Archive for the ‘French Drain Repair’ Category

French Drain Information, Channel Drain Installation, Edmond Oklahoma, Norman Oklahoma, Moore, Mustang

Posted: April 28, 2023 in Channel Drain, french drain, French Drain Repair
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Please “Like” at the top of the page if you find any of the French Drain Information Below Helpful.  Leave Comments or questions at the bottom.  You may also text me directly with questions to 405 203 9419.
My Name is Blane Callen.  I have owned and operated Oklahoma Drainage LLC since 1993.  Oklahoma Drainage has installed over 4000 Drainage Systems during that time.

Do you have standing water in a large area in your yard?  Typically this calls for a French Drain.  A French Drain is a great way to control standing water in a large grassy area.  It can also protect areas from flooding to a certain degree.  As long as the French Drains capacity to move water is not exceeded.  If the French Drains capacity is exceeded then water will stand in the drainage area until the rain stops and the drain has time to catch up.  A good way to prevent this is to install a bigger French Drain with a larger pipe.  The difference between a 3 inch French Drain and a 6 inch French Drain is huge.

Clogged 4 Inch ADS French Drain Pipe Missing Trench Liner and Pipe Filter Pulled out of the Ground in Norman Oklahoma

result of French Drain Installed Incorrectly, Drain Definitions 

Below is the White Trench Liner and The Black Pipe Filter that prevent Your French Drain From Being Clogged and Ruined.

 

Do you have water seeping into your floor vents after a hard rain?  Is water causing damage to your floors or carpet?  Is water finding a way under your foundation after a thunder storm?  Oklahoma Drainage and Sprinkler Repair designs and installs Drainage Systems that can help stop the damage.  We utilize:  French Drains, Surface Drains, Channel Drains, and Sump Pumps to protect property.  Connecting gutter-downspouts into the Drainage System is always a good idea where possible.

 

The need for Drainage Systems is increasing in Oklahoma.  During heavy thunder storms, homes and business need a way to drain water away.  Storm water can cause many kinds of damage.  Here are just a few:

1.  Driveways and Sidewalks can crack and deteriorate

2.  Foundations can crack move or shift

3.  Vents and ducts can fill with water

4.  Mold can be allowed to grow

5.  Trees and Plants and grass can be damaged or drown

Too much water is never a good thing!

We can quickly diagnose your Drainage Problem and provide a free quote for a Drainage System.  With twenty years of experience, we realize that Drainage Problems may be very complex and difficult or very straight forward and simple.  Every Drainage Problem is unique to a certain degree.  Don’t kid yourself,  Experience Counts!

Edmond Oklahoma has been the location for many French Drain Installations for us in the past several years.  Recently we ripped out an old Surface Drain that was under a deck.  The Surface Drain was too small for the job and did not Protect the Foundation from Standing Water.  The First step was to take out part of the deck along the wall.  Next we took out the Surface Drain and the Three Inch Pipe which was too small.  Digging a trench along the foundation came next.  We had to ensure the, “Fall” to make sure the water would run from left to right.  Next a French Drain Liner needed to be installed.  This was necessary to maintain the integrity of the trench and to keep the French Drain Pipe from filling up with sand and getting clogged over the next few years.  We then installed 4 inch ADS Perf/Soc French Drain Pipe along the course of the French Drain.  Next we connected the end of the French Drain Pipe to Solid 4 Inch ADS Drain pipe to continue along the trench to the Pop-Up Emitter at the Exit Point.

Oklahoma Drainage  takes many things into account when providing a Drainage Diagnostic for a Customer.  We determine:

1.  What is the Primary Water Source to the problem?  Where is the water coming from?

2.  Is there a Secondary Water Source?  Other Places that water may be coming from.    All Drainage Problems have more than one source!

3.  How many Subsequent Water Sources are present?   Some complex Drainage Problems have many water sources.

4.  What exit points are available for gravity to move water away from the problem area?  Where are we trying to take the water to, and how is it

going to be released?  Is more than one exit point possible to increase capacity?

5   How much water must be moved?  What Size Drain Pipe is necessary to lessen the chance of being overwhelmed by flooding?    This is a tough

consideration.  (Larger Pipe – Larger Cost to Install)

4 Inch ADS French Drain with Trench Liner and Pipe Filter In Edmond Oklahoma

French Drain Running on the side of the house In Edmond Oklahoma, Drain Definitions 

French Drain In Norman, Installed by Oklahoma Drainage, French Drain Repair

Posted: April 16, 2023 in french drain, French Drain Repair
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Recently Oklahoma Drainage installed a 6 inch French Drain for a customer in East Norman.  She had water coming down the hill in her back yard, on to her patio, and into her back door.  Also there was water standing on the side of her house near the AC unit on the North Side and also standing by the South side garage door.

