Archive for the ‘Driveway Drain Installation’ Category

Channel Drain, Pool Drain, Driveway Drain, Oklahoma City, Norman, Edmond, Moore

Posted: April 12, 2023 in Channel Drain, Driveway Drain Installation, french drain, Pool Drain
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Channel Drains are a type of Surface Drain.  They can be installed in many places.  The most common applications are in Driveways in Front of Garage Door,  Around or near swimming pools, and in sidewalks.  Typically they are set in concrete.

Do you have water standing on your Driveway?

Does water flow across your sidewalk and under the side door to your Garage?

Is water left on your deck after a Pool Party?

When it Rains, are you forced to walk through water coming out your front door?

If so you definitely need a Channel Drain Installed!

Channel Drains are a great way to deal with unwanted water that may be on a driveway, sidewalk, or near a pool!

 

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.

 

Oklahoma Drainage has been installing Channel Drains for 30 years.  We have been installing Channel Drains, French Drains, Surface Drains and Sump Pumps since 1993.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Driveway Drain, Channel Drain, Oklahoma City, Norman, Edmond, Moore.

Posted: February 11, 2021 in Channel Drain Installation, Driveway Drain Installation, french drain
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Driveway Drain, Channel Drain, Oklahoma City, Norman, Edmond, Moore

French Drain Repair and Installation is a Central Focus for Oklahoma Drainage.  We installed our first French Drain and completed our first Sprinkler Repair in Norman in 1993.

Oklahoma Drainage and Sprinkler Repair — Installing – French Drains – Surface Drains – Channel Drains – Sump Pumps.

Providing Expert Sprinkler Repair – Broken Sprinkler Pipes – Sprinkler Head Adjustment – Sprinkler Valve Replacement

We provide Service for Folks in: Norman, Oklahoma City, Edmond, and Moore.

Central and Western Oklahoma is our Service Area since 1993.  

                                                           (405) 203-9419

Before

cutting the driveway for a channel drain

Breaking out the cut concrete

After

Oklahoma Drainage  — Installing – French Drains – Surface Drains – Channel Drains – Sump Pumps

Servicing all of Central and Western Oklahoma since 1993.

French Drain Installation, Drainage Systems, Surface Drain, Sump pumps, – Oklahoma Drainage

Norman Oklahoma French Drain System,

 

French Drain Installation in Norman

Recently  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 Draincan help.  Drains can protect your home and property from water damage.  Oklahoma Drainage and Sprinkler Repair installs a wide variety of Drains in many different places.  ADrain or Group of Drains with Drain Pipe going to an exit point is a “Drainage System.”

Large 6 Inch French Drain Installed in Norman
Large 6 Inch French Drain Installed in Norman
 

Drainage Systemscan be made up of one drainor a combination of many drains.  Drainage  problemscan 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 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 Draingoing across a driveway, which is connected to additional Surface Drain in the front yard, which runs to a Curb Fitting that lets all the waterdrain out on to the street.

A simple Drainage System might consist of a Surface Drainthat is connected to a second Surface Drainwhich 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.

Pipe install

French Drain Before gravel is installed

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.  should be designed in a Drainage System to be located in smaller Drainage Areas moving moderate amounts of water. 

Surface Drains Can Look Good

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.
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. 

Surface Drain Information

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.

Simply put, a Drainage System is one or a group of underground Drain Pipesthat 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 Drain Pipe.

Drainage System Considerations

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 asprinkler 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 water sources are determined

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 DrainorFrench Drainthat 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.

Materials We Use

6-inch, 9 inche, and 12 inch Surface Drains–

3 inch, 4 inch, and 6 inch Drainpipes —

3 inch, 4 inch, and 6 inch French Drains—

French Drains move more water than Surface Drains —

French Drainsmove Surface Water and Sub-Surface Water

Surface Drainsmove Surface Water only

Surface Drains look nicer than French Drains in most cases

What size drainpipe?

