Posts Tagged ‘Norman French Drain’

French Drain Or Surface Drain, Which one do you need!

Posted: September 19, 2024 in french drain, French Drain Design, Surface Drains
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French Drain or Surface Drain

French Drain Benefit That I Never Expected

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

Wow! Where to begin?

French Drain or Surface Drain can be a complicated decision.  Which one do you Need?

 

First you have to understand what they are and what they do.

Both have a similar initial purpose.  Their Job is to get water into a solid Drainpipe so it can flow underground to the place where you want it to go.  A French Drain and a Surface Drain are Both “INTAKES”.  They take standing or running water into a Drainage System.

Three Parts

A Drainage System has 3 Parts.  An INTAKE, A TRANSITION, and an EXIT.  An Intake is a French Drain or a Surface Drain that takes water into a Drainpipe as previously stated.   The Transition is the solid Drainpipe that takes the water where you want it to go.  And finally, an Exit is simply where the water leaves the pipe.

A French Drain Takes water in through a perforated pipe.  Typically for 4 or 6 ich pipe.  The pipe has thousands of little holes that allow water to enter the pipe and flow to the transition.  Some type of gravel or crushed stone surrounds the French Drainpipe.

French Drain Installation

French drain Installation
with trench liner and pipe filter

The French Drainpipe in the above picture has a Black cloth filter around the 4-inch pipe and a white trench liner.  They are both semi permeable allowing water to pass into the pipe without dirt or debris clogging the pipe.  The trench is then filled with crushed limestone filling the trench and covering the pipe.

Surface Drains

A Surface Drain has a grate that sits on top of a basin.  Water comes in through the grate and goes directly into the Transition Drainpipe.

 

Surface Drains and French Drains are not created equal.  There are benefits and drawbacks to both.

Surface Drain Benefits:

Surface Drains look better when installed.

Surface Drains work better in small areas where the water is standing or moving slowly.

Surface Drain Drawbacks:

Surace Drains Don’t handle fast moving surface water across a broad area.  They take in some water, but the majority of the water just runs right around them or over the top of them.

Surface Drains can’t drain away or remove any kind of “Ground Water.”  Ground water has no way to get into the top of a Surface Drain.  If its muddy around a surface drain you have to wait until the heat or wind dries out the area.

French Drain Benefits:

French Drains can handle a much higher volume of water than a surface drain.

French Drains can intercept water with a higher velocity covering a broader area than a surface drain.

French Drains can also intercept ground water.  Most people don’t think about ground water moving.  It moves underground just like surface water moves above ground.  It just moves much slower.  A French Drain that is downhill from a muddy area will intercept and take in ground water moving downhill.  It enters the perforated pipe laterally underground and slowly enters the transition pipe and slowly flows or drips toward the exit point.  As a result the soil dry’s out much faster.

French Drain Drawbacks:

When first installed, a French Drain is not nearly as pretty as a surface drain.  Gravel running across your yard in a trench may not be appealing.

In sunny areas grass will grow over the French Drain over time.  This is perfectly fine.  It produces what is called a “Thatch Filter.” A Thatch Filter helps keep a French Drain clean along with the Pipe Filter and Trench Liner which also are installed to keep the French Drain clean and working well for Decades.

Don’t Cover a French Drain with Dirt

HOWEVER! YOU ABSOLUTELY CAN’T PUT DIRT ON TOP OF THE GRAVEL TO MAKE IT LOOK BETTER.  EMAGINE GASSING UP YOUR CAR BY OPENING UP YOUR GAS CAP AND THEN POURING THE GAS ON THE ROOF OF YOUR CAR.  A DROP OR TWO MIGHT MAKE IT INTO YOUR GAS TANK.  IN THE SAME WAY A DROP OR TWO OF SURFACE WATER MIGHT MAKE IT INTO THE FRENCH DRAIN.  DIRT ON TOP OF A FRENCH DRAIN WILL ELIMATE ITS ABILITY TO DRAIN SURFACE WATER.  IF YOUR DRAINAGE PROBLEM ONLY STEMS FROM GROUND WATER THEN PUT DIRT ON IT.  THIS IS CALLED A “CAPPED” FRENCH DRAIN.

In shaded areas grass will never grow over the gravel of the French drain.  There are two options.  Get creative with stone work and landscaping or live with the ugly French drain.

Here are some fancy French Drains that we have installed.

 

French Drain Help, Sprinkler Repair, Oklahoma City, Norman, Edmond

Posted: April 7, 2024 in french drain, French Drain Design, French Drain Help, French Drain Information, sprinkler repair, sprinkler repair contractor, Sprinkler Repair Service
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Harsh weather in Oklahoma seems to be more common.  In 2023, 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 runoff can 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 Drain can help.

Installing Decorative French Drain In Norman Oklahoma

Installing Decorative French Drain The Right Way

Oklahoma Drainage Installs 4 Inch and 6 French Drains.

A French Drain is the “Intake” part of a Drainage System.  Simply Put, the French Drain is the part of the Drainage System that takes in the water in the low areas and gets it into the pipe.

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

 

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 Drain Pipe 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.

French Drain

French Drain Near Driveway

French Drain Protecting Driveway

French Drains can be complex or simple.  A Simple French Drain System is a French Drain Connected to an Exit Drainpipe that is released out a pop up emitter.

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.

Sprinkler Valve Installation

Sprinkler Valve Replacement

 

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.

Drain Pipe Under Sidewalk

Drainpipe Under Sidewalk

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.

Sprinkler Repair Service Provided by Oklahoma Drainage and Sprinkler Repair

Since 1993 we have Replaced Sprinkler Valves that were sticking or were wore out.

Thousands of Sprinkler Heads have been adjusted.

Countless Sprinkler Controllers have been Reprogramed or Replaced.

We also have fixed a broken Sprinkler Pipe or Two.  Seems like a million.  Ok, not that many.

I wonder how many?  A lot!!!!

Oklahoma Drainage and Sprinkler Repair provides Service for all of Central Oklahoma Including:  Oklahoma City, Norman, Edmond, Moore, Yukon and Mustang.

Channel Drain In Edmond Oklahoma, French Drain In Norman, Sprinkler Repair Sump Pump In Blanchard

Posted: April 26, 2023 in Channel Drain, Channel Drain in Edmond Oklahoma, french drain, sprinkler repair, Sump Pump
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Channel Drain In Edmond Oklahoma,

 

Channel Drains are a type of Surface Drain.  They are long and thin with a composite or metal grate.  Most of the time a Channel Drain is set in concrete.

 

Oklahoma Drainage 405 203 9419 — We provide:

    French Drain Installation, Surface Drain Installation, Drainage System Installation

Oklahoma Drainage Installs Channel Drains,  Surface Drains and French Drains.  Some times it is up hill in all directions from the Problem Drainage Area.  This problem can be solved by installing a Sump Pump.  When the cavity fills, the water is pumped away to the point where the water exits the drain which can be a curb outlet or a pop-up emitter.

