We solve all types of unwanted water problems in and around your home or business. Oklahoma Drainage Provides: Drainage System Installation utilizing French Drains, Surface Drains, Channel Drains, and Sump Pumps
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If you need a French Drain along an exterior wall, or a surface drain installed in concrete in a sidewalk or driveway, or a sump pump in a basement, we can help. There are literally thousands of specific drain installation applications.
Hard rain and flooding seem to be more common all the time. When I started this business in 1993, having over an inch of rainfall in an hour was pretty extreme. Now having over 4 inch an hour rainfall is not unheard of and is becoming more common.
Protecting our homes and businesses from unwanted water should be a goal for all of us.
Oklahoma Drainage has seen and dealt with virtually every possible Drainage and Standing water problem that can occur in or around your home. With over 2700 Drainage Systems installed since 1993; we have amassed a great deal of experience. This is helpful in seeing underlying problems.
We look for Secondary Water Issues not just the Primary ones. In this business EXPERIENCE TRULY COUNTS!
Hiring your brother- in- law or a Landscape Company to put in your Drainage System is a bad idea. If a landscape company also installs French Drains, you should run!
Why don't they specialize??? Does your Lawyer also do physical therapy?
Some Builders also make bad choices concerning drainage on new homes they are building. New houses should not have problems with water. Builders usually have a landscape company that installs their drains. Sometimes it's a maintenance guy that works for the builder. It's Usually the cheapest fix possible. I've testified in more than one class action lawsuit where a whole housing sub-division had unnecessary Drainage Issues.
Water can cause a huge amount of damage. How important is your money and your home? Over 30% of the work done by Oklahoma Drainage is fixing other people's mistakes. I appreciate the work, but I get frustrated when bad things happen to good people concerning water!
Blane Callen, 405 203 9419
A French Drain is completely different from a Surface Drain. A basic French Drain consists of a Perforated Drain Pipe in the bottom of a trench. A Trench Liner is sometimes used depending on the Drainage System Design and the type of soil. The Drain Pipe should have a neoprene sock around the Perforated Drain Pipe. This is to ensure that the Drain Pipe does not become clogged. A trench is dug that is slightly wider than the French Drain Pipe that is being used. There are several sizes ofFrench Drain Pipe. Three Inch, Four Inch, and Six Inch are the most common sizes of French drainPipe. The dirt that is taken out to make the trench is hauled away. It is replaced by some type of small stone or gravel depending on what is desired or available. I prefer crushed 1 inch lime stone. It is the most economical option in my area. Pea Gravel or some other type of small stone can work just as well. The lime-stone or gravel is placed in the trench on top of the perforated Drain Pipe and filled all the way to the surface (ground level). In some cases where the French Drain needs to be deep or is being placed in sandy soil, a special trench liner must be placed in the trench before the perforated Drain Pipeor the Gravel are installed. This helps maintain the integrity of the trench over time. It also increases the cost of theFrench Drain and the amount of time to install it.
A French Drain is designed to handle a large volume of water and cover a large area. The Drain is anyplace the trench goes. It has many applications and can be used in many situations. It can be installed by itself or incorporated into a Drainage System with Surface Drains or Gutter Down-Spouts connected to it.
The main downfall of a French Drain is that they, for the most part aren’t very pretty. They don’t look very nice in a yard once they are completed.
Depending on the area the French Drain is installed and the type of grass around the French Drain, will dictate whether grass grows over the lime stone. Grass can grow up and through the gravel in the French Drain over time eventually covering the gravel. This is OK. It won’t have a measurable effect on the performance of the French Drain. In some cases thick grass growing up through the French Drain will create a natural “Thatch” filter. This makes the French Drain invisible. The trick is to allow the grass to grow over the French Drain Gravel without covering it up with dirt. Grasses such as Bermuda which grow well in the sun will put out runners and new roots and will grow up and through the French Drain. This will not affect the performance of the French Drain. The problem is that some times depending on the type of soil involved, it may take a long time to completely cover up the French Drain. Sprinkling grass seed down in the gravel will speed up the process.
