FRENCH DRAIN, SURFACE DRAIN PHOTOS AND INFORMATION
Standing water can cause many types of property damage ranging from foundation problems to cracked sidewalks and dead plants and shrubs. If you have need of French Drain or Surface Drain, give us a call. We provide free estimates for all of central Oklahoma.
Some Drainage Systems are complex and incorporate several types of drains. Most Drainage Systems , however are basic and require just one type of Drain. Oklahoma Drainage installs a variety of drains to solve a variety of problems. French Drains, Surface Drains, and Channel Drains are most commonly used. If you live in Edmond and need a Channel Drain installed across your driveway, or if you live in Norman and need a French Drain in your backyard, or if you live in Oklahoma City and need a Surface drain installed next to your sidewalk, give us a call. 405-226-0629
Channel Drains are one kind of Surface Drain that we install in concrete.
The most common Drain that we install is the French Drain. This is because the French Drain is versatile. It can handle Surface Water Problems or Underground Water Problems (sub-surface). A huge mistake that many people make is assuming that water gets to a Problem Drainage Area by flowing over the surface only. For example, if water is flowing down hill underground toward your home’s foundation, the only way to stop or intercept it is with a French Drain. Water can flow laterally into a perforated French Drain Pipe. It is then diverted away from the Problem Drainage Area to an Exit Point.
Pop Up Emitters can release water from Surface Drains or French Drains. They can release water on to sidewalks or driveways, or out in the middle of yards.
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 of French Drain Pipe. Three Inch, Four Inch, and Six Inch are the most common sizes of French drain Pipe. 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 Pipe or the Gravel are installed. This helps maintain the integrity of the trench over time. It also increases the cost of the French Drain and the amount of time to install it. I install a trench liner in a French Drain about 20% of the time. Most of the time a liner in not needed.
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.
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.
Oklahoma Drainage also installs a variety of other types of Drains. Our Drainage Systems may utilize: French Drains, Surface Drains, Channel Drains, Trench Drains, Basin Drains, and Sump Pumps. In the past 21 years, we have installed French Drains to keep water away from home and business foundations, Surface Drains to keep water away from sidewalks and driveways, Trench Drains, and French Drains to keep standing water out of flowerbeds and yards, and Sump Pumps to remove water from basements and outdoor low lying areas.
[…] 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. […]
Below the picture of “Pipe running to street form French Drain in back yard,” you say: “When we run Drain Pipe across yards to an Exit Point, the sod usually can be put back into place and in a few days you can’t tell a French Drain was ever Installed.” However, at the bottom of that same paragraph you say “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.” So, was the sod dirtless or something when you said that “sod usually can be put back into place”? Can you cover it with sod or dirt or not??
The actual french drain part of the drain is gravel and is not covered with dirt… the gravel area is designed to take in water. Once the drain is past the point of the low area where water stands or is a problem the perforated french drain pipe transitions to solid drain pipe and is no longer covered with gravel. This is the part of the drainage system where the sod is put back over the solid pipe. Sod should never be put back over perforated pipe. All French Drain Systems have and are with gravel and an area that is covered with sod.
[…] FRENCH DRAIN, SURFACE DRAIN PHOTOS AND INFORMATION October 13, 2014FRENCH DRAIN, SURFACE DRAIN PHOTOS AND INFORMATION Standing water can cause many types of property damage ranging from foundation problems to cracked sidewalks and dead plants and shrubs. If you have need of French Drain or Surface Drain, give CMG a call. We provide free estimates for all of central Oklahoma. Some Drainage Systems are […] blanecallen […]
[…] Perforated with Soc Drain Pipe, 2. ADS Solid Drain Pipe, 3. Sewer and Drain- Drain Pipe, 4. PVC 40 schedule used as Drain Pipe, 5. 200 […]
[…] Exit Point Covered with Dirt. […]
[…] Drain should be installed when there is a large volume of water to be drained over a large area. Surface Drains are needed when the water volume is smaller and the Drainage Area is small and focused. French […]
[…] FRENCH DRAIN, SURFACE DRAIN PHOTOS AND INFORMATION October 13, 2014FRENCH DRAIN, SURFACE DRAIN PHOTOS AND INFORMATION Standing water can cause many types of property damage ranging from foundation problems to cracked sidewalks and dead plants and shrubs. If you have need of French Drain or Surface Drain, give CMG a call. We provide free estimates for all of central Oklahoma. Some Drainage Systems are […] blanecallen […]
[…] pipe is not too big for what you want to do then a 6 inch French Drain would be the best. CMG Services Oklahoma City, Moore, Norman, Edmond, Yukon, Mustang, Midwest City, and all surrounding […]
[…] second type of Exit Point for a French Drain is a “Curb Fitting.” The Curb Fitting is installed through the […]
[…] second type of Exit Point for a French Drain is a “Curb Fitting.” The Curb Fitting is installed through the […]
[…] 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. […]