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
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.
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.
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 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.
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.
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.
Harsh weather inOklahoma 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 runoffcan cause damage to all types of property and buildings. Water getting inside your house is never a good thing. A Drainage System that utilizes a French Drain can help.
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.
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 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 Drainin the back yard connected to a Surface Drain near a flower bed connected to several gutter downspouts, which are connected to a Channel Draingoing 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.
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.
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.
Drainpipe Under Sidewalk
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.
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.
AFrench 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 Drainpipehas 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 Drain Pipe. 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.
French Drain Will disappear once grass grows over it. Its will still be fully functional.
The Drainage part of our company name means that we solve water problems for people in Oklahoma. Heavy rain is becoming more common. Back in 1993 when I first started, a hard rain was considered to be about an Inch per/hour. It was fairly rare but not too uncommon. Today things are different. A weather report of rain falls at or above 4 inches per/hour was not uncommon in 2019. Excess water causes all types of damage to property both residential and commercial.
Our Drainage Systems drain water away from places you don’t want it to be. You might have water standing along the foundation of your house, or inside your basement. You might have water on your driveway or flowerbed too.
When I talk to a potential customer while doing a Drainage System estimate, I take a lot of things into consideration. First, I have the Customer show me where water is standing or where it is going that it shouldn’t. This is part of defining the specific problem area.
Sometimes the Water Problem Areais larger and more involved than the customer realizes. Once the Water Problem Area is clearly defined, the next step is to determine how the water is getting to the problem area. Many times there is more than one Water Source to the Water Problem area. A big mistake in Drainage System Design is to stop once the most obvious Water Source is found.
A Drainage System Designer must be a detective to some degree. For Example: Water running down the hill and onto the back patio might be the most obvious water source. Sub-surface water or a neighbor’s new gutter downspout could also be contributing. Most of the time water gets into the problem area from more than one source.
Oklahoma Drainage
Oklahoma Drainage has been installing French Drains since 1993. We also install Fescue Sod and Bermuda Sod by the pallet as well. A pallet of sod will cover about 450 square feet.
Oklahoma Drainage also installs Surface Drains of all kinds including Channel Drains in Driveways or 12 inch, 9 inch, and 6 inch Drain basins in yards and sidewalks and along driveways.
Oklahoma City Channel Drain
Sorry I got sidetracked. Back to talking about French Drains. French Drains keep water off of Foundations, Sidewalks, and Driveways.
THREE BAD THINGS CAN HAPPEN WHEN WATER SITS AGAINST CONCRETE.
Concrete can break down and deteriorate from temperature change when the water freezes and thaws. Lots of cracks can occur.
Concrete can be de-stabilized. Supporting soil can be washed away or removed.
Mold!!! Yikes!! Mold needs water. Water against a foundation or saturating it is definitely a risk for mold to occur. Mold development can be a very small issue, or it can be a Huge Problem. If Black Sludge starts to appear on top of ground near a foundation, action should be taken. I have seen extreme mold situations where a home had to be condemned. Again, this is very rare, but it does happen to good people.
In the pictures below, water was running across the walkway and into the pool every time it rained hard. We pulled up the necessary stones on the side that the water was coming from and put a French Drain underneath. A trench liner was utilized as well as a filter around the perforated French Drainpipe.
Before
French Drain Installed along and under walk way to pool.
and be made to look nice. As shown above, they can be placed under walk ways or had designer stones placed on the gravel that fills the French Drain Trench.
Covering a French Drain with dirt is a bad idea. Water can’t get into the drain through the stones if it is clogged with dirt. If you are more concerned about how, it looks over what it does, then don’t install it in the first place. French drains can move a lot of water and protect property such as foundations, sidewalks, plants, yards just to mention a few things. If you don’t like how a French Drain looks then change it. Put Steppingstones on top of it, use river rock to improve the look, You are limited only by your own creativity.
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.
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.
Oklahoma Drainage and Sprinkler Repair has been Installing Surface Drains for a long time. We started in 1993 so that makes 2024 our 31st year. We have installed French Drains and Surface Drains in Oklahoma City, Moore, Yukon and Mustang, not to mention virtually every other town in Central or Western Oklahoma.