Sump Pump Installation
Sump Pump Installation,       

Two Sizes of Sump Pumps

Pump Size refers to how powerful it is not how physically large it is.  For Home or Small Business use a 1/3 Horse or a 1/2 Horse Works Best.  Larger Pumps such as a 1 Horse Pump must be ordered by a supplier and must be Hard Wired to 220 voltage by an electrician.

 

 
Drain Definitions 

 

Water Standing in your yard can be tricky.

Designing a Drainage System to intercept the Surface Water is the first step, but many times is not the only step.  Often Sub-Surface Water( Water Running Under Ground ) is not accounted for by people with less experience in designing Drainage Systems.  They install A Drainage System that uses Surface Drains to Intercept the running surface water.  Sometimes that works if that is the only water source to the Problem Drainage Area.

Surface Drains drain surface water away only.  Sub Surface water runs right around them and into the same Problem Drainage Area.  There may be less water there than there was before but the problem still remains.

A French Drain is the solution when water is running into a problem area over the surface and under ground.  A French Drain solves both problems and the area will be dry.

French Drain Running Through Low Areas

French Drain with stepping stones and River Rock

French Drain With River Rock and Stepping Stones

 

Drain Definitions 

WHAT SIZE DRAIN PIPE FOR FRENCH DRAINS?

French Drains can be decorated with many types of stone 
French Drains can be decorated with many types of stone

French Drains can utilize  several types and sizes of French Drain Pipe.  An older type that is not commonly used any more is 4 inch PVC Pipe with large half inch holes drilled in the Pipe.  This doesn’t work very well,   Because the holes are too large and the number of holes in the French Drain Pipe are too few.  Also there is no filter or “Soc” around this particular French Drain Pipe.  If it is used in sandy or loose soil the holes will clog and the pipe will fill up with sand.  PVC French Drain Pipe should be avoided.

ADS French Drain Pipe is much better, the holes are smaller and much more numerous.  It also comes inside a soc that acts as a filter and helps keep sand and debris out of the French Drain Pipe.  It works very well.

 

For Small business and Residential French Drains, Four inch ADS Perf/Soc French Drain pipe is adequate and the most common.  It is used for the majority of all French Drains installed.  French Drains can be installed using 3 inch ADS Perf/Soc but many times it is too small and can be overwhelmed by a heavy rain or from a bad design.  (Too many gutter down spouts connected directly into the French Drain, For Example)  Three Inch French Drain Pipe should be avoided if possible.

Six inch  ADS Perf/Soc French Drain Pipe is usually a good idea when possible.  It carries a much larger volume of water.  Six Inch French Drains are rarely overwhelmed.

Sprinkler Repair

Sprinkler Repair Service Provided by Oklahoma Drainage and Sprinkler Repair

Since 1993 we have Replaced Sprinkler Valves that were sticking or were wore out.

Thousands of Sprinkler Heads have been adjusted.

Countless Sprinkler Controllers have been Reprogramed or Replaced.

We also have fixed a broken Sprinkler Pipe or Two.  Seems like a million.  Ok, not that many.

I wonder how many?  A lot!!!!

Oklahoma Drainage and Sprinkler Repair provides Service for all of Central Oklahoma Including:  Oklahoma City, Norman, Edmond, Moore, Yukon and Mustang.

Norman French Drain, installed by Oklahoma Drainage, French Drain Repair, Sprinkler Repair

Posted: April 16, 2023 in french drain, French Drain In Norman, French Drain Repair, Norman French Drain, Sprinkler Repair
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 Norman French Drain, Installed by Oklahoma Drainage – 405 203 9419

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.  Water was standing near the AC unit.  Water was standing by the South side garage door too.

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.

What is a French Drain?

Click the Link Above

Installing Decorative French Drain In Norman Oklahoma

Installing Decorative French Drain the Right Way

French Drains can be made to look really good.

 

Check Out Our Drain Photo Library

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.

What Size French Drainpipe is Available

When installing a Drainage System of any type, a decision must be made on the size of Drainpipe 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 drainpipe can be used.   Three inch drain pipe is used for low volume applications.

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 drainpipe should do the job.

 

Check Out – Cities Where We Have Worked

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

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.

Or, if you live in Norman and have water standing on your driveway, consider a Channel Drain Installation. If you live in Edmond and have water flooding your basement, a Sump Pump can help.

Or, 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!

Installing Drain Pipe from French Drain in Back Yard

Installing Drainpipe from French Drain in Back Yard

Do you have water standing in your yard after a heavy rain?  Do your gutters turn your sidewalk into a moat after a storm.  Worst of all, do you have water seeping into your home or business from Storm-Water runoff?

 

Installing Solid 4 Inch Drain Pipe Between French Drain and Curb

Installing Solid 4 Inch Drainpipe Between French Drain and Curb

Oklahoma Drainage can help with these and many other “standing water” and ” Drainage Problems. We can diagnose your drainage problem and design a drainage system to fit your specific needs.  In Business since 1993.  

We utilize: French Drains, Surface Drains, Channel Drains, Basin Drains, Trench Drains, Basement Drains, and Sump Pumps.

 

We service all of Central and Western Oklahoma

 

 

Drainage Limitations

It’s simple, the larger the drain pipe the more types and sizes of drains you can connect to the system.

ads 4inch 6 inch

ADS Drainpipe, 6 Inch on the left, 4 Inch on the right.

If you connect too many Surface drains or French drains to a Drainage System, it can EASIALY become overwhelmed during a hard rain.

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 isn’t very good.  It also causes suction behind the gutter downspout in the French Drain or Surface Drain that you have installed.

Before you ever build a Drainage System, you need to decide where you are going to take the problem water too.   Most residential Drainage Systems release water farther on down the hill or release it out into the street.  Street release is either over the curb or through the curb.

Curb outlet for French drain

Curb Outlet for French Drain

It is a good idea to do a little research on the effects and liabilities of releasing water at your home.  What does the city think if you release water through the curb vs over the curb?  What does your downhill neighbor think if you are releasing water into his yard?

Some Drainage System Locations have many options for ” Exits.”  Others have very few.

Don’t Start a Drainage System if you don’t have a good place for the water to exit!

This is even more important, if your Drainage System needs to be a “Flood Prevention System.”  We talked about this in the previous blogs on Drainage.

A Flood Prevention System may need more than one exit to increase the Drainage Systems Capacity.

OK, So you have a good Water Exit Strategy and have identified where the water is going to go.

Let’s go back and talk about Pop Up Emitters and Curb Outlets.

A Pop Up emitter is used to release water down a hill or over a curb and into the street.

Pop up emitter next to sidewalk

Popup Emitter to release water from a French Drain in Yukon

 

new curb outlet

Curb outlet with more than 6 inches of fall

 

Pop up emitter and ADS

Pop-Up Emitter before Installation

Water hits the Emitter and fills it until the water pressure lifts the lid and the water drains out.