We installed a 6 inch French Drain all the way around the house with 2 curb outlets, One on the North Side of the driveway, and one on the South.

We also connected 4 Gutter Down Spouts directly into the French Drain which made the Drainage System more efficient and caused suction in the french drain improving performance and preventing Vapor Lock during Flooding Situations.

This Design Solved all their water problems and was tested with a heavy rain the day after work was completed.

When installing a Drainage System of any type, a decision must be made on the size of Drain Pipe used.  Typically 6 inch, 4 inch, and 3 inch are the most common in Residential Drainage Systems.

 

If you have one or two 6 inch Surface Drains or a stretch of French Drain that is less than 10 feet, then a 3 inch drain pipe can be used.   Three inch drain pipe is used for low volume applications.

4 inch and 6 inch

4 inch and 6 inch Drain Pipe

If you have two or three 12 inch Surface Drains or a stretch of French Drain that is 60 feet or less, then 4 inch drain Pipe should do the job.

If you have Six 12 inch Surface Drains or less or 100 Feet of French Drain, Then the use of 6 inch drain pipe becomes necessary.

two French Drain

100 feet of french drain

These numbers can be exceeded.  More Surface Drains or French Drain can be added to the above listing, however the drain pipe will be overwhelmed at times of heavy rain.  If it is OK with you for your French Drains or Surface Drains to Stand Underwater for a while until the Drainage System can catch up and clear the excess water away.  How long it stays underwater varies from one application to another.

Slope is a big consideration.  If your drain pipe runs downhill nicely and the water moves quickly, then you can exceed the above numbers.  If you have very little slope and your Drain Pipe only runs downhill slightly, then installing fewer drains is definitely a good idea.

Connecting a gutter downspout to a drain that only has a small slope is always a good idea.  The water on the roof has nice velocity when it comes out the gutter and into the drain pipe.  It speeds up the water movement when the slope ins’t very good.  It also causes suction behind the gutter downspout in the French Drain or Surface Drain that you have installed.

Installing concrete channel drain

Setting the concrete around the channel drain

Installing Curb Outlet

Installing Curb Outlet

Blanchard Oklahoma French Drain Installation, New Castle Oklahoma French Drain Installation

Posted: April 7, 2023 in Channel Drain, french drain, French Drain Repair
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Oklahoma Drainage — We install French Drains, Channel Drains, Surface Drains, Sump Pumps and Sod.

 

If You live in Oklahoma City and water damaging your foundation, We can install a French Drain for you.

 

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.

 

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!

 

Servicing All Of Central And Western Oklahoma Since 1993.

 

Oklahoma Drainage

This Year we are Celebrating our 30th Year in business and surpassing our 4000th customer later this year!

We have provided service in over 40 cities and towns in Oklahoma!

 

 

Details are important for a Drainage System Installation, Including French Drains, Channel Drains, Surface Drains, and Sump Pumps.

Below are some of those details.Moore Oklahoma French Drain

 

French Drain Design must take into account many variables.  One consideration for a French Drain that many times is missed, is the type of soil.  French Drain Design must take into account the type of soil that the French Drain runs through.  If the soil is “Tight or made up of Clay, A French Drain Liner may not be necessary.  The Gravel or Limestone that is used to fill the French Drain trench may be all that is needed to maintain the integrity of the trench over time.   This means that dirt will not mix in with the French Drain Gravel and clog it up over time.  This is not the case however if your soil is sandy or loose.  A Trench Liner should be used to prevent this type of soil from moving into the gravel of the French Drain.  Trench Liners are relatively inexpensive and are not hard to install.  If you are not sure what to do then install the Trench Liner in the French Drain.

French Drain Installation

French drain Installation
with trench liner and pipe filter,                          Drain Definitions 

A good Drainage System has a point where water enters the System.  This is usually through a French Drain, Surface Drain, or a Gutter Down Spout that is connected into a Drain Pipe.   Water will run through either Perforated French Drain Pipe or Solid Drain Pipe depending on the Drainage System Design.  Water will flow down hill to an Exit Point where the water will be released out of the Drainage System.  This is a done through a Pop-Up Emitter or a Curb Fitting.