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.
If you install a French Drain in a sunny area, you can:
A. Leave the French Drain as-is and allow grass to grow over it in time.
B. Add grass seed directly to the French Drain gravel with (Light Hand Watering) to speed the growth process
C. Leave the French Drain as-is but decorate it with stepping stones and landscaping rocks ( leaving large cracks between stones to allow water to get into the French Drain,
2
If you install a French Drain in a shady area you can:
A. Leave the French Drain as-is, it will work well and look as it did for many years.
B. Leave the French Drain as-is, but decorate it with stepping stones or landscaping rocks. Many French Drains are hidden under rock walk ways.
is one of the communities in Central Oklahoma that Oklahoma Drainage services. We have installed almost a thousand French Drainsin the Edmond community in the past 34 years.
Edmond has many hills and valleys. Many Neighborhoods are built on hillsides. This causes many Drainage Problems. We have installed French Drains by themselves and as a part of Drainage Systems to protect Driveways, Sidewalks, Foundations all over Edmond. French Drains may be installed in Flower Beds or grassy areas too. French Drains when installed correctly can provide many years of property protection and Piece of Mind.
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 two.
It took a long time to get the dirt out of the trench for the French Drain. It was a very tight fit. We had to use a little red wagon to haul out the dirt for the French Drain and haul back in the crushed limestone for the French Drain. It looked a little silly, but it was the only thing we could find that was narrow enough to fit between the buildings. A French Drain that normally would take 1 day to install took three.
had a Double Exit Point. This means that once water entered the French Drainpipe, it could run South to the street or it could run North to the alley. To exit points greatly increases the water capacity for any French Drain.
Many times people use the term “French Drain” as general name for a Drain used in or around your home. French Drains are designed to move a lot of water over a large flooded area. They are also designed to take water in on the surface of the ground or below the surface of the ground. This is very important if the water coming into the flooded area is moving through the ground or coming up from underneath. ” Sub Surface Water Movement.” The picture below is not a French Drain!
Central and Western Oklahoma is our Service Area since 1993.
(405) 203-9419
A French Drain can take in water in a broad area. It can move a much larger volume of water compared to a Surface Drain. Also, it can move sub surface water moving into the area where a Surface Drain won’t move any water at all.
Surface Drains are designed to move surface water only on a smaller scale in confined areas.
Each solves specific drainage problems. A Drainage System may use one or both together or even several using many types of drains.
Do you have standing water in a large area in your yard? Typically this calls for a French Drain. A French Drain is a great way to control standing water in a large grassy area. It can also protect areas from flooding to a certain degree. As long as the French Drains capacity to move water is not exceeded. If the French Drains capacity is exceeded then water will stand in the drainage area until the rain stops and the drain has time to catch up. A good way to prevent this is to install a bigger French Drain with a larger pipe. The difference between a 3 inch French Drain and a 6 inch French Drain is huge.
Another way to beef up a French Drain is to connect gutter down spouts in front of the French Drain. The water coming off the roof causes suction in the French Drain Behind it. This greatly increases the French Drains ability to move water without increasing the size of the French Drain Pipe.
Fescue Sod must be installed in the shade and needs a lot of watering at the time of installation. It also needs water on a regular basis to maintain it.
Bermuda on the other hand needs sun and doesn’t do very well in a heavily shaded area. It also is a little hardier than fescue and is more heat resistant. It also needs lots of water at the time of installation.
Both types of sod need attention and water until they are established. You can’t just unroll the new sod and leave it and expect good results.
If you have a Lawn Sprinkler System, then you are ahead of the game. Dragging hoses around to keep new sod alive is a lot of work and must be taken into consideration before making a purchase.
Oklahoma Drainage and, can deliver up to two Pallets of Sod at a time.