Good “Fall” or ” Slope“

is necessary for a pop up emitter to work properly.  Many times, a Drainage Pipe does not run downhill enough for a Drainage System to work well. You need “Slope” for your drain to work.   Water may move very slowly and never lift the lid and it just sits there.

We will talk about having the correct amount of “Fall” or “Slope” in a Drainage System in the next blog.

Curb fittings or outlets is the other way to release water.

Installing a curb outlet is not for the inexperienced person.

cement curb outlet

Curb Outlet as an Exit Point for a French Drain in Edmond

First off,  For your average DIY Guy.  Installing a Curb outlet may be beyond your skill set or capacity.  If that is the case just place a Pop-Up Emitter up against the curb and go on about your business.

That being said, you may still want or need a Curb Outlet set in concrete.

If you are good with concrete and a concrete saw, this option poses no problem.  If this option seems too much for you, it probably is!  Consider sub-contracting the curb outlet.  In higher populated areas, finding someone to do “Light” concrete work is relatively easy.  You still can save money by installing the rest of the Drainage System yourself.

If you are still going to install the “Curb Outlet,” here are the steps for a “First Timer.”

Installing a Curb fitting Yourself Isn’t Easy

In 34 years of service, Oklahoma Drainage and Sprinkler Repair has installed over 2000 curb outlets.

If you are comfortable with your Skills using a Concrete Saw and working with a small amount of concrete, you can install your own curb fitting.

Step 1 Find a Curb outlet fitting.  They are round on one side where the drainpipe connects and rectangular on the other to fit in the cut-out area for the Curb outlet.

Curb outlet fitting

Curb outlet fitting

They are sold in many Drainage Supply Businesses.  You may not find them at “Lowes” or ” Home Depot”.  It varies.  If a Specialized Drain Supply business is not available then use a “Heat and Air” Floor vent as your curb outlet.  They are made of metal in most cases but still will work very well.  I have done this many times.  The floor vent is typically wider and thinner than a standard Curb Outlet Fitting.  Just cut a wider hole in the curb.

Step 2 Watch an instructional safety video on using a concrete saw.

Step 3 Rent or buy a concrete saw.  A used one can be found in pawn shops for about 300$ to 600$.  A New one will run around a Thousand Dollars.

a Rental will run about 50$ to 150$ depending on your area.

 

Find a Curb Outlet Fitting

Step 4 Find a Curb outlet that matches the size of your Pipe.  If you have a 4 inch Drain pipe then install a 4 inch curb outlet.   Sometimes a Six inch Curb outlet is too big to install in many roadside curbs.  It is too tall in many cases.  In most situations if you want a curb outlet and have a Six inch Drain Pipe, you must install two 4 inch outlets side by side.

If you have the need for a six inch Drainpipe, that means you have a lot of water to move.  You don’t want to create a bottle neck at the curb by installing a 4 inch curb fitting as your exit on a Six-Inch Drainpipe.

What you need to do is dig a large hole at the curb so you have room to work.  Next you attach a 6 inch “Y” fitting onto your drain pipe above the curb several feet.  You then install Two Reducer Bushings in both outlets of the “Y” fitting.  Next you attach 4 Inch ADS Drainpipe to the outlets and run two 4 inch ADS Drainpipes to the Curb.  Now you install two 4 inch curb fittings side by side.

It is very important

to use ADS Pipe coming out of the 6 Inch “Y” fitting.  It is Flexible and can be easily bent to fit your application.   PVC Pipe is rigid and won’t bend.  Very few people can do this process using PVC.  In 33 Years of installing Drains, I have only done it 3 times using PVC.  It is very Difficult and Frustrating.

Step 5 Watch a Video on Light Concrete Work if available.

Step 6 Connect the curb fitting to the drainpipe and install cement around it.  I have had the most success using a ” Quick Set” concrete that comes in a small bucket and has an “Acrylic” Additive or Base.

I don’t recommend cutting the curb yourself and installing a curb outlet if you are only going to do this once in your life.  If you are or will become a drainage contractor, then this is a skill that you definitely need.

 

 

Oklahoma Drainage also installs Channel Drains set in concrete.  A high level of experience is required to do this correctly.

It is beyond the ability of most “landscaping companies, Weekend Warriors, and Brother-in-laws.”

 

Installing concrete channel drain

Setting the concrete around the channel drain

 

FRENCH DRAIN, DRAINAGE SYSTEM, OKLAHOMA CITY, EDMOND, NORMAN, YUKON and all of Central and Western Oklahoma

Oklahoma Drainage — 405 203 9419

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 alongside a home’s 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 underground (through sandy soil), A French Drain is the only Solution for draining away water flowing underground.

After Diagnosing a Drainage Problem in Oklahoma City, we installed a 6-inch French Drain that went all the way around the pool in the back yard and then ran all the way to the street on both sides of the house. The French Drain made the shape of a horseshoe. The Drainage System had two Curb Outlets installed through the curb at the street. This gave the French Drain two different directions to allow the water to flow to the street.

Two Drain Outlets

allowed the French Drain to move a huge amount of water during heavy rains.   A few weeks later we got a call from our customer after a heavy rain.  She was very happy.  The French Drain did a great job protecting her pool.  All the Storm Water was diverted around the Swimming Pool.

French Drain installation is a big focus for Oklahoma Drainage and Sprinkler Repair.   A French Drain is one part of a Drainage System.  A French Drain can be connected to other types of Drains or Gutter Down-Spouts and then run through Drainpipe to an Exit point where the water is released.

A Drainage Exit Point

is the area where water goes to be released when it comes out of the Drainage System. The two most common exit points for a Drainage System are a Pop-Up Emitter or a Curb Fitting.
A Pop-Up Emitter is a Fitting on the end of a Drainpipe that has a lid that pops up and releases water. When water drainage is complete, the lid shuts back.

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

Pop-Up Emitter in Yukon

Gutter Downspout Connected to 6 Inch French Drain
Gutter Downspout Connected to 6 Inch French Drain

We Installed a Double Six-inch French Drain in Edmond this week.  A Double Six-Inch French Drain is two six-inch French Drains laid side by side in one very wide and deep trench.  It is designed to move a huge amount of water away from a home.   The our customer had several different drainage problems in their back yard.

After a thunderstorm,

water would run under their back fence and into their garage.  The back yard was on a steep hillside, and the water would run very fast down the hill and into the garage.  We installed 2 large six-inch French Drains across the water’s path.  This allowed the water to be diverted into the French Drain which then ran through drainpipe to a curb outlet at the street.

Three Gutter Down Spouts

were connected into the French Drain.

Connecting gutter to French Drain

Connecting gutter to French drain.

The French Drain created a protective barrier for the garage.  A 12 inch Surface Drain was also included in the Drainage System.  It was placed up against the driveway and connected with 4 inch Solid drainpipe to the 6-inch French Drain.