Still many people incorrectly mistake a “Surface Drain,” for a “French Drain.” They are not the same thing.
with thousands of small holes in it. It is placed in the bottom of a Drainage Trenchthat has been dug by the installer of the French Drain. It should be placed on top of a Trench Liner which is placed first in the Drainage Trench.
Once this is done correctly, the trench is filled with gravel of some type. We use Crushed 67 grade Limestone. The empty space from the top of the pipe to ground level is filled. THE DEPTH OF EVERY FRENCH DRAIN TRENCH VARIES. What Determines the depth can depend on several things. But for now, just know that some French Drains are Shallow while others are Deep. The Deeper the Drainage Trench, the more gravel it takes to fill it.
In the Picture above you can see the water stains on the concrete. Water has been standing there a long time to make those types of stains. Eventually the grass will completely grow over the limestone gravel. Note! Dirt should never be placed on top of a French Drain. In sunny areas, grass will put out runners and grow over the limestone gravel. Once covered it creates a Natural Filter called a Thatch Filter. The French Drain continues to work great, and you don’t even know its there.
I have installed French Drains all the way back to 1993 that still work great with no maintenance.
you can see that the grass is growing over the French Drain more slowly in the shaded area by the trash cans. This can be sped up by sprinkling grass seed directly into the gravel.
French Drains in Full or Partial Shade, can be decorated instead of letting grass grow over them.
A French Drain is a trench that runs across the Drainage Problem Area. A Perforated French Drainpipe is placed in the bottom of the trench. The pipe has thousands of holes in it to let water into the French Drainpipe.
The Drainage Trench has a “Trench Liner,” installed to maintain the integrity of the French Drain.
The White Material is the Trench Liner. The black material is the Pipe Filter.
The pipe is placed in the bottom of the trench on top of the Trench Liner.
Next, crushed limestone or gravel is dumped on top of the French Drainpipe until the trench is full.
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.
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.
can be made up of one drainor 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 problemmay be simple and straight-forward requiring only one drain or several of the same type of drain connected together.
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 severalgutter 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 water drain out on to the street.
French Drain Connected to a Channel Drain across the Driveway
A simple Drainage Systemmight 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 theDrainage 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
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 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
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 Systemcan 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 Problemsand provide a solution. We incorporate several types of Drains in our Drainage System depending on the Drainage Problem.
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
ASurface Drainhas 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.
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 Repairprovides Service for all of Central Oklahoma Including: Oklahoma City, Norman, Edmond, Moore, Yukon and Mustang.
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.
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.
Connecting Gutter to French Drain
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 drain pipe can be used. Three inch drain pipe is used for low volume applications.
Many different types of Drains can be hooked together by one Drainpipe. The Drainpipe then running to an Exit Pointmakes up a DrainageSystem.
One common type of Drain used in a Drainage System is A “French Drain.” Many times, a French Drain is installed close to a building foundation or in a low area next to a home or business. This puts the French Drain in close proximity to Gutter Down Spouts.
Rather than have water come off the roof and out the Down Spoutand on to the ground below, It is better to tie a Gutter Down Spout Directly into a French Drain. Connecting The Down Spouts Directly into a French Drain is much more efficient and causes suction to occur in the French Drain. Connection of Gutter Down Spoutsto a French Drainmakes the Drainage System work better.
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.
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.
Standing Water on a Driveway or Sidewalk can be a real pain. Stepping out of your car into standing water is no fun. Many times, a channel drain can solve this kind of problem.
Channel Drains are usually set in concrete. Many times standing water requires that a new drain be set in concrete. This requires that the concrete be cut and removed and a drain installed in its place with new concrete around the edges.
Channel Drain Installed against wall
Obliviously Skill, Expertise, and Experience is required to make a big cut across a driveway or sidewalk.
Oklahoma Drainage
If a channel drain is installed correctly, it is very strong. A car can be driven over it.
Channel drains are of two kinds, Metal or Composite.
Metal Channel drains can be Crome, Cast Iron, or Stainless Steel.
A Composite Channel Drain is made up of very tough plastic combinations.