If you live in Norman and would like to have Fescue installed in your back yard, or your Edmond home needs Bermuda installed along the driveway, Give us a call. Oklahoma City Residents are a largest sod customers, but we will deliver to Altus, Lawton, Ardmore,
In the picture above, we also installed the metal “Back Yard Lighting” Poles set in concrete and then the New sod installed around them. It looks nice.
The White Material is the Trench Liner. The black material is the Pipe Filter.
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.
Drainage Systemscan be made up of one drainor a combination of many drains. Drainage problems can be very complex. Complex Drainage Problems may require a combination of several different types of drainsall inter-connected and working together. Other times the drainage problem may be simple and straight-forward requiring only one drain or several of the same type of drainconnected together.
An example of a complex drainage system would be: A French Drain in the back yard connected to a Surface Drain near a flower bed connected to several gutter downspouts, which are connected to a Channel Drain going across a driveway, which is connected to additional Surface Drain in the front yard, which runs to a Curb Fittingthat lets all the waterdrain out on to the street.
An “Exit Point” is the term used for where all the water leaves the Drainpipe. Determining the Exit Point is very critical. It is one of the first things we do when diagnosing a Water Problem.
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.
Can’t Move Large Amounts or Water
Also, A Surface Drain often can’t move enough water fast enough and easily becomes overwhelmed during a heavy rain. A Surface Drainalso can’t cover or protect a broad enough area. Surface Drains should be designed in a Drainage System to be located in smaller Drainage Areas moving moderate amounts of water.
Surface Drainslook better than French Drains. If ,”appearance” is more important than Drainage Capacity, Go with the Surface Drain. Just know what you are getting into and what your expectations should be. One side of a foundation alone, can be over 100 feet. A 4 inch or 6 inch French Drain is best when protecting a large area such as a foundation.
2. Keep water away from small or enclosed areas. This might be a low area just through a gate on the side of a house, or the low area between a flowerbed and the wall of a house, or standing water on or near a sidewalk or driveway. These types of Drainage Problems are best served with Surface Drains.
A Surface Draincan move water away from a low area that is relatively small. This can occur in yards, flowerbeds, sidewalks and driveways. A surface Drain is designed to move Surface Wateraway from a problem area to a predetermined exit point. Surface Drains are available in many sizes. How quickly they remove standing water is usually determined by the size of the pipe that is connected to the drain.
Drainage System Definition
Simply put, a Drainage System is one or a group of underground Drainpipes 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 Drainpipe to move the water away from the Drain, and an Exit Point for the water to be released out of the Drainpipe.
They quickly can become more complicated.
Things to Think About
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 downhill 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.
Drainage Problems
Once the number of water sources is determined, a rough estimate of the amount of water that needs to be drained away on average must be estimated. This can be simplified down to “SMALL, MEDIUM, OR LARGE AMOUNTS OF WATER TO BE DRAINED AWAY.
You don’t have to be an engineer trying to calculate fluid dynamics. Experience at diagnosing drainage problems helps, however. How much water needs to be moved will help determine the type and size of the Surface Drainor French Drain that needs to be installed. It also helps to determine the size of Drainpipe required for the Drainage System.
A Good Rule
A good rule to follow is, “If in doubt, install a larger Drain and Drainpipe.” 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:
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 Fittingis 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 Drainpipe coming from a French Drain or Surface Drain is connected to the Drainage Curb fitting and then covered with dirt.
Wow! A hard rain came through last night. Hard rains in Oklahoma typically cause flooding. Standing wateris never a good thing. It causes damage to grass, trees, sidewalks, foundations, and driveways. Oklahoma Drainage can help if you have Drainage Problems with your home or small business. If you live inCentral Oklahoma we can provide a free estimate for a drainage systemthat will address your specific Drainage Problems. So if your driveway turns into a small lake every time it rains, or if your sidewalk looks like a moat after just a little shower, or worst of all you have water seeping into your home, give Oklahoma Drainage a call.
