Do Not Let Someone Put This In Your Yard To Move Storm Water!
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Properly Installed Drainage Systems That Last
So Many Drainage Contractors Who Do I Choose?
Experienced Drainage Contractors
At Drain X Perts, we are a team of experienced drainage contractors committed to providing top-quality drainage services to our clients. We take pride in our work and always strive to exceed our clients’ expectations. Since Yard Drainage is all we specialize in we are provided the opportunity to see many systems that do not work and can create severe damage to the home and landscape. Time and time again we are pulling cheap corrugated pipe and so called french Drains out of the ground and replacing them with our systems that last year after year moving the water away from your home and landscape and out to your Cities Main Drainage.
Professionally Installed French Drains
A well installed French Drain consist of digging a hole usually two to three time the diameter of the pipe you are using, the pipe is perforated which means holes are drilled in the pipe to allow for water flow. Next a 30 year weed or more often referred to as a Geo textile fabric is installed at the bottom of the ditch and up the sides enough slack left over to be able to wrap the french drain after installation. Once the Fabric has been laid a thin layer of drainage gravel is laid at the bottom of the ditch approximately 2 inches. After the gravel is laid down the entire ditch, The Perforated SDR35 PVC pipe is Laid in the gravel with the holes facing down. It is very important that the pipe be covered in a drain sock to prevent the holes and the pipe from getting clogged. After the pipe has been laid with a slope of 1 inch every ten feet (when using the more common 4 inch drain Pipe) gravel can be laid to cover the entire pipe to the top. It is common practice to use larger rock near the surface so water runoff flows more freely with less restriction. The final installing process is to wrap the Geo Textile around the the French Drain and install rock garden or soil and grass on top to hide the drain.
Get the Facts about French Drains
There are times when French Drainage systems work and are a great option but many times french drains are not the answer and will cost a lot of money to replace and install with a proper system that works. This article is to help you get the facts you need before making such an important decision that affects your investment and your wallet.
Wrongly Installed French Drainage
This is an example of someone not using Geo Textile Fabric and placing the holes upwards without and sock to protect the holes and pipe from getting clogged.
Where French Drains Work
Pier and Beam Foundations
French Drains Make since when you are building a pier and beam foundation and will have limited access underneath Or if you have an existing Pier and beam and the ground under the home is lower than the Surrounding grade. At this Time it is necessary to Install the system to prevent water runoff from entering under your home and destroying your foundation.
Under Flower Beds
When installing a new Flowerbed drainage should always be considered. Improper drainage can lead to fungus such as Root rot and Leaf spot that will ultimately kill the plants. To eliminate the variable many homeowners and businesses install french drains under the beds to allow excess water a way out so as not to sit in the root ball. These Drainage systems work well and are recommended especially in soils with high clay content. If the clay content is too high it is also a good idea to remove some of the clay and add garden soil to help with aeration.
In areas Where Minimum Slope is Available
French Drains Make since when you are building a pier and beam foundation and will have limited access underneath Or if you have an existing Pier and beam and the ground under the home is lower than the Surrounding grade. At this Time it is necessary to Install the system to prevent water runoff from entering under your home and destroying your foundation.
Where French Drains Do Not Work
Clay Soils
Living In Texas we area very familiar with this type of soil most every home we visit here in the Houston and Surrounding areas are full of this type of soil. Clay has the lowest infiltration rate of all types of soil. Since French Drains rely on infiltration they do not perform well because they drain too slow and we know with the heavy downpours Here in Houston we need to move water quick and in a hurry.
Root Bound Soils
When a lot of trees are present there are a lot of feeder roots that branch out in search of water. Since French Drains always have water sitting at the bottom they are a perfect recipe for the tree roots. There are root barriers that can be used to protect the Drain System but can be very costly and only used in extreme circumstances where there are no other options. A better and more costly effective system would be and enclosed area drain with the use of catch basins to move the runoff.
In areas Where Slope is Available
If you have a Home in Houston and surrounding areas that sits on a normal floating foundation, have areas that water accumulates and stands around the foundation and other parts of the yard and the area in question is higher than the street or drainage ditch where the water needs to go. The best option is an Area Drainage System with catch basins
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