Water was completely rerouted away from the home.  A French Drain and Surface Drain combination in this case was the best solution to this particular drainage problem.

Installing a Curb Outlet for a French Drain in Edmond
Installing a Curb Outlet for a French Drain in Edmond

Sprinkler Repair Facts

 

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.

 

Sprinkler Controller Repair is a service provided by Oklahoma Drainage.  A Sprinkler Controller is the “Brain,” of a Sprinkler System.  They can wear out or stop working.  Power surges in the home can cause damage to a controller.

Programming can be difficult for homeowners.  We can help with programming or replace a Sprinkler Module if it is defective.

Start Time Programming

“Start Time” programing many times is confusing for homeowners.  The definition of a Start Time is a time that is chosen for the sprinkler system to start watering.  It causes zone 1 to start running.  When zone 1 is finished it automatically stops and zone 2 begins.  When Zone 2 is complete it stops and zone 3 begins.  Simple enough Right!  This continues until the last zone programed available runs.

The confusion begins when people think that a time needs to be set to start zone 2 and 3 and so on.  This is not the case.  They follow zone 1 which has the only Start Time programmed into the controller.

Be Careful with Multiple Start Times, just use One at first.

Sprinkler Controllers have a feature providing multiple start times, up to 4 Start Times are usually available.  These additional start times are only used when a person wants to run the entire system more than once in a 24-hour period.

For Example, the first Start Time is set at 9Am.  Zone 1 begins to run at 9am.  When Zone 1 is done, say 10 minutes later, Zone 2 begins and runs for 10 minutes, then zone 3 follows and so on.  By 10 am let’s say all the zones have run.  Let’s say 8 hours later you have a second start time at 6 Pm.  Zone 1 comes on and runs and by 7pm all the zones have run again.  So, the controller has 2 start times which have caused the Sprinkler System to run start to finish twice in a 24-hour period.

Here is the big problem!

Some Homeowners believe the second start time is to start zone 2 running.  They also think that the 3rd start time is to start zone 3 and the 4-start time is to run zone 4.  No!!

So, this is how they program the controller.  At 9am they have a start time and zone 1 starts.  The homeowner programs a second start time at 9:10 am to mistakenly start zone 2.  Nope!  It starts zone 1 all over again.  At 9:2o they have a 3rd start time for zone 3.  Nope!  It starts zone 1 for a third time.  Now the controller is stuck in a loop and zone 1 runs constantly and won’t shut off.

If Sprinkler Controller Programming is confusing?  Make sure you only have One Start Time!

“Run Time,” is completed Next.  It determines how long each zone runs.  Zone One 10 Minutes,     Zone Two, 15 Minutes, Zone Three 8 Minutes.  You can set how long you want each zone to run.

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.

We started with the Valves

The Sprinkler Valves were located in the back yard near the pool.  Six valves were located in one place.  They were very tightly connected in one Manifold.  None of the Sprinkler Valves had worked in a long time.  They were Toro Valves that were over 20 years old.  They all had to be replaced.

Surprisingly there was no shut-off valve for the Sprinkler Water.  The water had to be shut off at the Meter so we could install a Manual Shut off valve.  Once installed, the water was turned back on that ran to the house.   The water that ran to the Sprinkler System was shut off with our New Shut Off Valve.

Rainbird Sprinkler Valve

Rainbird Sprinkler Valve

The Sprinkler Valves Were Removed

Now, the 6 valves had to replaced.  The valves that were used were made by Rain Bird.  Before we began, I had to talk to the Customer.  The previous valve design was a bad idea to repeat.

The original Sprinkler Valves were crammed into one large valve box in one very tight manifold.  This is bad because the valves were too close to the fittings.  Simply put, if one valve had to be replaced or worked on in the future, all 6 valves had to be taken out and replaced.   If one valve was bad and 5 worked fine, they all still had to be replaced.

That’s Stupid!

I recommended that an additional Valve Box be installed putting 3 valves in each Valve Box.  This would allow plenty of space between the valve fittings.  If one Sprinkler Valve had to be adjusted or replaced in the future, the other 5 valves need not be disturbed.  Simple Enough!

Check For Leaks

Once the valves were replaced and working, it was time to turn on each Sprinkler Zone, one at a time.  Water was shooting up from the ground in several places in zone 1.  Two broken Sprinkler Pipes and 5 bad Sprinkler Heads in zone 1 had to be fixed and replaced.  We went through each of the 6 zones in similar fashion fixing lots of leaks and replacing bad sprinkler heads.

The Sprinkler Repair Cost About Half of the Cost of Completely New System.

Rotor and Pop-Up Sprinkler Heads

Rotor and Pop-Up Sprinkler Heads

Sprinkler Repair Service Provided by Oklahoma Drainage and Sprinkler Repair

Since 1993 we have Replaced Sprinkler Valves that were sticking or were wore out.

Thousands of Sprinkler Heads have been adjusted.

Countless Sprinkler Controllers have been Reprogramed or Replaced.

Sprinkler Head Adjustment is a service provided by Oklahoma Drainage and Sprinkler Repair.  We have adjusted sprinkler heads since 1993.

Many times, Sprinkler heads get, “Out of Wack.”  Lawn mowers and weed eaters are notorious for this.  Sprinkler heads start spraying water in the wrong place.  It is frustrating to water concrete while plants and grass go without moisture.

Pop-Up Sprinkler Heads

Pop-Up Sprinkler Heads can be adjusted several ways.  How far water goes to the left or right can be increased or decreased.  The distance the water goes can also be increased or decreased.  Finally, how high a sprinkler head pops up can be increased or decreased by installing a taller or shorter head.

Sometimes sprinkler heads spray a reduced distance and don’t perform very well due to water scale.  Minerals in the water can completely clog a Pop-Up.  Usually, the sprinkler nozzle on top of the sprinkler head, need only be replaced without replacing the entire head.

Rotor Sprinkler Heads also can be adjusted to the left or right.  Spray Distance can be increased or decreased as well.

Needs Change

What’s going on in your yard can change.  This calls for Sprinkler Head Adjustment.  Adding or removing a swimming pool changes everything concerning sprinkler heads.  Any number of things can change the necessary sprinkler head coverage.

 

 

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

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

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

Central and Western Oklahoma is our Service Area since 1993.  

                                                           (405) 203-9419

Check out Sprinkler System Check-Up

 

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.   Mustang or Yukon Residents who would like to protect Their trees or flower beds from standing water need a French Drain.  We specialize in just that!

Installing Curb Outlet

Installing Curb Outlet

Sprinkler Repair Service Provided by Oklahoma Drainage and Sprinkler Repair

Since 1993 we have Replaced Sprinkler Valves that were sticking or were wore out.

Thousands of Sprinkler Heads have been adjusted.

Countless Sprinkler Controllers have been Reprogramed or Replaced.

We also have fixed a broken Sprinkler Pipe or Two.  Seems like a million.  Ok, not that many.