Channel Drain Installation is a primary focus for OklahomaDrainageand Sprinkler Repair. We have been installing Channel Drains as part of Drainage Systems since 1993. We also install Surface Drains, French Drains, and Sump Pumps to fit our customer’s needs.
NDS Grey Channel Drain Running Across Driveway in Edmond
Channel Drain Installation Is a Central Focus for Oklahoma Drainage. We have been Installing Channel Drains set in Concrete since 1993.
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.
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.
Connecting Gutter to French Drain
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 2000 Drainage Systems installed since 1993, we have amassed a great deal of experience. This is help full in seeing underlying problems and secondary issues that may be hard to see at first for the ” Untrained Eye.” This allows us to get things right the first time. In this business
EXPERIENCE TRULY COUNTS!
Hiring your brother-in-law to put in your Drainage System or French Drain is as bad as hiring a Lawn mowing company that does landscaping and drains too? Water can cause a huge amount of damage. How important is your money and your home?
designs and installs Drainage Systems. Water Drainage is a big concern to homeowners and small businesses. Standing Waterfrom Storm-Water runoff can cause all kinds of problems. Concrete in driveways, sidewalks, and foundations can be damaged. ProlongedDrainage Problems allow mold to occur along with deterioration to plants, trees, and property.
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. 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 undergroundDrainpipe to an exit point.
AChannel Drain is a type of Surface Drain, and many times is installed in concrete across sidewalks or driveways.
Channel Drain
A French Drain is completely different from a Surface Drain. A basic French Drain consists of a Perforated Drainpipe in the bottom of a trench. The Drainpipe should have a neoprene sock around the Perforated Drainpipe. This is to ensure that the Drainpipedoes not become clogged.
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.
Crushed Limestone
The lime-stone or gravel is placed in the trench on top of the perforated Drainpipe and filled all the way to the surface (ground level). In some cases where theFrench Drain needs to be deep or is being placed in sandy soil, a special trench liner must be placed in the trench before the perforated 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. I install a trench liner in aFrench Drain Every time.
French Drain
Large Water Volume
A French Drain is designed to handle a large volume of water and cover a large area. The Drain is anyplace the trench goes. It has many applications and can be used in many situations. It can be installed by itself or incorporated into aDrainage System with Surface Drains or Gutter Down-Spouts connected to it.
The main downfall of aFrench 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 theFrench 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 IN THEFRENCH 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 AFRENCH DRAINAND THEY LOOK GREAT AND LAST A LIFETIME.
Oklahoma City Sprinkler Repair is a service provided by Oklahoma Drainage and Sprinkler Repair. Providing Expert Sprinkler Repair since 1993.
405 203 9419
Do you have a problem with your Sprinkler System? If you live in Oklahoma City and have problems with your sprinkler heads or valves, we can help! The problem might be your controller, or you have a leak of some kind.
Spring is just around the corner. A Sprinkler Checkup might be what you need.
Sprinkler Repair is a Central focus for Oklahoma Drainage. We have been providing quality Sprinkler Repair Service since 1993. During that time, we have completed every type of Sprinkler Repair in Oklahoma City. Experience is key. Oklahoma Drainage has completed sprinkler repairs in every major city in Central and Western Oklahoma. We have visited many small towns too.
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.
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-Valveas “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.
A valve is an off or on switch for a particular Sprinkler Zone.
You might need a Sprinkler Valvereplaced. Maybe it just needs to be adjusted? We can adjust the solenoid or “Bleed,” the valve itself. Debris might be stuck in it.
It Sends a signal through a wire which is underground to the sprinkler valve somewhere in your yard.
Once turned on, the valve lets water pass through a sprinkler pipe to a specific group of sprinkler heads called a Sprinkler Zone. The controller allows water to reach the sprinkler heads for a certain amount of time running through the sprinkler valve. Once the time is up, it shuts off the sprinkler valve and moves on to the next valve in sequence.
Think of it as walking into every room in your house one at a time. As you enter you turn on the light. As you leave you turn off the light and move to the next room. You are the controller. The light switch represents the sprinkler valve.