French Drain Installation— French Drains are designed to do a lot of things. If you have an area that has unwanted water standing in it or running across it, a French Drain can be the answer. A French Drain is a trench that runs across the Drainage Problem Area. A French DrainPipe is placed in the bottom of the trench. The French Drain Pipe is perforated with thousands of small holes. In most cases the Drain Pipehas a nylon soc around the pipe to act as a filter for the French Drain. The French Drain trench is then filled with some type of small rock or stone. We typically use crushed 1 inch Lime Stone to cover the French Drain Pipe. The dirt that was dug out of the trench is taken away or spread out around the French Drain. The Lime Stone replaces the dirt and fills the French Drain Trench all the way to the surface.
The White Material is the Trench Liner. The black material is the Pipe Filter.
French Drains can be installed by themselves, or as part of a Drainage System that uses other French Drains, Surface Drains, or other Drain combinations. Typically a French Drain is used to protect a broad area that has a lot of standing water. A French Drain might run along side a homes foundation, or beside a driveway, or on any Drainage Project where Sub-Surface water is the primary problem. If water is running toward your home under ground ( through sandy soil), A French Drain is the only Solution for draining away water flowing under ground.
A French Drain or Surface Drain can be used in 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.
Oklahoma Drainage 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.
Drainage Intake
A drainage systemis installed with a surface drainas the “intake” with drainage pipe running to an exit point. Initially the water drains away and everything looks great. The next day water is back and is all around the surface drain, but below the edge and it hasn’t rained at all, so no additional water ran over the surface of the ground to flood the area. The primary water source was solved, ( The surface water run off ) but the secondary water source was not. Which was sub-surface water, (ground water) running into the area. A surface drain can’t drain “ground water.” A French Drain should have initially been installed instead of a Surface Drain. A French Drain can drain both Surface Water and Ground Water.
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 Linershould be used to prevent this type of soil from moving into the gravel of the French Drain. Trench Linersare 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.
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 Drain Pipe 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 Drain Pipeor larger.
French Drain Design is also determined by the Problem Drainage Area. If water is moving into the Problem Drainage Area underground (Sub-Surface), then installing aFrench Drain is a “Must!” French Drains can move Sub-Surface water as well as Surface Water. Surface Drains can only move Surface Water. This is why French Drains do such a good job protecting driveways, sidewalks, and foundations.
Oklahoma Drainage and Sprinkler Repair installs French Drains and Drainage Systems in all of Central Oklahoma including: Oklahoma City, Norman, Edmond, Moore, Mustang, Yukon, and Midwest City.
French Drain Installation — French Drainsare designed to do a lot of things. If you have an area that has unwanted water standing in it or running across it, a French Drain can be the answer. A French Drain is a trench that runs across the Drainage Problem Area. A French Drain Pipe is placed in the bottom of the trench. The French Drain Pipe is perforated with thousands of small holes. In most cases the Drain Pipe has a nylon soc around the pipe to act as a filter for the French Drain. The French Drain trench is then filled with some type of small rock or stone. We typically uses crushed 1 inch Lime Stone to cover the French Drain Pipe. The dirt that was dug out of the trench is taken away or spread out around the French Drain. The Lime Stone replaces the dirt and fills the French Drain Trench all the way to the surface.
Oklahoma Drainage and Sprinkler Repair Recently installed a Drainage System in Nichols Hills. The Drainage Systemwas made up of a 4 inch French Drain starting in the back yard. It ran between the garage and the pool. Several gutters were connected directly into the French Drain. From this point, we expanded up to a larger 6 inch Drain pipe to handle the added water into the system from the gutters. In several places the French Drain had to run through areas where Sprinkler Pipeswere in the way. We had to re-rout all the Sprinkler Pipes and Wires under the French Drain.