I wonder how many?  A lot!!!!

Oklahoma Drainage and Sprinkler Repair provide Service for all of Central Oklahoma Including:  Oklahoma City, Norman, Edmond, Moore, Yukon and Mustang.

French Drain Blanchard, Installation, Information, Sprinkler Repair,Norman, Moore, Edmond,

Posted: April 9, 2023 in Blanchard French Drain, french drain, French Drain Help, French Drain Information, French Drain Installation
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French Drain Blanchard, Installation, Information, Norman, Moore, Edmond, Blanchard

Servicing Central and Western Oklahoma Since 1993

Oklahoma Drainage recently diagnosed a Drainage Problem in South Oklahoma City.  The Home owner had a sump Pump in their basement that was fed from a French Drain outside the Basement Wall.  The Drain was 14 feet down along the Stem wall of the house.

The French Drain Pipe was cheap and had collapsed.  We brought in a Mini Excavator and dug up the pipe and replaced it with Durable ADS 4 inch perf/soc French Drain pipe.  In the end, we were able to dig up the pipe and replace it.

French Drain Design

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.

What Does a  Good Drainage System Have?

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 Drainpipe.

Water will run through either Perforated French Drainpipe or Solid Drainpipe 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.  They 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.

6 Inch French Drain Installation

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 Drainpipe 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 Drainpipe to the correct Exit Point, we had to cut out 30 feet of sidewalk and run the French Drainpipe 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 Drainpipe with sod that we carefully removed when digging the trench.

We installed a 6-inch pop up emitter At the edge of the parking lot.   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 Drainpipe, Seven Gutter Connections, and one 6-inch Pop-Up Emitter.

French Drain Design Steps –

Posted: February 25, 2023 in french drain, French Drain Design, French Drain Repair
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French Drain Design Steps, Norman, Oklahoma City, Edmond, Moore

Installing French Drains is what we do most.

Oklahoma Drainage has been installing French Drains, Surface Drains, Sump Pumps and Sod since 1993.

French Drain Installation

French drain Installation

French Drain Design

is just Designing the French Drain Part of a Drainage System.

If you have already Diagnosed Your Water Problem the French Drain Design comes next.

Determine the Depth of the Drainage Trench.

To do this you must first look at the amount of slope involved.

Is the ground where the drainage trench will be located on a slope?  Hopefully it is.

A very slight slope is hard to work with.   The French Drain Trench can’t be very deep.  If it is too deep and you don’t have much slope then water will enter the French Drain and will just sit there.  It won’t move toward the transition pipe which will then take the water to the Exit.

If the slope is good and you can easily tell which way is downhill, then you can dig the drainage trench toward the exit knowing that it should flow well.

You want your drainage trench to run across your drainage problem area.  It needs to be running downhill toward the exit.

The more slope you have the deeper the French Drain can be dug if desired.

If the French Drain Trench is Deeper, it can carry more water downhill toward the exit.  Some of the water will travel in the French Drain Perforated Pipe.  If it becomes completely full then additional water will travel down the trench in the gravel above the French Drainpipe while still in the Drainage Trench.  This is important it you have desire for your French Drain to Handle Flood Prevention Which is more robust than just a Drainage System.

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.

Surface Drain Installation

Surface Drain Installation

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.

4 Inch NDS Channel Drain With Grey Grate Connected to 6 Inch ADS French Drain With Trench Liner and Pipe Filter Making a Duel Intake Drainage System

French Drain Connected to a Channel Drain across the Driveway

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.

An “Exit Point” is the term used for where all the water leaves the Drainage System.  Determining the Exit Point is very critical.  It is one of the first things we do when diagnosing a Drainage Problem.

French Drain running under sidewalk to Pop Up Emitter

French Drain running under sidewalk to Pop Up Emitter

Drainage Systems can:

1.  Keep water away from foundations —

A French Drain is best because it can move Surface Water and Sub-Surface Water (water moving underground) away from the foundation.  Many times, less experienced companies install Surface Drains to keep water away from foundations.  This can be a big mistake.  A Surface Drain can’t move or drain Sub-Surface Water.

French Drain Installed next to surface drain

Surface Drain and French Drain

Also, A Surface Drain often can’t move enough water fast enough and easily becomes overwhelmed during a heavy rain.  A Surface Drain also can’t cover or protect a broad enough area.

Surface Drains should be designed in a Drainage System to be located in smaller Drainage Areas moving moderate amounts of water.  Surface Drains look better than French Drains.

If, “appearance” is more important than Drainage Capacity, Go with the Surface Drain.  Just know what you are getting into and what your expectations should be. One side of a foundation alone, can be over 100 feet.  A 4 inch or 6-inch French Drain is best when protecting a large area such as a foundation.

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.

Surface Drain

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 Drainpipe that is connected to the Drain.

Surface Drain Installation in Norman
Surface Drain Installation in Norman 
Don’t let standing water or storm water run-off damage your home!  We can help Drainage Problems in and around your home or business.

If you have water standing in the wrong place after a hard rain, a Drainage System can be a great solution!  If your sidewalk turns into a moat after a storm, or if your back yard floods from run-off from your neighbor’s roof give us a call.

Oklahoma Drainage and Sprinkler Repair can quickly diagnose your Drainage Problems and provide a solution.  We incorporate several types of Drains in our Drainage System depending on the Drainage Problem.

Surface Drain Installation in Oklahoma City
Surface Drain Installation in Oklahoma City

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.”

Connecting French Drain into Surface Drain

Connecting French Drain into Surface Drain

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 Basin.

Stormwater Drains through the grate into the Drain Basin.  Once in the Drain Basin, water travels out of the basin through a Drainpipe.  The 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 and Drainpipe

A Channel Drain is a type of Surface Drain, and many times is installed in concrete across sidewalks or driveways.

Sprinkler Repair

Sprinkler Head Adjustment

Sprinkler Repair Service Provided by Oklahoma Drainage and Sprinkler Repair Since 1993 we have Replaced Sprinkler Valves that were sticking or were wore out. Thousands of Sprinkler Heads have been adjusted.
Countless Sprinkler Controllers have been Reprogramed or Replaced. We also have fixed a broken Sprinkler Pipe or Two.  Seems like a million.  Ok, not that many.I wonder how many?  A lot!!!!Oklahoma Drainage and Sprinkler Repair provides Service for all of Central Oklahoma Including:  Oklahoma City, Norman, Edmond, Moore, Yukon and Mustang.

Norman Oklahoma French Drain Installation, Sprinkler Repair

Posted: October 11, 2022 in Norman Oklahoma, Norman Oklahoma French Drain, sprinkler repair, Sprinkler Repair, Sprinkler Service
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Norman Oklahoma French Drain Installation Is the Central Focus for Oklahoma Drainage.

We installed a “Double 4-inch Horseshoe French Drain,” on Harrogate Avenue in Brookhaven which is in West Norman.

A Double 4-inch Horseshoe French Drain sounds complicated, but it is relatively simple.

