Is A French Drain The Solution To My Foundation Problems?

By Author: Mr projects
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When and how to apply a French drain as a solution

Water accumulation and foundations coming close together are a recipe for disaster. Water accumulation along one side of a house can cause destructive upheaval or foundation sinking and poor drainage is the most common contributor driving the need for foundation repairs. In the case of a slab foundation, drainage correction may be the only way to solve the problem.

What is a French drain?

A French drain is essentially a sloped trench that is filled with a perforated pipe covered with gravel and used to divert underground water away from the foundation. The name doesn’t come from the country, by the way - it comes from Henry French, a judge and farmer in Concord, Massachusetts who conceived and promoted the idea for drainage. If your foundation sits on a slope or is in persistently soggy conditions, a French drain could be the best solution.

How do I successfully apply a French drain?

A French drain depends on gravity to work, but there are several situations where a French drain is most successful:

To divert surface water you can use ...
... a shallow French drain to solve the problem of a lawn that’s soggy in spots or a drive way that keeps washing out because of water flowing over it.

To keep water out of the basement, you can use a deep French drain. On a flat property, you may need to pipe the collected water to a basin in the basement where it can be lifted out with a sump pump and sent into the storm drain system.

To divert water from retaining walls. If you’re building a retaining wall into a hillside for tiered gardening or other landscaping, incorporate a French drain into the first level of stones or blocks so that water moving down the hill won’t build up behind the wall and undermine its integrity.

To address persistent subsoil water issues, a French drain continually absorbs the moisture through the slotted pipes to stabilize the soil over time.

What are the steps to installing a French drain?

Once you’ve determined that a French drain is the best solution to your water-based foundation problems, the following steps will be used to install it:

1.Determine the best path for the water to take

2.Mark the route to ensure the best result

3.Create a trench of the proper depth and grade for the water level

4.Install a perforated pipe covered with a filter sleeve to ensure
absorption of water

5.Add washed gravel on top of the pipe to ground level

What are the benefits of a French drain?

The primary benefit of installing a French drain is that water will no longer collect around and under your foundation. Remember this fact: water accumulation and foundations don’t mix well and keeping the water away from your foundation is the most critical factor to eliminating your foundation problems. A French drain can be installed outside or inside a crawl space and used to eliminate water problems quickly and for years to come.

Are there any drawbacks to a French drain?

Only one, and the most common issue is the outlet end of the pipe becomes clogged with lawn clippings or dirt. Because a French drain is intended to keep water away from your foundation, you want that path for the water to escape to be clear so it’s important to check the French drains supporting your foundation once in a while to be sure they are clear. The most preferable location of an outlet is at the curb dumping the water directly into the street toward a drainage ditch or storm water sewer.

Absolute Foundation Solutions Inc., is a one of the leading foundation reapair contractors located in Jackson, Mississippi. For details on french drain visit our website today.