We solve all types of unwanted water problems in and around your home or business. Oklahoma Drainage Provides : Drainage System Installation utilizing French Drains, Surface Drains, Channel Drains, and Sump Pumps.
If you need a French Drain along an exterior wall, or a surface drain installed in concrete in a sidewalk or driveway, or a sump pump in a basement, We can help. There are literally thousands of specific drain installation applications.
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 its 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
One common type of Drain used in a Drainage System is A “French Drain.” Surface Drains, Channel Drains or Sump Pumps can also be used separately or together.
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.
Recently Oklahoma Drainage and Sprinkler Repairinstalled a large 6 inchFrench 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 Draindesign that we proposed would intercept the surface water and subsurface water that was flowing under the steps. The French Draindesign 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 Drainwould 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, theFrench 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 Spoutsinto the French Drain.
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 systemis installed with a surface drainas 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.
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 Draindesign 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 Spoutsinto theFrench 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. 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 ofFrench Drain Pipe. Three Inch, Four Inch, and Six Inch are the most common sizes of French drainPipe. 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 Pipeor the Gravel are installed. This helps maintain the integrity of the trench over time. It also increases the cost of theFrench 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.
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? Theses are just a few of the Drainage Problemsthat 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
A basicFrench Drainconsists of aPerforated Drain Pipein the bottom of a trench. The French Drain Trench runs through a Problem Drainage Areathat needs to be drained. The French Drain Pipe is perforated (Full of Small Holes) and has Neo-Prene Soc around the pipe. This soc helps prevent debris from clogging the French Drain Pipe.
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 perforatedDrain Pipeand filled all the way to the surface (ground level). In some cases where theFrench Drainneeds to be deep or is being placed in sandy soil, a special trench liner must be placed in the trench before the perforatedDrain 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 aFrench Drainabout 20% of the time. Most of the time a liner in not needed.
AFrench Drainis 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 aDrainage SystemwithSurface Drains or Gutter Down-Spouts connected to it.
French Drains can be installed by themselves, or as part of a Drainage System that uses other French Drains, Surface Drains, or other Drain combinations. Typically a French Drain is used to protect a broad area that has a lot of standing water. AFrench Drain might run along side a homes foundation, or beside a driveway, or on any Drainage Project where Sub-Surface water is the primary problem. If water is running toward your home under ground ( through sandy soil), A French Drain is the only Solution for draining away water flowing under ground.
If you live in Oklahoma City and need a French Drain installed in your yard, or along your driveway, or near your foundation, give CMG a call. If you live in Edmond or Norman and need a Surface Drain installed in the concrete in your sidewalk or driveway, we can help. If you live in Mustang or Yukon and would like to protect your trees or flower beds from standing water with a French Drain, CMG specializes in just that!
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. A Drain or Group of Drains with Drain Pipe going to an exit point is a “Drainage System.”
Drainage Systemscan be made up of one drainor a combination of many drains. Drainage problems can 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 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 waterdrain out on to 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.
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. Surface Drains should be designed in a Drainage System to be located in smaller Drainage Areas moving moderate amounts of water. 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.
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. 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 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 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.
For home and small business use typical materials used are:
Surface Drains look nicer than French Drains in most cases
Once the type and number of drains is determined and what size Drain Pipe will connect them, an exit point must be selected. (Where is the Drainage System going to take the water to and release it?)
Oklahoma Drainage and Sprinkler Repair : Servicing all of Central and Western Oklahoma since 1993.
Standing Water on Your Driveway? A Surface Drain set in concrete may be what you need. Or maybe you need a French Drain Running alongside your driveway instead. Handling water problems is what we are good at. If you need help, Oklahoma Drainage can provide the best solution for your unwanted water problems.
We just finished a 4 inch Drainage System in Yukon. It was a complicated system to install. It utilized 4 inch French Drain in the flower beds, 12 inch Surface Drains on the side of the house, 6 inch French Drain along the garage foundation with 2 Pop – Up Emitters in the back yard and 3Curb Fittings in the front. First we installed 4 inch French Drain in the flowerbeds on both sides of the front door. We connected 4 inch solid Drain Pipe into the French Drainand ran them underside walk to the curb. Next we cut the curb with a concrete saw and installed 3 curb outlets for 3 separate French Drains.
Next we installed 412 Inch Drain Basins with grates along both sides of the house continuing with Solid Drain Pipe to the Pop-Up Emitters on the back fence. Finally we completed the Drainage System by installing a long run of 6 inch French Draindown the side of the garage foundation. Installing the French Drains in the flower beds was the most difficult and took the most time. Each French Drain took over a ton of crushed limestone to fill the French Drain trench. The Six inch French Drain took even more limestone.