What causes a Sprinkler Valve to stop working?
Like anything else, a sprinkler valve can wear out. Sprinkler valves fail in closed position. It won’t run continuously if it breaks.
Sprinkler Valves get stuck while running sometimes. The water supply must be then turned off to stop the Sprinkler from running.
Sprinkler Valves can freeze and break in the winter if the sprinkler system has not been properly drained for winter’s cold.
Many homeowners need sprinkler heads moved to a new location or caped if they are no longer needed. A sprinkler head might be spraying in the wrong place.
Sprinkler Controllers also cause problems. Setting the programming might be difficult for the Homeowner. They can stop working correctly too.
Oklahoma Drainagecan help with all of these problems and many others. The problems listed above are the most common.
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.
The Big Problem
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.
had a call from a Blanchard Resident. She had a trash truck back up into her yard. Unfortunately, it was right on top of a rotor sprinkler head. The Sprinkler Headwas crushed as well as the sprinkler pipe underneath. Water was pouring down the street when the sprinkler system ran.
While we were running the sprinkler system, we found that a sprinkler valve was sticking as well. The one of thesprinkler zones was not shutting off. So now we had two Sprinkler Repairs to perform.
Fixing the Broken Sprinkler Headand Replacing the broken sprinkler pipe underneath took a little while because the Sprinkler Pipewas up against the curb and the Sprinkler Pipe was hard to get to. But after getting a little muddy, the Sprinkler Pipe was fixed, and the Sprinkler Head was replaced.
The Sprinkler Valve that was sticking was much easier to fix. The bleed screw on the top of the Sprinkler Valve was loose. It just needed to be tightened. It only took a few seconds, and we did not charge anything for the Sprinkler Repair on the Sprinkler Valve.
Oklahoma Drainage and Sprinkler Repair has been in business since 1993. During that time we have serviced countless sprinkler systems all over Central and Western Oklahoma. Give us a call for an estimate 405 203 9419
Things can go wrong with a sprinkler system
Sprinkler Repairis an ongoing issue for any sprinkler system. Folks in Central Oklahoma are turning on their Sprinkler Systemsand discovering problems. We fixed several leaks in a Sprinkler System in Edmond. The sprinkler pipes were leaking in several places. Each leak had to be cut out and replaced. The Sprinkler System was fairly new. It was installed last summer by a Pool Company that also installs cheap sprinkler systems.
All the joints in the sprinkler pipes were glued together with clear PVC Cement. That part is OK, But they cut some corners and didn’t use PVC Primer with the glue. As a result, the joints didn’t bond very well and many of them blew apart this spring when the sprinkler systems was turned on. (Thus, all the leaks) I suspect we will have to go back several times to fix additional leaks. We can only warranty the PVC joints that we have replaced. Cheaper isn’t always better.
Today we did a sprinkler repair in Norman. Thesprinkler system needed a checkup. We went through eachsprinkler zone and identified several different problems. Zone 2 had a cracked sprinklerpipein a flower bed and Zone 4 had a brokensprinkler rotoron the edge of the driveway that had been driven over and broken. We found that 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 systemis running great!
Recently we fixed a sprinkler system that was poorly installed.
Oh! we also solve water problems and provide Drainage.
Central and Western Oklahoma is our Service Area since 1993.
(405) 203-9419
A “French Drain” Moves “surface water” away from a low-lying problem drainage area. What flows over the ground. Sub surface water which runs underground is not considered when a drainage system is being installed. People only think about what they can see and don’t think much about what they can’t see.
Channel Drain set in Driveway is one type of Surface Drain
Sub Surface water is water that is underground and saturated in the soil. Just like water above ground (Surface Water) moves. Water under ground moves too and is a very big part of any drainage problem.
Water flows over the surface into the area that floods and is a problem. A big mistake that is made be the casual eye, is that all the water in a swampy problem area got there by running over the surface. Yes, it probably did, but it also got there by moving there underground as well. This is called SUB SURFACE WATER MOVEMENT, and it is important to any kind of Drainage System that might be installed.
Water can only be drained away that is on the surface. It goes into the top of the Drain on the Surface. It’s Name is ” A Surface Drain.” It Drains Surface Water ONLY!