A Double 4-inch Horseshoe French Drain?  Is that even a real thing?  Ah, yes!

This type of French Drain has Two 4-inch French Drainpipes in the bottom of the Drainage Trench instead of One.  In this application, they are placed side-by-side in the bottom of the trench instead of stacking them on top of each other.

Side-by-side placement was necessary for 2 reasons.  Fist we needed two pipes to carry a huge amount of water that would overwhelm a single pipe. 

The second reason was the lack of slope available.  The back yard was where the flooding occurred. There was very little slope from the back yard to the front.  The French Drain needed to be installed in the back yard with the water draining out through the curb in the front yard.  

Normally we would use one 6-inch Drainpipe.

Normally we would have used one Six-Inch French Drainpipe instead of 2 Four Inch Pipes.  Because there was very little slope from the back yard to the front yard.  The 6-inch Drainpipe would be too tall and stuck out of the ground.  The shorter 4-inch pipe worked well.  

Because of flooding in the customer’s back yard, we needed to move as much water as possible.  Having 2 exits instead of one in a Drainage System greatly increases the amount of water that can be moved.  

Picture this!

 The Double 4-inch French Drain went all the way around the customers back yard.  On the East side of the house, we ran Drainpipes down the side of the house heading toward the front yard.  The Drainpipes were taken across the front yard, to the curb. 

On the West side of the house, we did exactly the same thing taking Drainpipes down the West side across the front yard to the curb.

This meant that we had two drainpipes exiting out through the curb on the West side of the driveway and two Pipes exiting the curb on the East side of the driveway.

Horseshoe French Drain

A Drainage System with 2 Exits that runs from the street all the way around the house and back to the street is called a, ” Horseshoe French Drain.”    The Drainage System is shaped like a,” Horseshoe.”  This is a name that Oklahoma Drainage has, “Coined.”   We came up with this term over 30 years ago.

We were almost finished with the Drainage System installation described above, when the rain hit.  It rained very hard for a long time.  

Everything was finished except the curb outlets on both sides of the driveway.  The Drainpipe ran to the Curb, but the Curb Outlets had not been installed yet.  We had to wait till the rain stopped to cut the curbs and install the cement curb outlets.

Oh, my goodness!  The Double 4-inch Horseshoe French Drain really moved the water!

Norman Oklahoma French Drain Installation

We came back a few days later and installed the Curb Outlets.

Since we installed the Drainage System previously mentioned, our customer no longer has flooding problems in his backyard.

 

Oklahoma Drainage— 405 203 9419- Servicing all of Central and Western Oklahoma

Norman is where it all began for us!  In 1993 Oklahoma Drainage Installed its first French Drain in Brookhaven in Western Norman.  Since then, we have installed Drainage Systems in more than thirty Oklahoma towns and cities.  Check out List of Cities.

FRENCH DRAIN, SURFACE DRAIN, PICTURES AND INFORMATION    Standing water can cause many types of property damage ranging from foundation problems to cracked sidewalks and dead plants and shrubs.  If you have need of French Drain or Surface Drain, give us a call.  We provide free estimates for all of central Oklahoma.  

 

 

 

 

two French Drain

Norman Oklahoma French Drain Installation

 

Oklahoma Drainage 405 203 9419 — We provide:

    French Drain Installation, Surface Drain Installation, Drainage System Installation

 Norman Oklahoma French Drain Installation

Installing Trench Liner for French Drain

Installing Trench Liner for French Drain

French Drain Installation in Norman Oklahoma

Oklahoma Drainage Installs Surface Drains and French Drains.  Sometimes it is up hill in all directions from the Problem Drainage Area.  This problem can be solved by installing a Sump Pump.  When the cavity fills, the water is pumped away to the point where the water exits the drain which can be a curb outlet or a pop-up emitter.

Sump Pump Installation

Check out the photo below.  It is a dual Sump Pump System Installed in Oklahoma City.  You should consider a Sump Pump Drainage System if it is uphill in all directions from your Problem Drainage Area.

 


You should consider a Surface Drain

If you have water standing on concrete. Check out the picture above.  We installed 12″ Drain Basins with Metal Grates set in concrete.  Below, Oklahoma Drainage installed a Channel Drain all the way across a driveway.  The 12″inch Drain Basins are a better solution if there is a lot of Debris in the water on the driveway.  The Channel Drain below is a better solution if the Surface Water on the driveway is comparatively less muddy.  

Surface Drain set in concrete

channel drain driveway

Sprinkler System Checkup Norman.

Lots of things can be done to make sure your Sprinkler System is ready to go.  All the Sprinkler Zones should be checked one by one.  The sprinkler heads and valves need to be checked to see if anything needs to be adjusted or replaced.

Sprinkler System Checkup is a Service Provided by Oklahoma Drainage since 1993.

Today we did a sprinkler repair in Norman.  The sprinkler system needed a checkup.

We went through each sprinkler zone and identified several different problems.

Zone 2 had a cracked sprinkler pipe in a flower bed.

A broken Rotor Sprinkler head was found immediately.

Next, zone five look good with no problems.

Zone 6 and 7 each had a couple of pop-up spray heads that were worn out and would not pop-up.  The diagnosis and the repair took less than two hours.  Now their sprinkler system is running great!

Now is a good time to have a Sprinkler System Checkup provided by Oklahoma Drainage.

Sprinkler Systems need to be checked before winter to prevent pipes from freezing.  Sprinkler Design determines whether sprinkler lines need to be bled.  Emergency shut off valves also need to be checked and turned off for the winter.

In the Spring, all the water needs to be turned back on and all sprinkler zones and heads need to be tested.

Sprinkler Repair Service Provided by Oklahoma Drainage and Sprinkler Repair

Since 1993 we have Replaced Sprinkler Valves that were sticking or were wore out.

Thousands of Sprinkler Heads have been adjusted.

Countless Sprinkler Controllers have been Reprogramed or Replaced.

We also have fixed a broken Sprinkler Pipe or Two.  Seems like a million.  Ok, not that many.

I wonder how many?  A lot!!!!

Oklahoma Drainage and Sprinkler Repair provide Service for all of Central Oklahoma Including:  Oklahoma City, Norman, Edmond, Moore, Yukon and Mustang.

Sprinkler Valves

Sprinkler Valve Replacement is a service that Oklahoma Drainage has provided Since 1993.  Recently we removed 3 Rainbird Sprinkler Valves and replaced them with new ones.  The valves had been crushed accidentally when a landscaper drove his truck across the yard.

Sprinkler System Check-Up in Edmond, Oklahoma City, Norman, and Moore.

 

 

Sprinkler System Check-Up process is very straightforward.  We run through all the Sprinkler Zones one-at-a- time from the controller. 

Sprinkler Controller

Sprinkler controllers can be a problem source.   Many times, the wires in the controller are loose or have a “Short” in one of the wires.  Sprinkler Programming can be a source of frustration.  We can help with Programming your controller.