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.

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 Fitting that lets all the water drain out on to the street.

A simple Drainage System might 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.

Today we installed a 6 Inch French Drain at an apartment complex near Lake Heffner.  The French Drain started in the back yard of one unit.  The Drain Pipe went under the fence and into the adjoining unit’s back yard.  The French Drain then looped around their patio and out under their fence to the west.  To get the 6 inch Drain Pipe to the correct Exit Point, we had to cut out 30 feet of sidewalk and run the French Drain Pipe under the sidewalk.  Next, we replaced the sidewalk with new concrete.  Finally, we dug a drainage ditch across the front yard to the parking lot.  We covered the Drain Pipe with sod that we carefully removed when digging the trench.  At the edge of the parking lot a 6 inch Pop-Up Emitter was installed to release the Storm water.  Seven Gutters were connected directly into the Drainage System along the way.

This particular Drainage System was made up of 55 Feet of 6 inch French Drain, 78 Feet of Solid ADS Solid Drain Pipe, Seven Gutter Connections, and one 6 inch Pop-Up Emitter.

French Drains are Versatile!!!!!! Surface Drains are not!

Posted: April 2, 2023 in Channel Drain, french drain, French Drain Repair
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French Drains solve many types of water problems.  A French Drain is more versatile than a Surface Drain or a Channel Drain.
French Drains Handle Large Areas Or Small.
French Drains Move Surface Water Flowing Above Ground.
French Drains Move Sub Surface Water Flowing Below Ground.
French Drains Can Move Larger Amounts Of Water Compared To Channel Drains or Surface Drains
Channel Drain Across Driveway

French Drain Connected to a Channel Drain across the Driveway

In The Picture Above is a Channel Drain and a French Drain.  Do you know which one is which?

Many different types of Drains can be hooked together by one Drain Pipe.  The Drain Pipe then running to an Exit Point 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, many times it is much better to tie a Gutter Down Spout Directly into a French Drain or near by Drain Pipe depending on the Drainage System Design.   Connecting The Down Spouts Directly into a French Drain is much  more efficient and causes suction to occur in the French Drain.  Connection of Gutter Down Spouts to a French Drain makes the Drainage System work better.

 

 

Connecting Gutter into French Drain System

Connecting Gutter into French Drain System

 

 

 

One Problem with connecting Gutter Down Spouts into a French Drain is overwhelming the Drainage System with too much water.  Three Gutter Down Spouts is usually OK to connect into a French Drain.  More than 3 Down Spouts can be too many.  The Drainage System Design should also take into account the size of the French Drain and the Gutters.  If you have a large long French Drain or over-sized gutters,  the number of Gutter Down Spouts connected into the French Drain Should be reduced.  This problem can usually be solved by increasing the size of the French Drain Pipe.  This usually means moving up from a 4 inch French Drain Pipe to a 6 inch French Drain Pipe.  Four inch is the most common size of French Drain Pipe.  If you have more than 3 gutter Down Spouts to connect, you should move up to a 6 inch French Drain Pipe.

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 installs 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.

French Drain Installed in Oklahoma City, Moore, Edmond, Or Norman

Posted: March 18, 2023 in french drain, French Drain Photos, French Drain Repair
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French Drains as part of a Drainage System – 

Many times people use the term “ French Drain” as general name for a Drain used in or around your home.  French Drains are designed to move a lot of water over a large flooded area.  They are also designed to take water in on the surface of the ground or below the surface of the ground.  This is very important if the water coming into the flooded area is moving through the ground or coming up from underneath.  ” Sub Surface Water Movement.”  The picture below is not a French Drain!

A French Drain looks like this

Installing French Drain

The White Material is the Trench Liner. The black material is the Pipe Filter.

A French Drain Can Handle Standing Water

A French Drain can take in water in a broad area.  It can move a much larger volume of water compared to a Surface Drain.  Also, it can move sub surface water moving into the area where a Surface Drain won’t move any water at all.

Surface Drains are designed to move surface water only on a smaller scale in confined areas.

Each solves specific drainage problems.  A Drainage System may use one or both together or even several using many types of drains.

Do you have standing water in a large area in your yard?  Typically this calls for a French Drain.  A French Drain is a great way to control standing water in a large grassy area.  It can also protect areas from flooding to a certain degree.  As long as the French Drains capacity to move water is not exceeded.  If the French Drains capacity is exceeded then water will stand in the drainage area until the rain stops and the drain has time to catch up.  A good way to prevent this is to install a bigger French Drain with a larger pipe.  The difference between a 3 inch French Drain and a 6 inch French Drain is huge.