Oklahoma Drainage –
Hey Oklahoma, We are expanding to service all of Western Oklahoma as well as Central Oklahoma. If you live in Elk City, and need a French Drain, we can help. If water is standing on your driveway in Clinton, Give us a call. Duncan, Lawton, and Altus are all new areas of service for us.
If you have water in the wrong place , we can help!
We also have Decades of experience repairing all types of Lawn Sprinkler Problems. Fixing broken sprinkler heads, sprinkler valve problems and controller trouble just to name a few things.
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 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.
Recently we installed a French Draininside the court yard of a rest home in Norman. We had several interesting challenges to overcome that were not typical for a French Drain Installation. The court yard was in the center of the home and was a secure area for the patrons. We had to put down painters tarps to run our wheel barrows over. We took out 44 loads of dirt and brought in 52 loads of Crushed one inch lime stone for the French Drain. Each trip was over a hundred yards from the trailer in the parking lot, in the front door, down the hall, making two turns along the way. Each time we had to be escorted by security. Needless to say, the installation of this particular drainage system took a while.In the above picture, the French Drain runs along the low area crossing all the areas where water would stand each time it rained.
When a French Drainis installed, a big mistake that is made by many people is to cover up the gravel with dirt. This is a big mistake. Basically it is ” Putting the cork back in the bottle.” If the French Drain is in full sun and has a type of grass surrounding it that spreads on its own such a ” Tift” or “Bermuda” , Grass will grow over it and the French Drain will eventually disappear. Grass covering a French Drain is a good thing if it grows across the drain without adding dirt. The Grass thatch acts a water filter preventing clogging and extending the life of the Drainage System.
When aFrench Drain is in Full Shade, or the surrounding grass will not spread on its own, such as with Fescue, other steps must be taken. One option is to just leave it alone. If you don’t mind how it looks, it will drain a large amount of water for many years. Many times a French Drain can be a landscaping focal point. They can be dressed up with all kinds of Rocks and Stones and Plants.
Oklahoma Drainage and Sprinkler Repair : Servicing all of Central and Western Oklahoma since 1993.
Standing Water on Your Driveway? A Surface Drain set in concrete may be what you need. Or maybe you need a French Drain Running alongside your driveway instead. Handling water problems is what we are good at. If you need help, Oklahoma Drainage can provide the best solution for your unwanted water problems.
We just finished a 4 inch Drainage System in Yukon. It was a complicated system to install. It utilized 4 inch French Drain in the flower beds, 12 inch Surface Drains on the side of the house, 6 inch French Drain along the garage foundation with 2 Pop – Up Emitters in the back yard and 3Curb Fittings in the front. First we installed 4 inch French Drain in the flowerbeds on both sides of the front door. We connected 4 inch solid Drain Pipe into the French Drainand ran them underside walk to the curb. Next we cut the curb with a concrete saw and installed 3 curb outlets for 3 separate French Drains.
Next we installed 412 Inch Drain Basins with grates along both sides of the house continuing with Solid Drain Pipe to the Pop-Up Emitters on the back fence. Finally we completed the Drainage System by installing a long run of 6 inch French Draindown the side of the garage foundation. Installing the French Drains in the flower beds was the most difficult and took the most time. Each French Drain took over a ton of crushed limestone to fill the French Drain trench. The Six inch French Drain took even more limestone.
Hey Oklahoma, We are expanding to service all of Western Oklahoma as well as Central Oklahoma. If you live in Elk City, and need a French Drain, we can help. If water is standing on your driveway in Clinton, Give us a call. Duncan, Lawton, and Altus are all new areas of service for us.
If you have water in the wrong place , we can help!
We also have Decades of experience repairing all types of Lawn Sprinkler Problems. Fixing broken sprinkler heads, sprinkler valve problems and controller trouble just to name a few things.
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 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.
Oklahoma Drainage and Sprinkler Repair : Servicing all of Central and Western Oklahoma since 1993.
Standing Water on Your Driveway? A Surface Drain set in concrete may be what you need. Or maybe you need a French Drain Running alongside your driveway instead. Handling water problems is what we are good at. If you need help, Oklahoma Drainage can provide the best solution for your unwanted water problems.