Determine the size drainpipe that is needed.  Do this by counting the number of Drain Basins are needed.  More drain basins require a bigger pipe.  Four Inch Drainpipe is average in size.  Six Inch Drainpipe is considered large.

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 Pipecoming from a French Drainor Surface Drain is connected to the Drainage Curb fitting and then covered with dirt.

Cutting The Curb and Installing Curb Fitting for French Drain

Recently we installed a large French Drain System for a home in North Edmond.  Their gutters were dumping a huge amount of water into the flower beds.  Water traveled down into the foundation and filled up the air conditioner vents.   

We installed a large French Drain with 6-inch perforated pipe.  The gutter down spouts were removed and the gutters were run straight into the French Drain Pipe.

Gutter connected straight into French Drain System
Gutter connected straight into French Drain System

Sump and French Drain

Sump Pump connected to French drain

Services Provided by Oklahoma Drainage 

 

Oklahoma Drainage installs a wide variety of drains to solve a wide variety of Drainage Problems. Do you need a Channel Drain installed across a sidewalk?  We can help! 

Is water is seeping into your foundation?  A French Drain could solve the problem.

 Water is standing in a low spot in your backyard, a Surface Drain will be a good addition.

Drainage Problems are common with many homes in Oklahoma.  Storm-water run-off can cause damage to foundations, driveways, and sidewalks.  It will ruin expensive plants and trees and yards too.

Large 6 Inch French Drain Installed in Norman
Large 6 Inch French Drain Installed in Norman

French Drain Installation in Oklahoma City, Norman, Edmond, Moore, Yukon, Mid West City —

Posted: July 8, 2020 in Drain Repair, Driveway Drain Installation, french drain, French Drain Oklahoma City
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French Drain Installation in Oklahoma City is a big part of our overall business.   In most cases we can complete the work in 1 to 4 days.  We also haul away all the dirt that is displaced or left over.  Many times, we provide free dirt work and lawn leveling with the excess dirt rather than haul it away.  It’s your choice
French Drain Installation and Repair is a Central Focus for Oklahoma Drainage.  We installed our first French Drain and completed our first Sprinkler Repair in Norman in 1993.

Oklahoma Drainage and Sprinkler Repair — Installing – French Drains – Surface Drains – Channel Drains – Sump Pumps.

Providing Expert Sprinkler Repair – Broken Sprinkler Pipes – Sprinkler Head Adjustment – Sprinkler Valve Replacement

Servicing all of Central and Western Oklahoma since 1993.  405 203 9419

 

Gutter to French Drain

Connecting Gutter to French Drain

FRENCH DRAIN IN EDMOND OKLAHOMA, 

Oklahoma Drainage and Sprinkler Repair – French Drain Installation, Drainage System Design, Expert Lawn Sprinkler Repair, Drain Repair 

Recently Oklahoma Drainage and Sprinkler Repair installed a large 6-inch French Drain in Edmond.  The customer had water running under his back porch step and into his basement.  We did a Free Drainage Diagnostic and Estimate.

The French Drain design that we proposed would intercept the surface water and subsurface water that was flowing under the steps.

6 Inch French Drain

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.  The French Drain 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 down hill in the side yard.

Along the way we attached several Gutter Down Spouts into the French Drain.

 

 

 

Setting in the channel drain

Setting in the Channel Drain in the cut.

 

Curb Outlet for French Drain in Edmond

Curb Outlet for French Drain in Edmond

French Drain Installation

Oklahoma Drainage and Sprinkler Repair 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.

Simple enough.

driveway channel drain

Driveway Channel Drain Installation

Drainage System

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.

A surface drain can’t drain “ground water.”  A French Drain should have initially been installed instead of a Surface Drain.

