Posts Tagged ‘Norman Surface Drain Installation’

Norman Surface Drain Installation

French Drains 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.
Surface Drain

Surface Drain Installation

Surface Drains Can’t Remove Ground Water

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 Drains Work Well in Smaller Areas

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 Drainpipe that is connected to the Drain.
Surface Drain Installation in Norman

Channel Drain Installation Is a Central Focus for Oklahoma Drainage.  We have been Installing Channel Drains set in Concrete since 1993.

Channel Drain Set in Concrete

Channel Drains can look great and be very functional and durable.
Channel Drain in Driveway

Channel Drain Installed in Driveway

However, A Channel Drain is not an easy thing to install!  It takes a great deal of precision, Experience, and Attention to Detail.  This is Definitely Not something to allow your Landscape Company to attempt, or your Brother-In-Law!

Just because someone is skilled at pushing a mower around, doesn’t mean you should let them cut across your driveway with a concrete saw.

I get a lot of business fixing and replacing Drains of all types that were installed incorrectly by landscape companies and armatures.  Typically, they stick to messing up French Drains, but I have fixed Channel Drains that were an absolute “Train Wreck!” as well.

 

Oklahoma Drainage 405 203 9419

French Drain Installation, Channel Drain Installation Surface Drain Installation, Drainage System Installation, 

 

 

 

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.

Trench Liner and Pipe Filter Installed on French Drain

Trench Liner and Pipe Filter Installed with French Drain

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

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.

Emergency Sprinkler Repair

Sometimes things go wrong with sprinkler systems.

 

IF YOU NEED HELP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT OR ON A WEEKEND WITH YOUR SPRINKLER SYSTEM, GIVE US A CALL.

OKLAHOMA DRAINAGE AND SPRINKLER REPAIR.  405 203 9419

IT MAY TAKE A FEW HOURS FOR US TO GET THERE BUT WE WILL COME TO HELP.

 

One Common problem is that they continue to run and won’t shut off.  In most cases this is a problem with a sprinkler valve that has “Stuck” in the on position.

This can be temporarily solved by shutting of the Emergency Shutoff Valve.  The problem is that some sprinkler systems don’t have one to turn off or if they do the homeowner doesn’t know where it is.

It may be on the back-flow valve which may be located on the side of the house under a big plastic fake rock.

Many sprinkler systems in Oklahoma have them. (50 % ?)  Under the plastic rock is a back-flow valve with two shut off handles.  Usually, they have blue or green or tan handles.  Turn one of the handles and it should shut off the water to your sprinkler system.

Other times the Emergency Shutoff Valve is in a box in the ground out by the curb near your water meter.  The valve box will have a green lid.  Sometimes they are difficult to open.  Many times, I had to pry them open with a flat head screwdriver.

Oklahoma Drainage Installs Drainage Systems,  and provides Expert Sprinkler System Repair.

Our Drainage Systems utilize French Drains, Surface Drains, Channel Drains, and Sump Pumps.  

We Service all of Central Oklahoma including: Norman, Moore, Edmond, Yukon, Mustang, Oklahoma City, Midwest City, Del City, Blanchard, Newcastle, Purcell and Chickasha.

Back-Flow-Valve Service, Sprinkler Repair

Oklahoma Drainage and Sprinkler Repair Provides Service for Back-Flow-Valves and all types of Lawn Sprinkler Repair and Service.  We have provided Expert Service for all of Central and Western Oklahoma Since 1993.

Back-Flow-Valves

There are two types of Back-Flow-Valves.

Above Ground

Above Ground Back-Flow-Valve

Above Ground Back-Flow-Valve.

 

Below Ground Back-Flow-Valve.

Below Ground Back-Flow-Valve

Below Ground Back-Flow-Valve

What is a Back-Flow-Valve?

A Back-Flow-Valve is a part of a Lawn Sprinkler System.  Water passes through it from the water source which can be a Water Meter or a Well Pump.  It forces water to travel in only one direction from the source to the sprinkler system.  It can’t travel backward back to the water source which again is a water meter or well pump.

A Back-Flow-Valve provides protection to the water source from back pressure and chemical contamination from lawn fertilizer.

Most Cities require a Back-Flow-Valve as “Code” for Sprinkler Installation.