We check all the sprinkler heads in that zone and the valves as well.

Once the Sprinkler System Checkup is Complete, we provide a Quote for what it will cost to make the needed repairs.

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

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

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

 

Sprinkler Valve Replacement is a service that Oklahoma Drainage has provided Since 1993.  Recently we removed 3 Rainbird Sprinkler Valves and replaced them with new ones.  The valves had been crushed accidentally when a landscaper drove his truck across the yard.

Sprinkler Repair Service Provided by Oklahoma Drainage and Sprinkler Repair

Since 1993 we have Replaced Sprinkler Valves that were sticking or were wore out.

Thousands of Sprinkler Heads have been adjusted.

Countless Sprinkler Controllers have been Reprogramed or Replaced.

We also have fixed a broken Sprinkler Pipe or Two.  Seems like a million.  Ok, not that many.

I wonder how many?  A lot!!!!

Oklahoma Drainage and Sprinkler Repair provide Service for all of Central Oklahoma Including:  Oklahoma City, Norman, Edmond, Moore, Yukon and Mustang.

First Step

First, we dug up a good working area surrounding the broken Sprinkler Valves.  Next, we cut out the broken valves and crushed PVC pipes.  Finally, PVC pipe was cut and glued with new Sprinkler Valves following the original design and configuration.  In this case the three original sprinkler valves were connected to each other inside one Valve Box.

We aren’t done yet though; two sprinkler wires must be connected to each Valve.  One sprinkler wire is the “Common Ground.”  The other wire is the power wire.  All the sprinkler wiring is connected with water-proof wire connections.

The Common Ground wire and the Individual Power Wires all come from the Sprinkler Controller.  Each Sprinkler Valve has its own power wire coming from the Controller.  All the Sprinkler Valves are Connected to the Same Common Ground Wire.

Sprinkler Valve Replacement

Oklahoma City Sprinkler Repair

Before We Finish

Before dirt can be put back around the new valves, testing must be done.  Each valve must be turned on, “one-at-a-time,” at the Controller to ensure good wire connection and functionality.  Also, the Sprinkler Valves must be checked for leaks in the PVC Pipe.

Oklahoma Drainage and Sprinkler Repair provides 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.

Blanchard Sprinkler Repair has been provided by Oklahoma Drainage and Sprinkler Repair since 1993.

Sprinkler Controller Repair is a service provided by Oklahoma Drainage.  A Sprinkler Controller is the “Brain,” of a Sprinkler System.  They can wear out or stop working.  Power surges in the home can cause damage to a controller.

Programming can be difficult for homeowners.  We can help with programming or replace a Sprinkler Module if it is defective.

Start Time Programming

“Start Time” programing many times is confusing for homeowners.  The definition of a Start Time is a time that is chosen for the sprinkler system to start watering.  It causes zone 1 to start running.  When zone 1 is finished it automatically stops and zone 2 begins.  When Zone 2 is complete it stops and zone 3 begins.  Simple enough Right!  This continues until the last zone programed available runs.

The confusion begins when people think that a time needs to be set to start zone 2 and 3 and so on.  This is not the case.  They follow zone 1 which has the only Start Time programmed into the controller.

Be Careful with Multiple Start Times, just use One at first.

Sprinkler Controllers have a feature providing multiple start times, up to 4 Start Times are usually available.  These additional start times are only used when a person wants to run the entire system more than once in a 24-hour period.

For Example, the first Start Time is set at 9Am.  Zone 1 begins to run at 9am.  When Zone 1 is done, say 10 minutes later, Zone 2 begins and runs for 10 minutes, then zone 3 follows and so on.  By 10 am let’s say all the zones have run.  Let’s say 8 hours later you have a second start time at 6 Pm.  Zone 1 comes on and runs and by 7pm all the zones have run again.  So, the controller has 2 start times which have caused the Sprinkler System to run start to finish twice in a 24-hour period.

Here is the big problem!  Some Homeowners believe the second start time is to start zone 2 running.  They also think that the 3rd start time is to start zone 3 and the 4-start time is to run zone 4.  No!!

So, this is how they program the controller.  At 9am they have a start time and zone 1 starts.  The homeowner programs a second start time at 9:10 am to mistakenly start zone 2.  Nope!  It starts zone 1 all over again.  At 9:2o they have a 3rd start time for zone 3.  Nope!  It starts zone 1 for a third time.  Now the controller is stuck in a loop and zone 1 runs constantly and won’t shut off.

If Sprinkler Controller Programming is confusing?  Make sure you only have One Start Time!

“Run Time,” is completed Next.  It determines how long each zone runs.  Zone One 10 Minutes,     Zone Two, 15 Minutes, Zone Three 8 Minutes.  You can set how long you want each zone to run.

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 can provide the necessary expertise to handle difficult sprinkler repairs.

Oklahoma Drainage and Sprinkler Repair provides 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.

Sprinkler Head Installation

French Drains in Norman Oklahoma, Norman Oklahoma French Drain Repair, Drain Repair, Drain Installation

Posted: February 24, 2021 in Drain Installation, french drain, French Drain In Norman, French Drain Information, French Drain Repair, French Drains in Norman Oklahoma
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French Drains in Norman Oklahoma. The Central focus for Oklahoma Drainage   is French Drain Installation. We installed our first French Drain and completed our first Sprinkler Repair in Norman in 1993.

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

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

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

Central and Western Oklahoma is our Service Area since 1993.  

                                                           (405) 203-9419

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

It’s Not a Surface Drain

Just what is a “French Drain?”  Many times, people incorrectly use the phrase, “French Drain,” to apply to many different types of Drains.   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 Basin.

Storm-Water Drains through the grate into the Drain Basin.  Once in the Drain Basin, water travels out of the basin through a Drainpipe.  The Stormwater 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.

Channel Drain

A Channel Drain is a type of Surface Drain and many times is installed in concrete across sidewalks or driveways. It is long and narrow like a gutter with a Grate on top.  It needs to be set in concrete.

channel drain installation

Patio Channel Drain Installation

A French Drain is completely different from a Surface Drain.  A basic French Drain consists of a Perforated Drainpipe in the bottom of a drainage trench.  The Drainage Trench is dug across a low area that has standing water when it rains.  The French Drain Trench also can be used to intercept water moving downhill.  That water can be above ground and moving fast.  Belowground water can also be intercepted moving slowly downhill. 

The Drainpipe should have a neoprene sock around the Perforated Drainpipe.   This is to ensure that the Drainpipe does not become clogged.

Trench Liner

A Trench Liner should also be used to line the trench before the perforated French Drainpipe is placed on top of it.  The Trench Liner lets water through to the perforated pipe.  M It is Semi-Permeable.  It maintains the integrity of the Drainage Trench over a long Period of time.  It also keeps the drain from clogging. 

 

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 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 Drain Pipe and filled all the way to the surface (ground level).