Edmond is one of the communities in Central Oklahoma that Oklahoma Drainage services. We have installed almost a thousand French Drainsin the Edmond community in the past 21 years. Edmond has many hills and valleys. Many Neighborhoods are built on hillsides. This causes many Drainage Problems. We have installed French Drains by themselves and as a part of Drainage Systemsto protect Driveways, Sidewalks, Foundations all over Edmond. French Drains may be installed in Flower Beds or grassy areas too. French Drains when installed correctly can provide many years of property protection and Piece of Mind.
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.
The French Drain had a Double Exit Point. This means that once water entered the French Drainpipe, it could run South to the street, or it could run North to the alley. To exit points greatly increases the water capacity for any French Drain.
Pop up emitters for French Drain
Along the course of the French Drain, we connected two large gutters directly into the Drainpipe.
Once in place, the French Drain eliminated all the water that was leaking into the two buildings.
“French Drain Repair Oklahoma City is the most popular key word search for us on Google. People use this more than any other search criteria to find us.
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.
The White Material is the Trench Liner. The black material is the Pipe Filter.
A Trench Liner should be used to prevent this type of soil from moving into the gravel of the French Drain. Trench Linersare relatively inexpensive and are not hard to install. If you are not sure what to do then install the Trench Liner in the French Drain.
French Drain in Oklahoma City
Determining the size of the French Drainpipe can be difficult. If the French Drain is not very big and has no Gutter Downspouts 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 Drain Pipeor larger.
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.
The majority of our customers live in Oklahoma City, Norman, Edmond, Yukon, Mustang, Moore, Midwest City, Del City, Blanchard, New Castle, Yukon and Choctaw.
Oklahoma Drainage and Sprinkler Repair hasn’t been limited to those areas, however. We have also installed French Drains, Surface Drains, Channel Drains, and Sump Pumps in many other cities.
Working Drainage Systems Installed by Oklahoma Drainage also reside in: Lawton, Duncan, Ardmore, Chickasha, Shawnee, Enid, Weatherford, Elk City, El reno and many other places.
If you live in any of these Cities or towns, we have installed a French Drain, Surface Drain, Channel Drain, or Sump Pump within 5 miles of your home.
Here is a description of other recent work.
A little bit North of Downtown Oklahoma City, OklahomaDrainage 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.
French Drain Design is also determined by the Problem Drainage Area. If water is moving into the Problem Drainage Area underground (Sub-Surface), then installing aFrench Drain is a “Must!” French Drains can move Sub-Surface water as well as Surface Water. Surface Drains can only move Surface Water. This is why French Drains do such a good job protecting driveways, sidewalks, and foundations.
Surface Drain with grate in Oklahoma City
Oklahoma Drainage installs French Drains and Drainage Systems in all of Central Oklahoma including: Oklahoma City, Norman, Edmond, Moore, Mustang, Yukon, and Midwest City.
French Drain Benefits
French Drain Installation — French Drainsare designed to do a lot of things. If you have an area that has unwanted water standing in it or running across it, a French Drain can be the answer. A French Drain is a trench that runs across the Drainage Problem Area. A French Drain Pipe is placed in the bottom of the trench. The French Drain Pipe is perforated with thousands of small holes.
In most cases the 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 uses crushed 1 inch Lime Stone to cover the French Drain Pipe. The dirt that was dug out of the trench is taken away or spread out around the French Drain. The Lime Stone replaces the dirt and fills the French Drain Trench all the way to the surface.
Oklahoma Drainage Recently installed a Drainage System in Nichols Hills. The Drainage Systemwas made up of a 4-inch French Drain starting in the back yard. It ran between the garage and the pool. Several gutters were connected directly into the French Drain.
From this point, we expanded up to a larger 6-inch Drainpipe to handle the added water into the system from the gutters. In several places the French Drain had to run through areas where Sprinkler Pipeswere in the way. We had to re-rout all the Sprinkler Pipes and Wires under the French Drain.
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.
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.
