French Drain Baltimore is a valuable tool for preventing costly home repairs like foundation damage, flooded basements, and mud-covered lawns. It starts with a trench dug away from the problem area with a slope of one inch for every foot of length.
Perforated piping is inserted and angled downward toward the drain outlet point. The drain is surrounded by gravel to keep out weeds, dirt, and debris.
The pipe that is used to carry water away from your French Drain system plays a very important role in how well the drain works and how long it will last. It’s important to choose a good grade of perforated drain pipe that will allow the maximum amount of water through it at a high flow rate, yet not be so fine that it will get clogged easily. It is recommended to use PVC with predrilled holes or corrugated drain pipe with slits that are not too narrow. PVC will last longer and is easier to clean out if it does become clogged. You can find both types at most home improvement stores.
The next consideration is the type of gravel that will be used to cover the drain. Gravel should be washed and natural 1-1/2″ or larger stone. It is important to not use sand as it will compact and prevent water flow, reducing the efficiency of the drain.
You can line your trench with a non-woven drainage fabric to separate the soil from the gravel and pipe. This will ensure that the pipe is not covered by a layer of clay that will quickly clog the drain. It is also helpful to prevent the soil from clogging the drain by allowing air exchange and moisture movement that will dry out the subsurface soil around the drain.
Another reason to line your French Drain is to keep invasive plant tendrils and debris from getting into the drain. You can purchase a roll of landscape fabric from most home improvement stores that will keep the soil and debris out, while allowing the gravel and pipe to be seen. This fabric can be placed before you start digging the trench or after it is dug to avoid any problems.
Once you have chosen a good grade of drain pipe and gravel, it is time to dig the trench for your new French Drain. You will need to check with your local utilities to mark any underground lines before you begin the work. It is also a good idea to consult with a professional before starting your project, so you don’t accidentally hit a gas or power line while digging.
Installation
In a perfect world every house would be situated on a hill, so all the rain and snow melt could effortlessly drain away, eliminating the worries of flooded basements, foundation problems, and muddy lawns. Unfortunately, this isn’t the case, so people need to find other ways to solve their drainage issues.
One of the best solutions is a French Drain, which uses scientific principles to quickly and efficiently drain excess water away from a property. The basic design relies on gravity and the natural slope of the land to direct water to a drainage system that includes a hollow, perforated pipe underneath several layers of gravel and stone.
To start the process, a trench is dug in the area where the drain will be installed. Great care should be taken when digging to make sure that the trench doesn’t interfere with any building foundations, piping, or electrical inputs. It’s also a good idea to contact your local utility company before starting any digging to have underground lines marked.
Once the trench is ready, perforated drainage pipe is placed inside. The pipe should be oriented so that it’s facing downward. This will ensure that water flows down the pipe and doesn’t get clogged with soil particles. It’s a good idea to use a perforated pipe with slotted holes rather than round ones, as this will reduce the amount of fine soil particles that enter the pipe and block the flow.
A layer of landscape fabric is laid over the pipe, and then the trench is filled with gravel of a suitable size to ensure that the pipe is covered entirely. Typically, large aggregate is used, and this is a good choice because it helps to keep the pipe from getting clogged by plant tendrils. After the gravel is placed, topsoil and grass are planted over the top to conceal the drainage system.
This is an extremely effective drainage solution that can be very simple to install. For this reason, it’s a popular option for new home construction. However, it’s also a very affordable way to improve the function and look of existing properties. If you’re dealing with a drainage issue on your property, consider hiring a professional to install a French Drain. They can walk you through the process and help you avoid any expensive mistakes that might occur if you attempt to do it yourself.
Maintenance
When groundwater flows to a French Drain, it dumps a layer of silt over the gravel inside the trench. This is normal and necessary to ensure proper water flow, but it can also build up over time and block the drain entirely. This can cause the system to no longer collect or carry away excess water, leaving homes and property vulnerable to flooding. To prevent this, the drain should be cleaned annually.
The first step is to find the ground-level access point for the drain, which is usually a grate sticking up out of the ground, the end-point of a gutter downspout, or an above-ground pipe. Remove this cap or fitting and run a hose down the pipe. If the water backs up, there is an issue with the system and it must be tested or replaced.
If you can’t clear the drain with a sewer snake, it might be because of a turn or obstruction within the pipes. If this is the case, a pro will be required to use an auger to get through any turns and break up the clog inside.
Once the drain is clean, it’s important to retest and check that it’s still in good working condition. You should also regularly inspect the area around the drain to ensure that no debris is building up or blocking its flow, such as fallen leaves and branches.
Finally, any grassed verges or swales that feed into the drain will need to be maintained in order to protect it from silt and debris build-up as well. Mowing the grass and removing any leaf litter from these areas is essential to prevent it from reaching and clogging the drain in the future. It might be helpful to hire a professional landscaper for these regular maintenance tasks. They’ll know exactly what steps to take and how often to perform them to ensure your French Drain is always working correctly and protecting your home and property. They’ll also know how to spot issues before they become major problems, helping you avoid costly repairs or replacements.
Drainage Issues
A French Drain collects unwanted water, preventing flooding and soil erosion. It’s a great solution for backyard swampy regions, where standing water is harmful to lawns, harbors mosquito larvae and can seep into basements or home foundations. This drainage system is best installed during construction, but can be added to existing homes with minimal disruption to the landscape and little maintenance required.
Evaluate your yard to determine if this type of drainage solution is right for you. Identify problem areas, where water pools and confirm that the trench’s drainage end or exit point will be located in an ideal spot that won’t affect public areas, neighbors or other property (like a nearby rain garden or dry well).
Prior to digging your French drain, it’s critical to contact the local utility company and have any underground lines marked. This will prevent expensive and potentially dangerous complications during installation. Next, dig a trench that is the proper length for the drainpipe you’ve chosen. You’ll also need to calculate how much gravel to use based on the size of your drainpipe and how deep your trench needs to be.
Once the pipe is in place, cover it with two inches of gravel. Wrap a layer of filter fabric over the gravel, which will help to keep out soil and other debris that could clog your French drain.
Most people assume that the holes in their drainpipe should be pointed up, away from the house, but this isn’t how water works. Instead, the holes should be pointing down so that water filters into the drain, not out of it.
Once the pipe is completely covered, you can backfill the trench, adding topsoil if necessary to create an even slope. You can then add a layer of larger stones on the surface, if desired, to improve the look of your landscaping. To maintain a smooth flow of water through the drain, periodically hose down the entire drainage system to flush out any dirt or other debris that’s accumulated inside the pipe. Performing this simple maintenance will ensure that your French drain is always working at its full potential.