Emergency Shut off

Back-Flow-Valves usually have an Emergency Shutoff valve on them that can shut off the water to the lawn sprinkler system but keep the water turned on to the home. Most Back-Flow-Valves have two Emergency Shut off Handles.  Either one will work.  Many times, they are hard to turn, however.

If there is a leak or water is shooting up in the air just turn the valve handle and give us a call.

In ground Back-Flow-Valve

Blue Emergency Shutoff handles for a Back-Flow-Valve.

Norman Sprinkler Checkup is a Central Focus for Oklahoma Drainage.  We Performed or first Sprinkler Repair in Norman in 1993.  It was in Brookhaven on the West side of Norman.

Recently we had a customer in Oklahoma City who wanted to move his Sprinkler Valves.  They were in a bad place in his flower bed.  He wanted to plant a tree where the valves were located.

We moved 4 Sprinkler Valves about feet out into the yard.  All the Sprinkler Pipes had to be redesigned and installed matching the new location and maintaining full functionality.

 

Inside the valve box is a plastic handle that can turn off the water to the sprinkler system.  It can be blue or red or grey in color.

Many times, the valve box will be full of dirt, and you can’t turn or even see the handle until some of the dirt has been dug out by hand.

 

Water might be shooting up in the air somewhere on your property.  This can be caused by a broken sprinkler pipe or sprinkler valve.

SHUT OFF THE SPRINKLER WATER IF YOU CAN AND GIVE US A CALL.

OKLAHOMA DRAINAGE AND SPRINKLER REPAIR. SERVICING ALL OF CENTRAL AND WESTERN OKLAHOMA.

405 203 9419

Servicing Oklahoma City, Norman, Edmond and all of Central and Western Oklahoma

 

 

French Drain Design must take into account many variables.  One consideration for a French Drain is Soil Type.  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.

When a French Drain, Is Installed in sandy soil, A Trench Liner is always needed.  As a result the French Drain Gravel stays clean.

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.

Norman Oklahoma French Drain Installation, Water in Floor Vents and Duct Work.

Recently we installed a 4-inch French Drain with Trench Liner and Pipe Filter in West Norman on Harrogate Street.  Our customer had a heavy water build up area on the side of her house.  Water would pool up during a rain and sink down into her flower bed.  Once the slab and foundation of the house got very wet, the water would seep into the floor ducts for their Central Heat and Air unit.  This is bad for several reasons.

A wet foundation causes deterioration of the cement.  Cracks can occur leading to all sorts of other problems.

Water In your floor vents promotes mold and all the problems that come with that as well.

Oklahoma Drainage Installed 4 Inch French Drain with trench liner and pipe filter about one foot away from the wall where all the water was standing and penetrating the Duct Work.   The French Drain ran parallel to the house for 60 Feet.  At that point the French Drain transitioned to 4 Inch solid ADS Drain Pipe and continued South an additional 80 feet to a Curb Outlet installed at the street.

Curb Outlet

We cut the curb and installed a Curb Outlet With Acrylic Concrete to make it look nice and last without chipping.

Along the course of the French Drain, we also connected 2 Gutter Down Spouts Directly into the French Drain..

This provides more efficient movement of the storm water to the exit, but also creates suction in the French Drain behind it.

This is called the “Bernoulli Effect.” If you remember your High School Science Class.

 

Oklahoma Drainage has used these simple concepts many times to provide a solution to the above problem.

Water still had to be vacuumed out of the Duct Work.  But Future water was and is kept out of the Duct Work and Floor Vents.  Also, the Foundation Stays Dry.  No mold or foundation Break Down.

 

 

Trench Liner and Pipe Filter

Trench Liner and Pipe Filter

Determining the size of the French Drain Pipe can be difficult.  If the French Drain is not very big and has no Gutter Down-Spouts or Surface Drains connected to it then 3 inch or 4 inch French Drainpipe may be used.  If the French Drain is large or has many gutters or Surface Drains connected into it, then you should use 6 Inch French Drainpipe or larger.