Installing Trench Liner for French Drain

Installing Trench Liner for French Drain

 A French Drain is designed to handle a large volume of water and cover a large area. The Drain is anyplace the trench goes. It has many applications and can be used in many situations.  It can be installed by itself or incorporated into a Drainage System with Surface Drains or Gutter Downspouts connected to it. 

The Drawback of Fench Drains

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. 

A French Drain can be made to look Nice.  Steppingstones can be placed on top of a French Drain.  All types of Decorative Stone Can be used as well.

Building a Decorative French Drain

Building a Decorative French Drain

Completed Decorative French Drain

Completed Decorative French Drain

Depending on the area the French Drain is installed and the type of grass around the French Drain, will dictate whether grass grows over the limestone.  Grass can grow up and through the gravel in the French Drain over time eventually covering the gravel.  This is Ok.  It won’t have a measurable effect on the performance of the drain.

Don’t Cover a French Drain with Dirt

DON’T COVER THE GRAVEL IN THE FRENCH DRAIN WITH DIRT.  THE FRENCH DRAIN WON’T WORK IF THE TRENCH IS CLOGGED WITH DIRT.  DON’T EVEN INSTALL IT IF YOU ARE GOING TO COVER IT UP WITH DIRT.

DECORATIVE STONE CAN BE USED TO COVER A FRENCH DRAIN AND THEY LOOK GREAT AND LAST A LIFETIME.

 

French Drain In Norman, Information, French Drain Photos, French Drain Tips

Posted: January 26, 2021 in Drain Installation, french drain
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Harsh weather in Oklahoma seems to becoming more common.  In 2013,  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 runoff can 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 Drain can help.

French Drain protects sidewalk
French Drain keeps water off of sidewalk

Drains can protect your home and property from water damage. Large 6 Inch French Drain Installed in Norman

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.

Sump Pump Installation

Sump Pump Installation

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.

An “Exit Point” is the term used for where all the water leaves the Drainage System.  Determining the Exit Point is very critical.  It is one of the first things we do when diagnosing a Drainage Problem.

Gutter to French Drain
Connecting Gutter to French Drain

Drainage Systems can:

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 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 Drain also 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 Drains look better than French Drains.  If ,”appearance” is more important than Drainage Capacity, Go with the Surface Drain.  Just know what you are getting into and what your expectations should be. One side of a foundation alone,  can be over 100 feet.  A 4 inch or 6 inch French Drain is best when protecting a large area such as a foundation.Surface Drain Installed next to sidewalk in Oklahoma City.

Drain connection to gutter

Gutter Connected to Drain

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.Surface Drain Installation in Norman

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 Drain for 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 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 Drain or French Drain that 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:

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

3 inch, 4 inch, and 6 inch Drain Pipes —

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

French Drains move more water than Surface Drains —

French Drains move Surface Water and Sub-Surface Water

Surface Drains move Surface Water only

Surface Drains look nicer than French Drains in most cases

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?)

The Drainage Curb Fitting is installed when the desired exit point for the French Drain will release the Drainage Water into the Street.   The Drainage Curb Fitting is rectangular in shape and made to be installed through the curb.  A small section of Curb is cut out with a concrete saw.  The Section is a few inches wider than the Drainage Curb Fitting.  We then install new concrete around the curb fitting.  Once the concrete has dried, the Drain Pipe coming from a French Drain or Surface Drain is connected to the Drainage Curb fitting and then covered with dirt.Cutting The Curb and Installing Curb Fitting for French Drain

The Drainage Pop-Up Emitter is connected to the end of a Drain Pipe.  It is downhill from a French Drain or a Surface Drain.  It is a small release basin with a green pop-up lid.  When releasing water, it pops up about an inch to release the water from the French Drain or Surface Drain.  When the Storm Water has moved through the Drainage System and out of the Pop-Up Emitter, the green lid closes back to its original closed position.  The emitter is designed to release water out into a yard or down a hill or other desirable Drainage Exit Point where there is no curb.Popup Emitter to release water from a Drainage System in Yukon.

Drainage System installation and design is a big part of our business.  Does your sidewalk turn into a moat after a hard rain?Does part of your yard look like a pond after a thunderstorm?Worst of all, are you experiencing concrete deterioration to your foundation, sidewalk, or driveway.  Oklahoma Drainage can design a Drainage System to solve your Drainage Problems.  Our Drainage Systems can be simple or complex.We utilize, French Drains, Surface Drains, Channel Drains, Basin Drains, Basement Drains, Trench Drains, and Sump Pumps.  Estimates are free

French Drain Information, Photos, Oklahoma City, Norman, Edmond, Moore,

Posted: January 10, 2021 in french drain, French Drain Information, French Drain Installation, French Drain Photos, French Drain Repair
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Today we are installing a French Drain system for a customer in East Norman.  She has water running into her front door through her flower bed.  The bed acts like a pond and over-spills onto her front porch and then through her front door.  To solve the problem, we are installing a French Drain running across her flower bed and under her sidewalk.  Once under the sidewalk the French Drain will connect to Solid Drain Pipe and continue on down the hill to the exit point where we will install a pop-up emitter.  There are two gutter downspouts that will be connected into the French Drain System along the way.

 

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

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

Servicing all of Central and Western Oklahoma since 1993.

channel drain driveway

Channel Drain set in Driveway

FRENCH DRAIN IN EDMOND OKLAHOMA, 

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

Recently Oklahoma Drainage and Sprinkler Repair installed a large 6 inch French Drain in Edmond.  The customer had water running under his back porch step and into his basement.  We did a Free Drainage Diagnostic and Estimate.  The French Drain design that we proposed would intercept the surface water and subsurface water that was flowing under the steps.  The French Drain design called for a 6 inch French Drain to be installed above and several feet away from the steps.  It would run around the house parallel to the foundation and about 5 feet to the East.  The French Drain would run past the steps to a point where water must cross the French Drain or run up hill to the steps which in this case was not possible.  Once past the steps, the French Drain would transition to Solid 6 inch Drain Pipe and continue on around the house to the Pop-Up Emitter down hill in the side yard.  Along the way we attached several Gutter Down Spouts into the French Drain.

French drain gravel

Installing gravel on french drain

 

 

Setting in the channel drain

Setting in the Channel Drain in the cut.

 

Curb Outlet for French Drain in Edmond

Curb Outletfor French Drain in Edmond

French Drain Installation

Oklahoma Drainage and Sprinkler Repair has been diagnosing and solving Drainage Problems since 1993.  Water has the ability to get into places around your home where you really don’t want it to be.  Some drainage problems are easy to solve.  Typically water enters the problem drainage area one way from one source.  The really tricky drainage problems occur when water enters the problem drainage area from multiple directions and from multiple sources.  Sometimes a secondary water source can’t be seen or identified until the primary water problem source is eliminated.

An example of this occurs when water is running into a problem area in an obvious way over the ground where you can see it.

Simple enough.

driveway channel drain

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