Oklahoma Drainage and Sprinkler Repair has been diagnosing and solving Drainage Problems since 1993. Water has the ability to get into places around your home where you really don’t want it to be. Some drainage problems are easy to solve. Typically, water enters the problem drainage area one way from one source.
The really tricky drainage problems occur when water enters the problem drainage area from multiple directions and from multiple sources. Sometimes a secondary water source can’t be seen or identified until the primary water problem source is eliminated.
An example of this occurs when water is running into a problem area in an obvious way over the ground where you can see it.
Simple enough.
A Drainage System
is installed with a surface drainas the “intake” with drainage pipe running to an exit point. Initially the water drains away and everything looks great. The next day water is back and is all around the surface drain, but below the edge and it hasn’t rained at all, so no additional water ran over the surface of the ground to flood the area. The primary water source was solved, ( The surface water run off ) but the secondary water source was not. Which was sub-surface water, (ground water) running into the area. A surface drain can’t drain “ground water.”
Standing water comes from many sources. It causes damage to sidewalks, driveways, and foundations not to mention plants, trees, and grass. Does the side of your house flood because your neighbor doesn’t have gutters, or does your sidewalk turn into a moat after a heavy rain, or worst of all, is water seeping into your foundation and duct work after a thunderstorm? Theses are just a few of the Drainage Problems that Oklahoma Drainage can help with.
French Drainpipe running to curb outlet in Oklahoma City.
French Drains can protect your home and property from water damage. Oklahoma Drainage and Sprinkler Repair install a wide variety of Drains in many different places. A Drain or Group of Drains with Drainpipe going to an exit point is a “Drainage System.”
can be made up of one drain or a combination of many drains. Drainage problemscan 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 drainconnected together.
An example of a complex drainage system would be: A French Drain in the back yard connected to a Surface Drain near a flower bed connected to several gutter downspouts, which are connected to a Channel Drain going across a driveway, which is connected to additional Surface Drain in the front yard, which runs to a Curb Fittingthat lets all the waterdrain 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 aPop-up Emitterwhich 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.
Also A Surface Drainoften can’t move enough water fast enough and easily becomes overwhelmed during a heavy rain. A Surface Drainalso can’t cover or protect a broad enough area. Surface Drains should be designed in a Drainage System to be located in smaller Drainage Areas moving moderate amounts of water. Surface Drainslook better than French Drains. If ,”appearance” is more important than Drainage Capacity, Go with the Surface Drain. Just know what you are getting into and what your expectations should be.
One side of a foundation alone, can be over 100 feet. A 4 inch or 6 inch French Drain is best when protecting a large area such as a foundation. 2. Keep water away from small or enclosed areas. This might be a low area just through a gate on the side of a house, or the low area between a flowerbed and the wall of a house or standing water on or near a sidewalk or driveway. These types of Drainage Problems are best served with Surface Drains.
A Surface Draincan move water away from a low area that is relatively small. This can occur in yards, flowerbeds, sidewalks and driveways. A surface Drain is designed to move Surface Wateraway from a problem area to a predetermined exit point. Surface Drains are available in many sizes.
Pipe Size
How quickly they remove standing water is usually determined by the size of the pipe that is connected to the drain. Simply put, a Drainage System is one or a group of underground Drain Pipes that take water away from a place that has water standing on it or flowing across it. The water that is in the problem area, can be causing damage or may be inconvenient or both. (Usually Both) A simple Drainage System is a 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
Water Sources: 1. Rain falls from the sky directly 2. Water flows downhill over the surface (surface water) 3. It flows underground under the surface (sub-surface water) 4. Water flows from the edge of a roof (There may be many roofs near the problem area, neighbors etc.) 5. Rain flows from a gutter downspout 6. Water flows over the edge of a gutter because the gutter is too small is is clogged 7. Ground water 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. Ground water 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?