 

river rock french drain install

A French Drain Can Handle Standing Water

FRENCH DRAIN IN EDMOND OKLAHOMA, DRAINAGE CONTRACTOR

Oklahoma Drainage and Sprinkler Repair Recently installed a large 6 inch French Drain in Edmond.  The customer had water running under his back porch step and into his basement.  We did a Free Drainage Diagnostic and Estimate.

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.

The French Drain 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 Drain Pipe and continue on around the house to the Pop-Up Emitter down hill in the side yard.  Along the way we attached several Gutter Down Spouts into the French Drain.

Perforated Drain Pipe

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 Sizes of Drainpipe

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.

Large Volume of Water

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.

Oklahoma Drainage and Sprinkler Repair Services all of Central Oklahoma including: Norman, Moore, Edmond, Yukon, Mustang, Oklahoma City, Midwest City, Del City, Blanchard, Newcastle, Purcell and Chickasha.

Standing Water

 

Keep water off your driveway with a channel drain

Standing water comes from many sources.  It causes damage to  sidewalks, driveways, and foundations not to mention plants, trees, and  grass.  Does the side of your house flood because your neighbor doesn’t have gutters, or does your sidewalk turn into a moat after a heavy rain, or worst of all, is water seeping into your foundation and duct work after a thunderstorm?

Drainage Problems  

These are just a few of the Drainage  Problems that Oklahoma Drainage and Sprinkler Repair can help with.  We can design a Drainage System to fit your specific needs.  We install many types  of Drains  to solve many types of problems.    

French Drains can look great!
French Drains can look great!

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.”

Surface Drain

A Surface Drain has a grate that sits on top of a basin.  The basin is underground.  A Drain Pipe 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 Storm-Water continues downhill in an underground Drain Pipe to an exit point.

THIS IS NOT A FRENCH DRAIN!

Drain Grate

A Surface Drain may come in many different shapes or sizes.  The Drain Grate may be round or square.  Here is a picture of a common Surface Drain.

Surface Drain and Drainpipe

 

French Drain with stepping stones

French Drain with steppingstones

French Drains are designed to cover large areas and move lots of water.  During a hard rain water will seep down through the gravel and into the Perforated French Drain Pipe that is buried under the gravel.  The water fills into the pipe and moves downhill to the desired Exit Point.  French Drains like the one in the picture above that are in the sun most of the day will have grass that overgrows the limestone.  The gravel will disappear over time.  The French Drain will continue to work even after the grass has grown over it.

Thatch Filter

A “Thatch Filter ” is made up of the grass that covers the French Drain.  The French Drain then has two filters.  First is the Neo-Prene Soc that comes around the Perforated French Drain Pipe.  Later when the grass grows over it, the French Drain then has a second Thatch Filter.  This ensures that the French Drain Pipe won’t clog over time with dirt, sand, or debris.  This only works with grass that does well in the sun like Bermuda or Tift.

Shade Grass

Shade Grasses won’t grow up and through French Drain gravel.

YOU DON’T WANT TO COVER THE FRENCH DRAIN  WITH DIRT.  IT WILL GREATLY REDUCE THE DRAINAGE PERFORMANCE OF THE FRENCH DRAIN.  IT DEFEATS THE ENTIRE REASON FOR THE FRENCH DRAIN.  IF YOU DON’T LIKE THE WAY IT LOOKS AND CAN’T BE PATIENT ENOUGH TO WAIT UNTIL  THE GRASS GROWS THROUGH IT IF IT IS IN THE SUN, THEN DON’T INSTALL IT AT ALL.

IF THE FRENCH DRAIN IS INSTALLED IN THE SHADE YOU CAN USE DECORATIVE ROCK TO MAKE A FOOT PATH OR ROCK GARDEN ON TOP OF IT.  YOU ARE ONLY LIMITED BY YOU IMAGINATION.