 

French Drain Installation in Oklahoma City, Norman, Yukon, Mustang, Edmond, Lawton

Oklahoma Drainage and Sprinkler Repair 405 203 9419 — We provide:

    French Drain Installation, Surface Drain Installation, Drainage System Installation

    Sprinkler Repair for all aspects of Residential Sprinkler Systems

  

 

French Drain Installation, Oklahoma City, Duncan, Blanchard, New Castle, El Reno, Yukon, Mustang

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, 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.

Or 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.

When Installing a French Drain as part of a Drainage System, there are many things to consider.

What is the primary source of water coming into the problem drainage area.

Are there secondary sources of water entering the area. What are they and how many.

How fast does water enter the area and how often. What are the potential exit points for the water, 

Where do we want to take the water too.  Is there more than one potential exit point to increase drainage capacity.

Does the customer want a Drainage System or a Flood Prevention System and does he understand the difference.

New French Drain

French Drain along stem wall.

 

new curb outlet

Curb outlet with more than 6 inches of fall

Oklahoma Drainage 405 203 9419 — We provide:

    French Drain Installation, Surface Drain Installation, Drainage System Installation

 

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

 

walk way french drain

Completed French Drain under walkway

Just what is a “French Drain?” Many times, people incorrectly use the phrase, “French Drain,” when they mean “Surface Drain” or “Channel Drain.”

A basic French Drain

consists of a Perforated Drainpipe  in the bottom of a trench. The French Drain Trench runs through a Problem Drainage Area that needs to be drained.   The French Drainpipe is perforated (Full of Small Holes) and has Neo-Prene Soc around the pipe.  This soc helps prevent debris from clogging the French Drainpipe. The dirt that was taken out to make the trench is hauled away. It is replaced by some type of small stone or gravel depending on what is desired or available. I prefer crushed 1 inch limestone.

It is the most economical option in my area. Pea Gravel or some other type of small stone can work just as well. The limestone or gravel is placed in the trench on top of the perforated Drainpipe and filled all the way to the surface (ground level).

 

Oklahoma Drainage recently diagnosed a Drainage Problem in South Oklahoma City.  The Homeowner had a Deep French Drain down along the Stem wall of the house.  The French Drainpipe was cheap and had collapsed.  We brought in a Mini Excavator.

 They had a Sump Pump

in their basement that was fed from a French Drain outside the Basement Wall.  The French Drain was 14 feet down.  We used and Excavator and dug up the pipe and replaced it with Durable ADS 4 inch perf/soc French Drainpipe.  In the end, we were able to dig up the pipe and replace it.

Connecting Gutter into French Drain

New Trench for French Drain

Next, we installed a new exit for the water by installing a curb fitting. No more flooding in the customers basement.  A few weeks later our customer was able to lay carpet in the basement with no problems.

French Drain Installed Along Stem Wall

Oklahoma Drainage — Installing – French DrainsSurface DrainsChannel DrainsSump Pumps

 

Servicing all of Central and Western Oklahoma since 1993.

 

 

 

 

 

French Drain Installation

Oklahoma Drainage has been diagnosing and solving Drainage Problems since 1993.

As a result, we have gained a tremendous amount of experience.

Water has the ability to get into places around your home where you really don’t want it to be. This is never a good thing! 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.

Think About

You have to think about all the possible ways water can get into the problem area.  Sometimes it is obvious.  Sometimes its hard to determine all the possible water sources.

French Drain walk way

French Drain Installed along and under walkway to pool.

A drainage system is installed with a surface drain as the “intake” with drainage pipe running to an exit point.  Initially the water drains away and everything looks great.  The next day water is back and is all around the surface drain, but below the edge and it hasn’t rained at all, so no additional water ran over the surface of the ground to flood the area.

The primary water source was solved, ( The surface water run off ) but the secondary water source was not.  Which was sub-surface water, (ground water) running into the area.  A surface drain can’t drain “ground water.”  A French Drain should have initially been installed instead of a Surface Drain.  A French Drain can drain both Surface Water and Ground Water.

A French Drain Can Handle Standing Water

Oklahoma Drainage Services all of Central Oklahoma including: Norman, Moore, Edmond, Yukon, Mustang, Oklahoma City, Midwest City, Del City, Blanchard, Newcastle, Purcell and Chickasha.

Now we are expanding our service area to include

: Lawton, Altus, Duncan, Chickasha, Elk City, and all of Western Oklahoma.