How much water needs to be moved will help determine the type and size of the Surface Drainor French Drain that needs to be installed. It also helps to determine the size of Drainpipe required for the Drainage System. A good rule to follow is, “If in doubt, install a larger Drain andDrainpipe.”
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 inches, and 12-inch Surface Drains – 3 inch, 4 inch, and 6-inch Drainpipes — 3-inch, 4 inches, 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 Drainpipe 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 Outlet
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.
Curb Fitting with Acrylic Cement
The Drainage Pop-Up Emitteris connected to the end of aDrainpipe. It is downhill from a French Drainor 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.
Simple or Complex
We 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!
Just what is a “French Drain?” Many times, people incorrectly use the phrase, “French Drain,” to apply to many different types of Drains that could be used in a Drainage System. The term is widely used and many times incorrectly connected to “Surface Drains,” or “Channel Drains.”
A Surface Drain has a grate that sits on top of a basin. The basin is underground. A Drainpipe is connected underground to an outlet on the Drain Basin. StormwaterDrains 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.
Surface Drain Installed next to sidewalk in Oklahoma City.
Types of Drains
A Surface Drain may come in many different shapes or sizes. It is a Drain Basin with a Drain Grateon top and a Drainpipe connected on the side. The Drain Grate may be round or square.
AChannel Drain is a type ofSurface Drainand many times is installed in concrete across sidewalks or driveways. It is long and narrow with a grate on top.
AFrench Drainis completely different from a Surface Drain. A basicFrench Drain consists of a Perforated Drain Pipein the bottom of a trench. A Trench Liner is sometimes used depending on the Drainage System Design and the type of soil. TheDrainpipe should have a neoprene sock around the Perforated Drain Pipe. This is to ensure that theDrain Pipe does not become clogged.
A trench is dug that is slightly wider than the French Drainpipe that is being used. There are several sizes. Three Inch, Four Inch, and Six Inch are the most common sizes of French drainpipe. The dirt that is taken out to make the trench is hauled away. It is replaced by some type of small stone or gravel depending on what is desired or available.
I prefer crushed 1 inch 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).
Trench Liner
In some cases where the French Drain needs to be deep or is being placed in sandy soil, a special trench liner must be placed in the trench before the perforated Drainpipe or the Gravel are installed. This helps maintain the integrity of the trench over time. It also increases the cost of the French Drain and the amount of time to install it.
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 main downfall of a French Drain is that they, for the most part isn’t very pretty. They don’t look very nice in a yard once they are completed.
Depending on the area the French Drain is installed and the type of grass around the French Drain, will dictate whether grass grows over the limestone. Grass can grow up and through the gravel in the French Drain over time eventually covering the gravel. This is OK. It won’t have a measurable effect on the performance of the drain.
Don’t Cover the Gravel!
DONT COVER THE GRAVEL IN THE FRENCH DRAIN WITH DIRT. THE FRENCH DRAIN WON’T WORK IF THE TRENCH IS CLOGGED WITH DIRT. DON’T EVEN INSTALL IT IF YOU ARE GOING TO COVER IT UP WITH DIRT.
DECORATIVE STONE CAN BE USED TO COVER A FRENCH DRAIN AND THEY LOOK GREAT AND LAST A LIFETIME.
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.
Popup Emitterto release water from a Drainage System in Yukon.
Types of Exits
The second type of Exit Point for a French Drain is a “Curb Fitting.” The Curb Fitting is installed through the curb going out into the street. The French Drainpipe runs to the Curb. The curb is cut out, and the Curb Fitting is cemented through the Curb.
Installing a Curb Fitting for a French Drain in Edmond
French Drains are designed to move large amounts of water. AFrench Drain moves water away from the Drainage Problem area from the Surface like a large Surface Drain, But also below ground, or sub surface. Most people don’t take into account the water that flows to a problem area underground. Sub surface water flow is not eliminated by a Surface Drain. A French Draincan move away water that is below the surface of the ground and drain away water that is on the surface.
