Posts Tagged ‘Blanchard French Drain Installation’

Blanchard French Drain.  Oklahoma Drainage and Sprinkler Repair has provided Expert Service and Installation in Blanchard since 1993.

Many times, people believe that a French Drain has a Grate on the Top.  It does not.

The Picture above is a Surface Drain.

French Drain – A French Drain is a perforated pipe that is basically full of slits or holes.  A trench is dug across the problem drainage area.   A Semi-permeable liner is placed in the trench which lets in water but not dirt. The dirt from the trench is hauled away.   The French Drainpipe has a Neo-Preen Soc around it witch also lets in water but keeps the dirt out.

The perforated pipe is placed in the trench.  The Drainage trench is dug deep enough so that the perforated French Drainpipe is several inches below ground level when placed in the trench.  Next gravel or some type of crushed stone is placed on top and around the French Drain perforated pipe until the trench is full.

 

 

 

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 from the trench is hauled away. It is replaced by some type of small stone or gravel depending on what is desired or available.

Gravel or 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. It also increases the cost of the French Drain and the amount of time to install it. It is a good practice to always install a Trench Liner.

 

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 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.

DONT 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.

WHERE WE HAVE WORKED!

In 1993 we had no website.  I stuck little signs on the side of the road as advertisement.  I got my first Drain Installation work in March of 1993 in Norman.  It was in Brookhaven North of Robinson Street on the West side of I 35.

Over the years Oklahoma Drainage and Sprinkler Repair has installed all types of Drainage Systems in almost Every town in Central and Western Oklahoma.

The majority of our customers live in Oklahoma City, Norman, Edmond, Yukon, Mustang, Moore, Midwest City, Del City, Blanchard, New Castle, Yukon and Choctaw.

Oklahoma Drainage and Sprinkler Repair hasn’t been limited to those areas, however.  We have also installed French Drains, Surface Drains, Channel Drains, and Sump Pumps in many other cities.

Working Drainage Systems Installed by Oklahoma Drainage also reside in: Lawton, Duncan, Ardmore, Chickasha, Shawnee, Enid, Weatherford, Elk City, El reno and many other places.

If you live in any of these Cities or towns, we have installed a French Drain, Surface Drain, Channel Drain, or Sump Pump within 5 miles of your home.

Here is a description of other recent work.

A little bit North of Downtown Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Drainage installed a 6-inch French Drain between two businesses which were less than three feet apart.  The French Drain went between a Law Firm and a Tire shop.  Water was leaking through the walls of both businesses.  Gutters between the two establishments were dumping a huge amount of water.  We installed a 6-inch French Drain between the gutters.

It took a long time to get the dirt out of the trench for the French Drain.  It was a very tight fit.  We had to use a little red wagon to haul out the dirt for the French Drain and haul back in the crushed limestone for the French Drain.  It looked a little silly, but it was the only thing we could find that was narrow enough to fit between the buildings.  A French Drain that normally would take 1 day to install took three.


Oklahoma Drainage and Sprinkler Repair has been installing French Drains in Newcastle since 1993.  We have helped over 4000 customers in Central and Western Oklahoma.
We install: French Drains, Surface Drains, Channel Drains and Sump PumpsSprinkler Repair and Sod Installation are Also Available.

Oklahoma Drainage and Sprinkler Repair — Installing – French DrainsSurface DrainsChannel DrainsSump Pumps

Providing Expert Sprinkler Repair Broken Sprinkler PipesSprinkler Head AdjustmentSprinkler Valve Replacement

Servicing all of Central and Western Oklahoma since 1993.

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.

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 downhill in the side yard.  Along the way we attached several Gutter Down Spouts into the French Drain.

 

Channel Drain Installation require a high level of Experience and attention to detail.

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.

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.

 

A French Drain Can Handle Standing Water

 

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.

 

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. Is your sidewalk turning into a moat after a heavy rain? Worst of all, is water seeping into your foundation and duct work after a thunderstorm? 

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, Surface Drains, Channel Drains, Basement Drains, Trench Drains, Basin Drains, and Sump Pumps are utilized.

 

 

 

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.”

A Surface Drain has a grate that sits on top of a basin.  The basin is underground.  A Drainpipe is connected underground to an outlet on the Drain BasinStormwater Drains through the grate into the Drain Basin.  Once in the Drain Basin, through a Drainpipe.  The Stormwater continues downhill in an underground Drainpipe to an exit point.

THIS IS NOT A FRENCH DRAIN!

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 with a Black Grate

Cutting the Curb

Cutting the Curb for a French Drain Outlet

A Channel Drain is a type of Surface Drain, and many times is installed in

Channel Drain
 

4 Inch Drain Pipe Ready to be covered with dirt in Norman.
4 Inch Drainpipe Ready to be covered with dirt in Norman.

 

 

Oklahoma Drainage has been installing French Drains, Surface Drains, Channel Drains and Sump Pumps Since 1993.  Over 30 years is a long time!

French Drain Benefit That I Never Expected

Take a minute and CLICK the above link.  It makes me smile!

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 Perforated French Drainpipe is placed in the bottom of the trench.  The pipe has thousands of holes in it to let water into the French Drainpipe.

The Drainage Trench has a “Trench Liner,” installed to maintain the integrity of the French Drain.

Installing 4 Inch French Drain with trench Liner and pipe filter

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

The pipe is placed in the bottom of the trench on top of the Trench Liner.

Next, crushed limestone or gravel is dumped on top of the French Drainpipe until the trench is full.

 

This French Drain was Installed in Norman. Below is the final product.

 

Channel Drain

The picture below shows a Channel Drain Installed by Oklahoma Drainage and Sprinkler Repair.

