Do you need a French Drain? Do you need a Surface Drain? Do you need a Chanel Drain? Do You need a Sump Pump?
If you have water in a place that causes problems, you should be asking the questions above!
Before you can determine which type of drain need, you must ask and answer many other questions first.
Do you have one or several Problem Drainage Areas?
Focus on the worst one first.
Is the problem area large or small?
Is water entering into the problem area over the surface or underground, (sub surface) or both?
Does the problem area have one source of water entering it or does it have two or more water sources?
Does water fill the problem area quickly or slowly.
What type of soil is in the problem area?
Does the problem area have slope that will allow water to flow downhill through a drainpipe to an exit point?
For now, let’s concentrate on the above questions.
Large Drainage Area
Typically, a French Drain is used to cover a large area. It is designed to follow the low areas where the water stands. Many times, a Surface Drain won’t work well if the ground is irregular with many low and high spots. A Surface Drain can be used if the Problem Drainage area is shaped like a Bowl and is not too big. The Surface Drain is placed in the lowest part of the bowl.
How is water entering the problem area? Surface or Sub Surface or both? Believe it or not many times this question can only be answered if you know what kind of soil you have. If you have very sandy soil, It is most likely that you have Surface and Sub-Surface water entering the problem area. If you have very tight soil with a clay base, then most likely you have surface water only. Most people have something in between.
A French Drain can handle surface and sub surface water. A Surface Drain can only handle “Surface Water.” A surface drain must also be in a small focused area shaped like a bowl. In large areas water just runs around them.
Surface Drains can only handle small to moderate amounts of water. A French Drain can handle large or small amounts of water. If water is moving into the problem area quickly, the French Drain will be the best bet.
French Drain Help is a central focus for Oklahoma Drainage. We have installed many French Drains, Surface Drains, Channel Drains and Sump Pumps there.
French Drain Installation is what we do! OKLAHOMA DRAINAGE has been installing Drainage Systems in Central Oklahoma for over 30 years. We solve all types of Drainage Problems for residential and commercial customers.
Oklahoma Drainage — Installing – French Drains – Surface Drains – Channel Drains – Sump Pumps
Servicing all of Central and Western Oklahoma since 1993.
Colored Gravel for a French Drain
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.
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. A French Drain can drain both Surface Water and Ground Water.
French Drain Under Walkway
Recent Installation
Oklahoma Drainage recently installed a French Drain along the edge and under a Steppingstone walkway. The Work took place In Choctaw East of Choctaw Road.
Every time it rained, our customer had water standing on the walkway between the pool and the house. Not only would the water stand there but it stayed there a long time.
To solve the problem, we took apart the walkway and dug a trench about 18 inches deep along the East side of the walkway.
Next, we put a trench liner in the trench which is white and maintains the integrity of the drainage trench. It allows water to pass through it but keeps sand and debris out of the perforated French Drainpipe.
The French Drainpipe itself also has a neo preen soc and the perforated pipe as well. This gives the French Drainpipe two levels of protections from sand and dirt getting into the pipe. This should provide additional French Drain Help.
result of French Drain Installed Incorrectly without a liner of filter
Solid Drainpipe
Next, we connected a solid drainpipe to the French Drain. It ran from the center of the French Drain perpendicularly across the walkway, down the hill 70 feet to the pop-up emitter.
When digging the trench for the Drainpipe, we carefully cut the sod in the yard and replaced it back once the drainpipe had been installed. In a couple of weeks, you won’t be able to tell that we ever dug a trench there.
Installing Drainpipe and Replacing the sod
Next, it was time to put the walkway back together. The pave stones were put back into place and a nice colored gravel was put in the cracks around the walkway stones.
New Edging was also installed around the walkway.
French Drain Installed along and under walkway to pool.
Completed French Drain under walkway
French Drain In Moore with River Rock
Curb Outlet for French Drain
Drainage System in Moore
Recently we installed a Drainage System in Moore. Our customer had a new home. Originally their home was destroyed in Moore‘s last tornado. Every time it rains their back yard turns into a pond.
6 Inch French Drain
WE installed a 6-inch French Drain in the back yard and connected the gutter down-spouts into the French Drain. From that point we ran ADS solid Drain Pipe all the way to the street. At that point the curb was cut, and a Curb Outlet was installed with acrylic concrete. The French Drain did the trick. Drainage Problem solved.
Complex Drainage System
Some Drainage Systems are complex and incorporate several types of drains. Most Drainage Systems, however, are basic and require just one type of Drain. Oklahoma Drainage and Sprinkler Repair install a variety of drains to solve a variety of problems.
French Drains, Surface Drains, and Channel Drains are most commonly used. If you live in Edmond and need a Channel Drain installed across your driveway, or if you live in Norman and need a French Drain in your backyard, or if you live in Oklahoma City and need a Surface drain installed next to your sidewalk, we can help.
Channel Drain Installed in Yukon
Channel Drains are one kind of Surface Drain that we install in concrete.
What is a French Drain?
Just what is a “French Drain?” Many times, people incorrectly
- use the phrase, “French Drain,” when they mean “Surface Drain” or “Channel Drain.”
A basic French Drain consists of a Perforated Drainpipe in the bottom of a trench. The French Drain Trench runs through a Problem Drainage Area that needs to be drained. The French Drainpipe is perforated (Full of Small Holes) and has Neo-Prene Soc around the pipe. This soc helps prevent debris from clogging the French Drainpipe.
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.
Crushed Limestone
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 Drainpipe or the Gravel are installed. This helps maintain the integrity of the trench over 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 Downspouts connected to it.
Additional French Drain Help
The main downfall 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 Drain is 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.
Don’t Cover a French Drain with Dirt!
DON’T 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 LIFETIME.
Drainage Systems French Drain Help
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. Many times, a French Drain, might be connected to a Surface Drain, which then could be connected to another French Drain.
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.
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French Drain Help
- Cutting The Curb for French Drain Outlet
Complex Drainage System
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 French Drain in the front yard, which runs to a Curb Fitting that lets all the water drain out on to the street.
French Drain Help
A simple Drainage System might consist of a French 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 the Drainage System. Determining the Exit Point is very critical. It is one of the first things we do when diagnosing a Drainage Problem.
Benefits of A Drainage System
1. 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.
Many times, less experienced companies install Surface Drains to keep water away from foundations. This can be a big mistake.
Surface Drain Limitations
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 Drain also can’t cover or protect a broad enough area. Smaller areas and lower water volume is better for a Surface Drain. They can move moderate amounts of water at best.
Surface Drains look 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.
What are the ways that water gets into the problem areas?
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 Water Source 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 Drain or French Drain that needs to be installed. It also helps to determine the size of Drainpipe required for the Drainage System.
A good rule to follow is, “If in doubt, install a larger Drain and Drainpipe.” 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 Drainpipes —
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
Select and Exit point once the number of drains has been determined. (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. Installed through the curb is a rectangle curb fitting. 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. Connect the pipe from the drains to the curb outlet once the concrete has dried. Above Information should provide additional French Drain Help.
Installing a Curb Outlet for a French Drain French Drain Help