We just finished a 4 inch Drainage System in Yukon. It was a complicated system to install. It utilized 4 inch French Drain in the flower beds, 12 inch Surface Drains on the side of the house, 6 inch French Drain along the garage foundation with 2 Pop – Up Emitters in the back yard and 3Curb Fittings in the front. First we installed 4 inch French Drain in the flowerbeds on both sides of the front door. We connected 4 inch solid Drain Pipe into the French Drainand ran them underside walk to the curb. Next we cut the curb with a concrete saw and installed 3 curb outlets for 3 separate French Drains.
Next we installed 412 Inch Drain Basins with grates along both sides of the house continuing with Solid Drain Pipe to the Pop-Up Emitters on the back fence. Finally we completed the Drainage System by installing a long run of 6 inch French Draindown the side of the garage foundation. Installing the French Drains in the flower beds was the most difficult and took the most time. Each French Drain took over a ton of crushed limestone to fill the French Drain trench. The Six inch French Drain took even more limestone.
Hey Oklahoma, We are expanding to service all of Western Oklahoma as well as Central Oklahoma. If you live in Elk City, and need a French Drain, we can help. If water is standing on your driveway in Clinton, Give us a call. Duncan, Lawton, and Altus are all new areas of service for us.
If you have water in the wrong place , we can help!
We also have Decades of experience repairing all types of Lawn Sprinkler Problems. Fixing broken sprinkler heads, sprinkler valve problems and controller trouble just to name a few things.
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 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.
Recently we installed a French Draininside the court yard of a rest home in Norman. We had several interesting challenges to overcome that were not typical for a French Drain Installation. The court yard was in the center of the home and was a secure area for the patrons. We had to put down painters tarps to run our wheel barrows over. We took out 44 loads of dirt and brought in 52 loads of Crushed one inch lime stone for the French Drain. Each trip was over a hundred yards from the trailer in the parking lot, in the front door, down the hall, making two turns along the way. Each time we had to be escorted by security. Needless to say, the installation of this particular drainage system took a while.In the above picture, the French Drain runs along the low area crossing all the areas where water would stand each time it rained.
When a French Drainis installed, a big mistake that is made by many people is to cover up the gravel with dirt. This is a big mistake. Basically it is ” Putting the cork back in the bottle.” If the French Drain is in full sun and has a type of grass surrounding it that spreads on its own such a ” Tift” or “Bermuda” , Grass will grow over it and the French Drain will eventually disappear. Grass covering a French Drain is a good thing if it grows across the drain without adding dirt. The Grass thatch acts a water filter preventing clogging and extending the life of the Drainage System.
When aFrench Drain is in Full Shade, or the surrounding grass will not spread on its own, such as with Fescue, other steps must be taken. One option is to just leave it alone. If you don’t mind how it looks, it will drain a large amount of water for many years. Many times a French Drain can be a landscaping focal point. They can be dressed up with all kinds of Rocks and Stones and Plants.
Just what is a “French Drain?” Many times people incorrectly
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 Pipeand filled all the way to the surface (ground level). In some cases where theFrench 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 Drainand the amount of time to install it. I install a trench liner in a French Drainabout 20% of the time. Most of the time a liner in not needed.
A French Drainis 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 aDrainage System withSurface 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 Drainis 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.
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.
1. Water gets to the problem area by falling from the sky.
2. Water gets to the problem area by flowing down hill over the ground.
3. Water gets to the problem area by flowing underground. (Sub-Surface water flow)
Number 3, Sub-Surface water flow is the big consideration. When doing a Drainage Diagnostic, this is the area that is many times missed or not considered by less experienced companies. Oklahoma Drainage and Sprinkler Repair relies on 26 years of experience. Many Times it is cheaper and more effective to install a French Drainover aSurface Drain. A Surface Drain can’t move as much water as a French Drain, and a Surface Drain can’t Drain away Sub-Surface water. Surface Drains should be installed in areas where the Drainage Problem area is smaller and is not affected by sub-surface water.
French Drains do a great job running along foundations and driveways. A French Drain will keep water away from cement and prevent damage to concrete if water should freeze up against it. AFrench Drain can keep your foundation Dry.
Drainage System Installation is becoming one of the areas of business for us. In 26 years we have become more accomplished at solving Drainage Problems for our customers. Water can cause damage in all kinds of places. A Drainage System, simply put, is a Drainwith a Drain Pipe leading underground to an exit point.
A Drainage Diagnosticis a scheduled appointment where we come out and look at your Drainage Problem and get your input on the situation. We look at all the variables that are causing your Water-Runoff Problems and design a Drainage System to solve it.
Typically many things must be considered when completing a Drainage Diagnostic.