A French Drain can drain Surface water and Sub Surface water both. It water is in the problem area by means of Sub – Surface movement, then it will enter the French Drain Laterally, under ground, and be drained away along with the surface water.
When Installing a Drainage System, What kind of Drain Pipe do you use and what size Drain Pipe Do you need?
For a Drainage System you have 3 Choices of Drain Pipe. You can use ADS, Or Sewer and Drain, or Thick Walled Pvc Pipe.
ADS is Black and Flexible. It is used in a majority of Drainage Systems. It works well and is the easiest to install.
Connecting Gutter Down Spout to French Drain Under Sidewalk
Covering ADS Drain Pipe
ADS is available in 3 inch , 4 inch, and 6 inch for residential and small business Drainage Applications.
Sewer and DrainPipe is white, green, or grey and is thin walled. It is used for cheap plumbing applications such as sewer lines. It is also used for inexpensive Drainage Systems. A Drainage System using Sewer and Drain Pipe is slightly cheaper than ADS. It is rigid and harder to install than ADS. It takes more time to install and more digging is required at the joints or connections. It is very difficult attaching a rigid Drain Pipe to a Curb outlet because the Pipe does not flex at the connection. The pipe hits the curb outlet at a downward angle and does line up straight with the connection. Many Drain Installation Companies use a piece of ADS on the end of the Sewer and Drain pipe and then connect it to the curb outlet. Many times there is no other way to connect them depending on your downward slope.
Green or White Sewer and Drain Pipe
Sewer and Drain is brittle after a short amount of time. You can break it with a hammer. Tree roots, many times squeeze the pipe and crack it causing it to leak. It is not a good long term solution for anything.
Old Sewer and Drain Pipe
Thick walled PVC is superior to ADS and Sewer and Drain. It will last a lifetime. It won’t crack under normal circumstances.
That being said, It is The most difficult of all to install. It is not for weekend warriors or your brother-in-law who says he knows what he is doing. Someone with a lot of experience is needed to install a Thick Walled PVC Drainage System.
40 Schedule PVC Drain Pipe on the right, Sewer and Drain on the left.
Oh, by the way, 40 Schedule or 200 Class PVC is by far the most expensive.
If money is no object, then absolutely hire an Expert to install a Thick walled PVC System.
There are two types of Thick Walled Pvc Pipe available for Drainage Systems, 40 Schedule and 200 class.
Forty Schedule is always the same thickness at a particular size pipe.
Two Hundred Class gets thicker as the pipe gets bigger.
Forty Schedule is thicker in pipes smaller than 2 inch.
Two hundred Class is thicker in pipes over 2 inch.
Typically 4 inch pipe is most commonly used in a Drainage Systems. Forty Schedule and 200 Class are both very good in the 4 inch Size.
you use in your DrainageSystem is fairly simple. You can use 3 Inch, 4 Inch, or 6 Inch. Sometimes 2 inch can be used on a small single drain but it is easily overwhelmed by too much water.
Four Inch, as stated earlier is the most common size used in a Drainage System.
If your system is a Drainage System and not a Flood Prevention System, then 4 Inch Should be fine for most applications.
If your drainage system must handle a lot of water in a hurry and is designed intercept water to protect property then two 4 inch pipes may be needed or one 6 inch Pipe. It can vary.
In 2015 we installed a Flood Prevention System that had two 6 inch pipes in the same trench. Our customer never had water in her garage again.
If you can afford larger Drainpipeor more than one Drainpipe in the same trench, your Drainage Systemshould do its job well.
If you connect 5 large Surface Drainsto one small 3 inch pipe, be prepared for poor performance. I’ve seen a large French Drain connected to a 3 inch pipe. The water shot out of the exit point like a cannon and the problem drainage area stayed flooded for a long time.
I try not to use 3 inch at all for a Drainage System and I am very careful not to attach too large or too many drains to 4 inch.
Surface Drains look nice but they have limited applications. They must be installed in situations that they are designed for. Surface Water only in smaller volume applications. Surface Drains don’t move as much water as French Drains.