Another way to beef up a French Drain is to connect gutter down spouts in front of the French Drain.  The water coming off the roof causes suction in the French Drain Behind it.  This greatly increases the French Drains ability to move water without increasing the size of the French Drain Pipe.

Gutter Downspout Connected to 6 Inch French Drain

 

Do you need a French Drain?

Posted: March 12, 2023 in french drain, French Drain Repair
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Oklahoma Drainage — We install French Drains, Channel Drains, Surface Drains, Sump Pumps and Sod.

If You live in Oklahoma City and water damaging your foundation, We can install a French Drain for you.

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.

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!

Servicing All Of Central And Western Oklahoma Since 1993.

Decorative French Drain

Decorative French Drain

The need for Drainage Systems is increasing in Oklahoma.  During heavy thunder storms,   homes and business need a way to drain water away.  Storm water can cause many kinds of damage.  Here are just a few:

1.  Driveways and Sidewalks can crack and deteriorate

2.  Foundations can crack move or shift

3.  Vents and ducts can fill with water

4.  Mold can be allowed to grow

5.  Trees and Plants and grass can be damaged or drown

Too much water is never a good thing!

Oklahoma Drainage can quickly diagnose your Drainage Problem and provide a free quote for a Drainage System.  With twenty years of experience, we realize that Drainage Problems may be very complex and difficult or very straight forward and simple.  Every Drainage Problem is unique to a certain degree.  Don’t kid yourself,  Experience Counts!

We take many things into account when providing a Drainage Diagnostic for a Customer.  We determine:

1.  What is the Primary Water Source to the problem?  Where is the water coming from?

2.  Is there a Secondary Water Source?  Other Places that water may be coming from.    All Drainage Problems have more than one source!

3.  How many Subsequent Water Sources are present?   Some complex Drainage Problems have many water sources.

4.  What exit points are available for gravity to move water away from the problem area?  Where are we trying to take the water to, and how is it

going to be released?  Is more than one exit point possible to increase capacity?

5   How much water must be moved?  What Size Drain Pipe is necessary to lessen the chance of being overwhelmed by flooding?    This is a tough

French Drain With Trench Liner and Pipe Filter

French Drain With Trench Liner and Pipe Filter

consideration.  (Larger Pipe – Larger Cost to Install)

6 Inch French Drain Installation
6 Inch French Drain Installation

These are just a few of the considerations for any Drainage System Diagnostic.

DSC00490
4 Inch Drain Pipe running under sidewalk
DSC00499
Drainage System running to exit point on driveway

The Drainage System shown in the three above pictures consisted of the following:

Three Gutter Downspouts in the front yard were connected to 4 inch ADS solid Drain Pipe with Large Drainage Gutter Connections.  Three lateral 4 inch Pipes were run from each gutter to one outflow pipe moving the water to two exit Pop Up Emitters. One of the Drain Pipes ran under the sidewalk to reach the Exit Drain Pipe.

This Drainage System had two exit points.  One Pop-Up Emitter was on the edge of the driveway in the front yard.  The other Pop-Up Emitter was installed in the back yard near the property line.  Two exit points allows for a much larger Water Drainage Capacity.  (During Heavy Rains The Drainage System Can Move More Water Faster)

The back yard Exit Pipe then connected to 55 feet of 4 inch French Drain that was installed along the SW corner of the house.  The French Drain provided a protective barrier for that room of the house where water had previously been leaking into the floor vents.  Two Gutter Down Spouts were also connected in the back yard to the Drainage System.

Popup Emitter to release water from a Drainage System in Yukon.
Popup Emitter to release water from a Drainage System in Yukon.

A few days later a heavy rain came in.  No water stood on the sidewalk near the front door, and nor water seeped into the floor vents in the back bedroom.

 

 

Norman, Edmond, Oklahoma City, Moore, French Drain Installation

Posted: March 6, 2023 in french drain, French Drain Repair
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Norman, Edmond, Oklahoma City, Moore, French Drain Installation

 

 

Oklahoma Drainage –     We install French Drains, Channel Drains, Surface Drains, Sump Pumps and Sod.

If You live in Oklahoma City and water damaging your foundation, We can install a French Drain for you.

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.

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!