1. Identify the areas being damaged by water and determine if there are any hidden areas.
2. Identify the sources of water causing the damage. Most Drainage Problems have more than one source. A water source can fall from the sky as rain, or can flow down the hill as storm-water runoff, or can flow from a gutter down-spout (yours or your neighbor’s), or flow under ground as sub-surface water flow, or water can flow off a sidewalk, driveway, or street. (These are the most common)
3. Identify the Exit Pointby determining where we want to take the unwanted water.
4. Determine what type of Drains can best solve the Drainage Problem. We utilize: French Drains, Surface Drains, Channel Drains, Trench Drains, and Sump Pumps.
5. Determine what type and size of Drain Pipe is needed to accommodate the volume of water to be drained. Larger is always better! Big Drains with Small Drain Pipesnever works!
If you have problems with Standing Water after a hard rain, or your driveway or sidewalk turns into a moat after a thunderstorm, or worst of all, you have water standing against your foundation and seeping into your house and vents, Give CMG a Call! TYPICALLY A DRAINAGE SYSTEM IS MUCH LESS EXPENSIVE THAN FOUNDATION REPAIR OR REMOVING MOLD FROM YOUR HOME OR BUSINESS!!
Typically many things must be considered when completing a Drainage Diagnostic.
1. Identify the areas being damaged by water and determine if there are any hidden areas.
2. Identify the sources of water causing the damage. MostDrainage Problems have more than one source. A water source can fall from the sky as rain, or can flow down the hill as storm-water runoff, or can flow from a gutter down-spout (yours or your neighbor’s), or flow under ground as sub-surface water flow, or water can flow off a sidewalk, driveway, or street. (These are the most common)
3. Identify the Exit Pointby determining where we want to take the unwanted water.
5. Determine what type and size of Drain Pipe is needed to accommodate the volume of water to be drained. Larger is always better! Big Drainswith Small Drain Pipesnever works!
If you have problems with Standing Water after a hard rain, or your driveway or sidewalk turns into a moat after a thunderstorm, or worst of all, you have water standing against your foundation and seeping into your house and vents, Give Us a Call! TYPICALLY A DRAINAGE SYSTEM IS MUCH LESS EXPENSIVE THAN FOUNDATION REPAIR OR REMOVING MOLD FROM YOUR HOME OR BUSINESS!!
A little bit North of Downtown Oklahoma City, We 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 Drainbetween the two.
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 Drainthat normally would take 1 day to install took three.
The French Drain had a Double Exit Point. This means that once water entered the French Drain Pipe, it could run South to the street or it could run North to the alley. To exit points greatly increases the water capacity for any French Drain.
Along the course of the French Drain, we connected two large gutters directly into the Drain Pipe.
Once in place, the French Drain eliminated all the water that was leaking into the two buildings.
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 systemis installed with a surface drainas 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 basic French Drainconsists of aPerforated Drain Pipein the bottom of a trench. The French DrainTrench runs through a Problem Drainage Areathat needs to be drained. The French Drain Pipe is perforated (Full of Small Holes) and has Neo-Prene Soc around the pipe. This soc helps prevent debris from clogging the French Drain Pipe.
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 perforatedDrain Pipeand filled all the way to the surface (ground level). In some cases where theFrench Drainneeds to be deep or is being placed in sandy soil, a special trench liner must be placed in the trench before the perforatedDrain Pipe or the Gravel are installed. This helps maintain the integrity of the trench over time. It also increases the cost of theFrench Drainand the amount of time to install it. I install a trench liner in aFrench 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 aDrainage SystemwithSurface Drains or Gutter Down-Spouts connected to it.
The main downfall of aFrench Drainis 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 theFrench Drain, will dictate whether grass grows over the lime stone. Grass can grow up and through the gravel in theFrench Drainover time eventually covering the gravel. This is Ok. It won’t have a measurable effect on the performance of thedrain.
DON’T COVER THE GRAVEL IN THEFRENCH DRAINWITH DIRT. THE FRENCH DRAINWON’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 AFRENCH DRAINAND THEY LOOK GREAT AND LAST A LIFETIME.
A simple Drainage Systemmight consist of a French 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.
1. Keep water away from foundations— A French Drain is 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 Drainsto 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. Surface Drains should be designed in a Drainage System to be located in smaller Drainage Areas moving moderate amounts of water. 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.
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. A Surface Draincan 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 Wateraway 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 pipe that is connected to the drain.
Simply put, a Drainage System is one or a group of underground Drain Pipes that 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 theDrain Pipe.
