good drainage is important. If you have water in the wrong place, give us a call. We utilize many types of Drains when designing a Drainage System.
WE install: French Drains, Channel Drains, Basin Drains, Trench Drains, Basement Drains, Surface Drains, and Sump Pumps.
Give us a call for a free estimate if you live in Central Oklahoma.