 

Wow!  A hard rain came through last night.   Hard rains in Oklahoma typically cause flooding.  Standing water is never a good thing.  It causes damage to grass, trees, sidewalks, foundations, and driveways. Oklahoma Drainage can help if you have Drainage Problems with your home or small business.  If you live in Central Oklahoma we can provide a free estimate for a drainage system that will address your specific Drainage Problems.  So if your driveway turns into a small lake every time it rains, or if your sidewalk looks like a moat after just a little shower, or worst of all you have water seeping into your home, give Oklahoma Drainage a call.

 

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 Drain Pipe is placed in the bottom of the trench.  The French Drain Pipe is perforated with thousands of small holes.  In most cases the Drain Pipe 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 Lime Stone to cover the French Drain Pipe.  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.

Installing French Drain

The White Material is the Trench Liner. The black material is the Pipe Filter.

FRENCH DRAIN  CONNECTED TO GUTTERS

Many different types of Drains can be hooked together by one Drain Pipe.  The Drain Pipe then running to an Exit Point 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, many times it is much better to tie a Gutter Down Spout Directly into a French Drain or near by Drain Pipe depending on the Drainage System Design.   Connecting The Down Spouts Directly into a French Drain is much  more efficient and causes suction to occur in the French Drain.  Connection of Gutter Down Spouts to a French Drain makes the Drainage System work better.

French Drain Installation in 2022

Posted: February 14, 2022 in french drain, French Drain Information, French Drain Repair
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Oklahoma Drainage has been in business since 1993. We have addressed almost every kind of problem that you can imagine where unwanted water is involved. Do you have water standing on your driveway? Does water get into your floor vents in your home? Is water standing in your back yard or worse yet, coming in your back door.

Channel Drain Installed across driveway

Oklahoma Drainage can help with these water problems and many more. We install Surface Drains in all types of places such as driveways, Sidewalks, Patios, and even basements. We install Sump Pumps when a “Gravity Flow” Drainage System just won’t work. We also, “of course” install French Drains in every situation that you can imagine.

decorative french drain
Decorative French Drain Running Across a Flower Bed

If you have a water problem, we have a solution!

Norman Oklahoma French Drain, Norman Oklahoma French Drain Repair, Drain Repair, Drain Installation

Posted: February 24, 2021 in Drain Installation, french drain, French Drain Information, French Drain Repair
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Norman Oklahoma French Drain, Norman Oklahoma French Drain Repair, Drain Installation

Oklahoma Drainage 405 203 9419 — We provide:

    French Drain Installation, Surface Drain Installation, Drainage System Installation

   

Drainage Systems, French Drains, Surface Drains, Channel Drains, Sump Pumps, Sprinkler Repair, with 30 years of experience. 

 

Just what is a “French Drain?” Many times people incorrectly

A French Drain can protect your foundation!

use the phrase, “French Drain,” when they mean “Surface Drain” or “Channel Drain.”

French Drain Installation is what we specialize in.  Since 1993 we have installed over 2000 French Drains or Drainage Systems in Oklahoma.

Oklahoma Drainage 

 

 

Drainage System Installation in Norman
Drainage System Installation in Norman

Just what is a “French Drain?”  Many times people incorrectly.  A French Drain can protect your foundation!

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 Drain Pipe is connected underground to an outlet on the Drain Basin. Storm-Water Drains through the grate into the Drain Basin.  Once in the Drain Basin, water travels out of the basin through a Drain Pipe.  The Storm-Water continues downhill in an underground Drain Pipe to an exit point.

THIS IS NOT A FRENCH DRAIN!

Surface Drain Connection

Surface Drain connected to a Transition Pipe

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 Drain Pipe

A Channel 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 Drain Pipe in the bottom of a trench.  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.

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 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.  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 about 20% of the time.  Most of the time a liner in not needed. 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. 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. 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.

Installing Decorative French Drain

Installing Decorative French Drain

French Drains Can Look Great!

French Drain or Surface Drain, Surface Water or Sub-Surface Water, Oklahoma City, Norman, Edmond, Mustang

Posted: February 8, 2021 in french drain, French Drain Information, French Drain Photos, French Drain Repair
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Oklahoma Drainage – x    We install French Drains, Channel Drains, Surface Drains, Sump Pumps and Sod.

If You live in Oklahoma City and water damaging your foundation, We can install a French Drain for you.

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.

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!