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 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 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 Drainor French 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.
For home and small business use typical materials used are:
Surface Drains look nicer than French Drains in most cases
Once the type and number of drains is determined and what sizeDrain Pipe will connect them, an exit point must be selected. (Where is the Drainage Systemgoing to take the water to and release it?)
The Drainage Curb Fitting is installed when the desired exit point for the French Drain will release the Drainage Waterinto 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 Drain or Surface Drain is connected to the Drainage Curb fitting and then covered with dirt.
Recently Oklahoma Drainage and Sprinkler Repairinstalled a large 6 inchFrench 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 Draindesign that we proposed would intercept the surface water and subsurface water that was flowing under the steps. The French Draindesign 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 Drainwould 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, theFrench 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 Spoutsinto the French Drain.
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 systemis installed with a surface drainas 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.
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? Theses are just a few of the Drainage Problemsthat 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.
Oklahoma Drainage installs Surface Drains in Sidewalks and Driveways as shown above. We also install French Drains and Channel Drains. This particular Surface Drainwas installed to keep water from running down the driveway into the garage. Problem solved!
Do you have standing water or drainage problems in or around your home or business? Does (storm-water) cause backyard drainage problems, sidewalk drainage problems, landscape drainage problems, or worst of all, is water seeping into your home or basement?
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.
If you have water standing in your flowerbed we can install a French Drain For you. If water is standing on your driveway or sidewalk a Surface Drainor Channel Drain set in concrete might be what you need. If water is standing in your basement a Sump Pump installation is a good idea.
For Example: You might have aSurface Drainset in your sidewalk and a Channel Drain next to your driveway and a French Drainin your yard. They all connect to each other through drain pipe and feed water into the Drainage System.
The Transition is the Drain Pipe that takes the water to the exit point. It can be a large pipe or small depending on how much water needs to be moved and how fast it needs to drain. More than one Drainage Exit Point. This increases the amount of water that theDrainage System can move.
There are other things to take into account and consider as well.
Oklahoma Drainage and Sprinkler Repair installs French Drains and Surface Drains in lawns, flower beds and many other places. We also install Surface Drains and Channel Drains Set in concrete in sidewalks and driveways. Wherever you need a Drain to help protect your home or property, we are there to help. Experience Counts, going on 27 years now.
A French Drain Can Handle Surface and Sub-Surface Water
Another Storm is headed our way. It looks like a WET FALL. Every time it rains, Do you have water standing in the wrong place? Even worse! Do you have water seeping into your home or business? If you have water standing in your yard, on your sidewalk, or dripping into your basement, Oklahoma Drainage and Sprinkler Repair can help. We have been designing Drainage Systems for Homes or Business since 1993.
French Drains can be installed by themselves, or as part of a Drainage System that uses other French Drains, Surface Drains, or other Drain combinations. Typically a French Drain is used to protect a broad area that has a lot of standing water. A French Drain might run along side a homes foundation, or beside a driveway, or on anyDrainage Project where Sub-Surface water is the primary problem. If water is running toward your home under ground ( through sandy soil), A French Drain is the only Solution for draining away water flowing under ground.
If you live in Oklahoma City and need a French Drain installed in your yard, or along your driveway, or near your foundation, give us a call. If you live in Edmond or Norman and need a Surface Drain installed in the concrete in your sidewalk or driveway, we can help. If you live in Mustang or Yukon and would like to protect your trees or flower beds from standing water with a French Drain, We specialize in just that!
French Drain Pipe running to curb outlet in Oklahoma City.
Drainage System Installation in Norman
Wow! There are lots of places around a home or business where standing water can cause problems. Dealing withDrainage Problems is what we are good at. In the last 26 years, Oklahoma Drainage and Sprinkler Repair has installed all kinds ofdrainage systemsin a wide variety of places. We understand that Drainage Problems may be very complex or very simple. Some situations might require a 6 inch French Drain, Others might need a 12 inch Surface Drain. We can quickly diagnose adrainage problem and recommend a solution. Our Drainage Systems utilize many types of Drains and Drain Pipes. We install: French Drains,Surface Drains, Channel Drains, Trench Drains, andSump Pumps. Each of these Drains comes in many types and sizes.
French Drain going under sidewalk and draining through curb
Since 1993, We have solved many Drainage Problems all over Central Oklahoma.
If you live in Norman and need a Surface Drain in your back yard, or if you live in Oklahoma City and could use a French Drainto protect your foundation, or if you live in Edmond and need a Channel Drain installed in your sidewalk, give us a call.