The above picture is a Channel Drain Installed in Lawton.  The concrete is still wet.

Installing 4 Inch French Drain With Trench Liner and Pipe Filter In Blanchard Oklahoma

Installing 4 Inch French Drain with Trench Liner and Pipe Filter In Blanchard Oklahoma

Next we have a French Drain Installed in Blanchard.

French Drain Under Gravel Flower Bed

French Drain Under Gravel Flower Bed

This is a picture of a French Drain Installed under a gravel flower bed in Edmond.

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 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 DrainsSurface Drains – Channel Drains – Sump Pumps.

Providing Expert Sprinkler Repair – Broken Sprinkler Pipes Sprinkler Head AdjustmentSprinkler 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

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.

 

Hard rain and flooding seem to be more common all the time.  When I started this business in 1993, having over an inch of rainfall in an hour was pretty extreme.  Now having over 4 inch an hour rainfall is not unheard of and is becoming more common.

Protecting our homes and businesses from unwanted water should be a goal for all of us.

Oklahoma Drainage has seen and dealt with virtually every possible Drainage and Standing water problem that can occur in or around your home.  With over 2700 Drainage Systems installed since 1993, we have amassed a great deal of experience.  This is helpful in seeing underlying problems.  We look for Secondary Water Issues not just the Primary ones.   In this business EXPERIENCE TRULY COUNTS!

Hiring your brother- in- law or a Landscape Company to put in your Drainage System is a bad idea.  If a landscape company also installs French Drains, you should run!

Why don’t they specialize???  Does your Lawyer also do physical therapy?

Some Builders also make bad choices concerning drainage on new homes they are building.  New houses should not have problems with water.   Builders usually have a landscape company that installs their drains.  Sometimes it’s a maintenance guy that works for the builder.  It’s Usually the cheapest fix possible.  I’ve testified in more than one class action lawsuit where a whole housing sub-division had unnecessary Drainage Issues.

Water can cause a huge amount of damage.  How important is your money and your home?  Over 30% of the work done by Oklahoma Drainage is fixing other people’s mistakes.   I appreciate the work, but I get frustrated when bad things happen to good people concerning water!

Blane Callen, 405 203 9419

 

Is this your yard?

French Drain Installation has been an area of focus for Oklahoma Drainage   for the past 30 years.  During that time we have installed over 2000 French Drains in Central and Western Oklahoma

A French Drain is one of several types of Drains that can make – up a Drainage System.   French Drains are intended to move large amounts of water away from a Problem Drainage Area.  Water may be standing in that area, flowing across the area on the surface, or flowing across the area below ground or “Sub Surface.”  A French Drain can remove Standing Water, Water Flow at ground level, or water flow below ground level. (Surface Drains can’t do this!)

A French Drain many is used to move water away from or protect foundations.  A French Drain will move both Surface Water and Sub Surface water away from a buildings foundation to an Exit Point where the water can be released without doing damage.

 

 

Cutting The Curb and Installing Curb Fitting for French Drain

Cutting The Curb and Installing Curb Fitting for French Drain

This is a great place for a French Drain

Installing French Drain under sidewalk

Installing French Drain under sidewalk

French Drain Installation this week was a little more difficult than normal.  Many times the route that a Perforated French Drainpipe must travel to its exit point is not very easy from an installation point of view.  French Drains may have to travel through tree roots, (big ones) under sidewalks, through retaining walls, around swing sets or dog kennels or Mom’s Prize Rose Bush.

The 4 inch French Drain we installed this week was in Oklahoma City south of 23rd in an old part of town where all the houses were old 2 or 3 story homes with lots of huge Elm Trees.  The Elm Tree in Question actually was just an old stump that had been topped out but not completely removed.  They left the roots just for us!  The roots were growing into the homes foundation and were right in the way of the path of the French Drain.  Forty feet of solid Elm Roots and 4 chain-saw blades later We were successful in running a new French Drain through a tree stump.  Yuck! “Well you gotta  do what you gotta do!”

 

 

French Drain with colored river rock

French Drain with colored river rock

A little info about French Drainpipe and Tree Roots.  Normally tree roots don’t seek out and penetrate French Drainpipe.  Tree roots seek moisture and residual water that may stay inside Solid Drainpipe.  French Drainpipe is perforated.  Water that does not reach the exit point of the French Drain will seep out of the Pipe into the surrounding dirt.  Solid Drainpipe that is used with Surface Drains can be penetrated and eventually clogged by roots if the pipe does not have good slope or “Fall”.  If the solid pipe does not drain well and has residual water, tree roots will seek it out.

Oklahoma Drainage and Sprinkler Repair provide Expert Service for Sprinkler Heads, Valves, Controllers and all other Sprinkler System difficulties.  We service Norman, Edmond, Oklahoma City, Moore, Yukon, Mustang, and Midwest City.

Sometimes things go wrong with sprinkler systems.

 

 

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!

 

French Drain Installation has been an area of focus for Oklahoma Drainage   for the past 30 years.  During that time we have installed over 2000 French Drains in Central and Western Oklahoma A French Drain is one of several types of Drains that can make – up a Drainage System.   French Drains are intended to move large amounts of water away from a Problem Drainage Area.  Water may be standing in that area, flowing across the area on the surface, or flowing across the area below ground or “Sub Surface.”  A French Drain can remove Standing Water, Water Flow at ground level, or water flow below ground level. (Surface Drains can’t do this!)

A French Drain many is  used to move water away from or protect foundations.  A French Drain will move both Surface Water and Sub Surface water away from a buildings foundation to an Exit Point where the water can be released without doing damage.

 

Cutting The Curb and Installing Curb Fitting for French Drain

Cutting The Curb and Installing Curb Fitting for French Drain