A “French Drain” Moves “surface water” away from a low lying problem drainage area. What flows over the ground.  Sub surface water  which runs underground  is not considered  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.

channel drain driveway
Channel Drain set in Driveway is one type of Surface Drain

Sub Surface 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.

If your problem water is partially Sub-Surface water, and you install a Drainage System that uses Surface Drains only, then you just wasted a lot of money!

Surface Drain install
Surface Drain Installed by sidewalk

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, under ground,  and be drained away along with the surface water.

New French Drain
French Drain with very little fall

When Installing a Drainage System, What kind of Drain Pipe do you use and what size Drain Pipe Do you need?

For a Drainage System you have 3 Choices of Drain Pipe.  You can use ADS,  Or Sewer and Drain, or Thick Walled Pvc Pipe.

ADS is Black and Flexible.  It is used in a majority of Drainage Systems.  It works well and is the easiest to install.

 

connecting down spout

Connecting Gutter Down Spout to French Drain Under Sidewalk

Covering

Covering ADS Drain Pipe

ADS is available in 3 inch , 4 inch, and 6 inch for residential and small business Drainage Applications.

Sewer and Drain Pipe is white, green, or grey and is thin walled.  It is used for cheap plumbing applications such as sewer lines.  It is also used for inexpensive Drainage Systems.  A Drainage System using Sewer and Drain Pipe is slightly cheaper than ADS.   It is rigid and harder to install than ADS. It takes more time to install and more digging is required at the joints or connections.  It is very difficult attaching a rigid Drain Pipe to a Curb outlet because the Pipe does not flex at the connection.  The pipe hits the curb outlet at a downward angle and does line up straight with the connection.  Many Drain Installation Companies use a piece of ADS on the end of the Sewer and Drain pipe and then connect it to the curb outlet.  Many times there is no other way to connect them depending on your downward slope.

 

Sewer and Drain

Green or White Sewer and Drain Pipe

Sewer and Drain is brittle after a short amount of time.  You can break it with a hammer.   Tree roots, many times squeeze the pipe and crack it causing it to leak.   It is not a good long term solution for anything.

Old Sewer and Drain Pipe

Old Sewer and Drain Pipe

Thick walled PVC is superior to ADS and Sewer and Drain.  It will last a lifetime.  It won’t crack under normal circumstances.

That being said, It is The most difficult of all to install.  It is not for weekend warriors or your brother-in-law who says he knows what he is doing.  Someone with a lot of experience is needed to install a Thick Walled PVC Drainage System.

SD and 40 schedule

40 Schedule PVC Drain Pipe on the right, Sewer and Drain on the left.

Oh, by the way, 40 Schedule or 200 Class PVC is by far the most expensive.

If money is no object, then absolutely hire an Expert to install a Thick walled PVC System.

There are two types of Thick Walled Pvc Pipe available for Drainage Systems, 40 Schedule and 200 class.

Forty Schedule is always the same thickness at a particular size pipe.

Two Hundred Class gets thicker as the pipe gets bigger.

Forty Schedule is thicker in pipes smaller than 2 inch.

Two hundred Class is thicker in pipes over 2 inch.

Typically 4 inch pipe is most commonly used in a Drainage Systems.  Forty Schedule and 200 Class are both very good in the 4 inch Size.

 

The size of Drain Pipe you use in your Drainage System is fairly simple.  You can use 3 Inch, 4 Inch, or 6 Inch.  Sometimes 2 inch can be used on a small single drain but it is easily overwhelmed by too much water.

Four Inch, as stated earlier is the most common size used in a Drainage System.

If your system is a Drainage System and not a Flood Prevention System, then 4 Inch Should be fine for most applications.

If your drainage system must handle a lot of water in a hurry and is designed intercept water to protect property then two 4 inch pipes may be needed or one 6 inch Pipe.  It can vary.

In 2015 we installed a Flood Prevention System that had two 6 inch pipes in the same trench.  Our customer never had water in her garage again.

If you can afford larger Drain Pipe or more than one Drain Pipe in the same trench, your Drainage System should do its job well.

If you connect 5 large Surface Drains to one small 3 inch pipe, be prepared for poor performance.  I’ve seen a large French Drain connected to a 3 inch pipe.  The water shot out of the exit point like a cannon and the problem drainage area stayed flooded for a long time.

I try not to use 3 inch at all for a Drainage System and I am very careful not to attach too large or too many drains to 4 inch.

Gutter to French Drain
Connecting Gutter to French Drain

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 Drains.

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