French Drain Mistakes.
are very common and unfortunate. Mistakes are caused by many different reasons. One or several mistakes can cause a New French Drain to perform poorly, or not at all. Time and money are wasted. People with Water Damage need to have their drainage system work correctly and last a long time.
People who have need for French Drain Installation are highly motivated. Unwanted water in your AC Floor Ducts for example, motivates folks to do something quickly.
The White Material is the Trench Liner. The black material is the Pipe Filter.
Cracking Driveways and Foundations from Water Damage is also an “ATTENTION GETTER.”
In the picture below, look at the water stains on the Driveway. A correctly installed 6 Inch French Drain has solved the Standing Water Problem. The driveway will stay dry and last.
is a wonderful thing. Correct French Drain Installation solves a wide variety of water drainage problems.
Still Mistakes Are Made.
The Biggest Mistake – Bad Advice
To Start, The Biggest French Drain Mistake is Unqualified Drainage Diagnosis.
This is taking bad advice from someone who really doesn’t know. Bad advice leads to a Drainage System that performs poorly or won’t work at all. This Obviously, occurs all the time in today’s world, whether It be French Drain Diagnosis or Auto Repair, or any other contract work you might want done.
Additional mistakes that relate to Unqualified Drainage Diagnosis are:
1. Selecting a Drainage Contractor that can’t provide good current References.
2. Selecting a Drainage Contractor that has been in business less than 5 years.
3. Selecting a Drainage Contractor that doesn’t specialize in French Drain Installation.
4. Selecting a Drainage Contractor Who needs money up front.
In Review, If you have a French Drain Contractor who needs money up front to begin work or is also good at landscaping or pushing a lawn mower, then you should RUN! You need References! You need to know how long they have been in business.
Another Big Mistake
The Second Most Common French Drain Mistake Is
NOT DECIDING if a French Drain should be a part of a “Drainage System,” or a “Flood Prevention System. You need to understand the difference between the two and choose one. A French Drain Expert can help you make that decision. A French Drain can be a part of A Drainage System or a part of a Flood Prevention System.
A Drainage System drains water away from a Water Problem Area over time.
A Flood Prevention System prevents water from ever getting into the Problem Drainage Area in the first place.
Flood Prevention Systems Intercept Surface Water and Sub-Surface water at the same time. The pipes are larger and more robust than the pipes in a Drainage System. Flood Prevention Systems are more expensive and harder to install as well.
The Third mistake that is made with a French Drain being installed is lack of a Trench Liner or Pipe Filter being used. The Trench Liner maintains the integrity of the Drainage Trench and keeps the Gravel or Crushed Stone that is used clean.
The Pipe Filter keeps Debris out of the French Drain Pipe.
Both of these things ensure longevity and functionality of a French Drain. I have Installed French Drains all the way back to 1993 that still work great!
Setting The Fall
The 4th mistake with a French Drain Installation is ,” Not Setting The Fall of the French Drain.” “Setting The Fall,” is a process that makes sure that water flows through the French Drain Trench at a Constant Speed. French Drains always cross ground that is irregular. They cross humps and low areas. This process is done by French Drain Professionals or Individuals who are accomplished and understand the two ways that “Fall may be set.”
“Bad Fall,” For a French Drain means that water will stand in several low areas of the French Drain underground. Once the French Drain has finished draining, it should be empty. You want all the water to drain out of the French Drainpipe.
By looking at the French Drain on the surface, It will look fine. You wont be able to tell if some of the Drainage Water Stayed inside the French Drain. Everything will look OK, but it won’t be. If any type of tree is nearby, the tree roots will seek out the water that is left in a French drain. Tree roots attack the French Drainpipe causing damage. Soon French Drain Performance will drop off. In may quit working completely over time.
TREE ROOTS WON’T ATTACK A FRENCH DRAINPIPE THAT IS EMPTY!
French Drain with Trench Liner and Pipe Filter
Recently we installed a Drainage System in NE Edmond.
Our customer had purchased a new home at a large discount. The new home had sat empty for three years because of all the drainage problems on the West side of the house in the front, side, and back yard. The builder could not sell the home. Originally The builder of the home had installed a French Drain to solve these problems. Whoever originally installed the system had no idea what they were doing. Many mistakes were made.
Once the house was finally sold at a very large discount, the new homeowner hired us to come in and assess the situation. We determined that the drainage problems could be solved. Our quotes for drainage system installations are always free with no obligation.
Here are some of the problems we found:
- A French Drain was installed, but perforated pipe was not used in the last 60 feet of the French Drain. Crushed Limestone was used to cover the French Drain Pipe in the drainage trench, but since the pipe in the trench was solid and not perforated, the water had no way to get into the French Drain. THIS IS LIKE PUTTING GAS INTO YOUR CAR AT THE GAS STATION BY POURING IT ON THE ROOF?
- In the areas where perforated pipe was used, it was installed incorrectly. No type of filter was installed to protect the French Drain. Neither a “Trench Liner” or a Neo-Preen soc was used to protect the perforated pipe from getting clogged. The soil was very sandy in this NE Edmond neighborhood. Here is the Pipe that we dug up. Sand had completely filled the French Drain Pipe. It was so heavy, that we had to cut it into sections just to lift it out of the trench.
3. Finally, the thing that left me scratching my head and made me speechless was this! Much of the French Drain in the back yard would need to flow uphill a substantial distance to reach the exit point of the drainage system. I can’t explain this or make it up, but somebody got paid to do this. I’m sorry! I need to just let this go. Anyway
We ripped up all the bad French Drainpipe that was filled with sand. We installed perforated French Drainpipe that had a Neo-Preen soc around it and we installed a trench liner as well.
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The White Material is the Trench Liner. The black material is the Pipe Filter.
Our customer is very happy!
- I checked on the progress of the yard drying out yesterday, a week after the install. He now has a normal firm back yard.
The Bermuda grass will soon grow over the trench with the limestone. If you have read my other blogs, you know how important this is and what it means. CATCH YOU guys’ NEXT TIME!
If You live in Oklahoma City and water damaging your foundation, We can install a French Drain for you.
Or If you live in Norman and have water standing on your driveway, We can install a Channel Drain for you.
If you live in Edmond and have water flooding your basement, We can install a Sump Pump for you.
Or If you live in Moore and have water washing out your flower bed mulch, We can install a Surface Drain for you.
If you live in Yukon and need grass to grow we can install Sod too!
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.