 

clogged French Drain Pipe

result of French Drain Installed Incorrectly

 

Driveway Drain Installation, Channel Drain, French Drain Information

Posted: June 27, 2020 in Channel Drain Installation, Drain Installation, Driveway Drain Information, Driveway Drain Installation, french drain
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Driveway Drain Installation, Channel Drain, French Drain Information

 

Channel Drain

Before

 

cnannel drain location

Water standing on Driveway, a channel drain is needed.

After

 

Channel Drains are a great way to deal with unwanted water that may be on a driveway, sidewalk, or near a pool!

Channel Drain Set in Concrete

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.

In the picture below we added 4-inch composite channel drain around the edge of a patio.   Concrete was added around the Channel Drain to make it look nice and match the patio’s concrete.  This is specialized work that requires experience and skill.

channel drain installation

Patio Channel Drain Installation

Oklahoma Drainage has been installing Channel Drains for 33 years.  We Install Channel Drains, French Drains, Surface Drains and Sump Pumps.

 

Our service area covers all of Central and Western Oklahoma.  Since 1993 Oklahoma Drainage and Sprinkler Repair has Strived for excellence and stood behind our work!

Driveway Drain, Channel Drain, Sidewalk Drain Installation, Oklahoma City, Edmond, Norman, Moore

DRAINS INSTALLED IN CONCRETE –

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.    This requires that the concrete be cut and removed and a drain installed in its place with new concrete around the edges.

Channel drain along wall

Channel Drain Installation

 

 

Two Kinds of Drains Set in Concrete

Channel Drains are long and narrow and have a grate that runs the length of the drain.  They have removable grates.  As a result, they are easy to clean.  The Grates are Composite Plastic or Metal.  (Chrome or Stainless Steel.)

Surface Drains are also set in Concrete.  They are Square with a basin underneath the grate.  Most Drain Basins Set in concrete are 9 inch or 12 inch in size.

Concrete must be cut and new concrete installed around the new channel drain.

Installing a Channel Drain is a very “Detailed Oriented Process.”  Experience is a MUST!  It’s not a good project for a ” WEEKEND WARRIOR, A BROTHER-IN-LAW OR A LANDSCAPE COMPANY!” 

Many times, Oklahoma Drainage has been asked to come in and finish a Channel Drain Project.  (AFTER THE TRAIN WRECK)!!!

 

 

 

French Drain Installation—   French Drains are designed to do a lot of things.  If you have an area that has unwanted water standing in it or running across it, a French Drain can be the answer.  A French Drain is a trench that runs across the Drainage Problem Area.  A French Drainpipe is placed in the bottom of the trench.  The French Drainpipe is perforated with thousands of small holes.

In most cases the Drainpipe has a nylon soc around the pipe to act as a filter for the French Drain.  The French Drain trench is then filled with some type of small rock or stone.  We typically use crushed 1 inch Limestone to cover the French Drainpipe.  The dirt that was dug out of the trench is taken away or spread out around the French Drain.  The Lime Stone replaces the dirt and fills the French Drain Trench all the way to the surface.

Before

French Drain walk way

French Drain Installed along and under walk way to pool.

After

Covering a French Drain with dirt is a bad idea.  Water can’t get into the drain through the stones if it is clogged with dirt.  If you are more concerned about how it looks over what it does, then don’t install it in the first place.  French drains can move a lot of water and protect property such as foundations, sidewalks, plants, yards just to mention a few things.  If you don’t like how a French Drain looks then change it.  Put Steppingstones on top of it, use river rock to improve the look, you are limited only by your own creativity.

 

Oklahoma Drainage and Sprinkler Repair — Installing – French Drains – Surface Drains – Channel Drains – Sump Pumps

Servicing all of Central and Western Oklahoma since 1993.  If you have water standing in your yard, we can install a French Drain for you.  If you step out of your car into water on your driveway, you may need a Channel Drain.  If water is in your basement, you may need a sump Pump.  Your Drainage needs may be very complex or very simple.  We have been solving every type of Residential Drainage Problem since 1993.

Channel Drain installation

Channel Drain