 

Surface Drain Installation.  Oklahoma Drainage and Sprinkler Repair Installs and Services Surface Drains.
A Surface Drain can’t move or drain Sub-Surface Water.

Surface Drain

Surface Drain Installation

Surface Drains Can’t Remove Ground Water

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 Drains Work Well in Smaller Areas

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 Drainpipe that is connected to the Drain.

Surface Drain Installation in Norman

Channel Drain Installation Is a Central Focus for Oklahoma Drainage.  We have been Installing Channel Drains set in Concrete since 1993.

Channel Drain Set in Concrete

Channel Drains can look great and be very functional and durable.

However, A Channel Drain is not an easy thing to install!  It takes a great deal of precision, Experience, and Attention to Detail.  This is Definitely Not something to allow your Landscape Company to attempt, or your Brother-In-Law!

Just because someone is skilled at pushing a mower around, doesn’t mean you should let them cut across your driveway with a concrete saw.

I get a lot of business fixing and replacing Drains of all types that were installed incorrectly by landscape companies and armatures.  Typically, they stick to messing up French Drains, but I have fixed Channel Drains that were an absolute “Train Wreck!” as well.

 

Oklahoma Drainage 405 203 9419

French Drain Installation, Channel Drain, Surface Drain Installation, Drainage System Installation, Sump Pump.

 

Drainage System Installation in Yukon

Surface Drain Installation

French Drain Installation —   French Drains are designed to do a lot of things.  If you have an area that has unwanted water standing in it or running across it, a French Drain can be the answer.

French Drain is a trench that runs across the Drainage Problem Area.  A French Drainpipe is placed in the bottom of the trench.  The French Drainpipe is perforated with thousands of small holes.  In most cases the Drainpipe has a nylon soc around the pipe to act as a filter for the French Drain.

The French Drain trench is then filled with some type of small rock or stone.  We typically use crushed 1 inch Limestone to cover the French Drainpipe.  The dirt that was dug out of the trench is taken away or spread out around the French Drain.  The Limestone replaces the dirt and fills the French Drain Trench all the way to the surface.

 

When water come in contact with the French Drain, it seeps down through the stones and into the French Drainpipe.  It then flows through the Drainpipe to the exit point.  Typically, a French Drain will have two possible exit points.   The First is called a “Pop-Up Emitter.”  It is a Green Lid on top of a release basin for the French Drain.

 

Oklahoma Drainage — Installing – French Drains – Surface DrainsChannel Drains – Sump Pumps

Servicing all of Central and Western Oklahoma since 1993.

When Installing a French Drain as part of a Drainage System, there are many things to consider.

What is the primary source of water coming into the problem drainage area.

Are there secondary sources of water entering the area.

What are they and how many.

How fast does water enter the area and how often.

What are the potential exit points for the water,  Where do we want to take the water too.  Is there more than one potential exit point to increase drainage capacity.

Does the customer want a Drainage System or a Flood Prevention System and does he understand the difference.

 

Oklahoma Drainage recently diagnosed a Drainage Problem in South Oklahoma City.  The Homeowner had a sump Pump in their basement that was fed from a French Drain outside the Basement Wall.

The French Drain was 14 feet down along the Stem wall of the house.  The French Drainpipe 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 Drainpipe.  In the end, we were able to dig up the pipe and replace 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.  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.

 

6 Inch French Drain

6 Inch French Drain

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, Oklahoma Drainage specializes in just that!

 

Oklahoma Drainage and Sprinkler Repair

Servicing Central Oklahoma including Oklahoma City, Norman, Edmond, Midwest City, Del City, Yukon, Mustang, Moore, Norman, Purcell, Newcastle, Blanchard and surrounding areas.  For an additional charge we will travel outside Central Oklahoma. We have  installed a Drainage Systems as far away as Ardmore, Altus, or Tulsa.

 

This is a great place for a French Drain!

Central Oklahoma thunderstorms can cause damage!  Every time it rains, Do you have water standing in the wrong place? Does Stormwater runoff leave water standing on your driveway, sidewalk, backyard, flowerbed, or one of many low spots in your yard?  WE can help!

We can quickly diagnose your drainage problems and design a solution through the use of one or several kinds or drains in combination.

Get rid of standing water!