FRENCH DRAIN

The Americans often choose the French drain. But what is it? This is an important issue for many people. A gravel-lined ditch with a pipe is a sewer that will be needed before carries water away from the home.

What is a french drain and how does it work?

French basement drainage systems often chosen for private buildings. Such sewer installed near house foundations. The best place is often the basement or crawl space. While this type of drainage named French drain, it’s used in the USA, Russia, Canada, and other countries.

This basement solution are named from a Massachusetts based farmer who was known as Henry French. He constructed the first-ever French drain in 1859. This kind of basement solution is built underground.

The dig a trench so that the pipe could be installed at an angle. Such a sewer channel has perforation. It’s covered with drain rock and landscape fabric. Thanks to such features and the use of gravel, you can build an effective sewer. In this case, you do not need a site for standing water.

The sewer may be used inside or outside the home. Installing such system would be the best option for a small suburban area. French drainage is undemanding in exploit. Engineers help may be necessary only in some cases.

French drain also known by French ditch, drain tile, perimeter or blind, or rubble, or rock, or land drain.  

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Types Of French drain

Do you have water problems? In this case, you will need to build a drainage system. The first step is determining the right place. People who have chosen French drains, will not have removing water problems. This also applies when you need drainage to around a home’s foundation or wet basement floor. A trench drain is the most suitable for standing water on the lawn. The installation of French drains is simple. It’s one surefire technique to avoid basement flooding. Such a fact is confirmed by many builders.

Type 1. Backyard French drains

Do you have drainage problems in the backyard? If so, that you must choose French drains. It’s a most efficient system that has a width of approximately 12 inches. During construction, lay the pipe to a depth between 12 and 24 inches. Anyone who chooses such a system should take into account that the minimum slope should be 1 inch for every 8 feet. You must first take measures and build the location where water is being directed. 

To stave off problems, you should line the trench with thick landscape fabric. Be sure to use gravel for its bottom. If you chose such a drain, and perforated 3-inch drain pipe is the most suitable option. You can use gravel or drainage rock. If you want to keep the drainage hidden, you should to plant grass over the soil.

Read also: 7 FRENCH DRAIN MISTAKES – Not For Everyone

Type 2. Interior Perimeter Drain

You can use it to prevent basement leaks. For such basement waterproofing system, pipe must be installed against all the exterior walls. You will not need to digging outside the home. This is because the pipe will be laid even in basement floor. An interior French drain system allows water to drain behind a membrane on the wall. This will avoid the moisture-wicking in concrete block/cinder block foundation.

This applies to water seepage onto the basement floor. If you decide to build such a system, you can extend the useful life of the foundation. 

Type 3. Basement French Drain

Basement perimeter drains, perimeter D., drain tile or B-Dri/Beaver Basement type basement de-watering system: This phrases discusses types of basement drain for stopping foundation leaks or preventing wet basements and crawl spaces. A Basement perimeter drains looks like another indoor system. Such pipes cut into the floor around the perimeter of a basement. To remove water from the building interior you can use the space between the basement and wooden floor. If you build a French drain in the basement, you can make sure that this is the best way to keep a basement dry. The system will be installed inside or outside the foundation. You will never need maintenance or replacement.

Type 4. Exterior Weeping Drain Tile

Its used in construction may be known by different names. It depend on your location. In the U.S and Canada, people use different names. Whatever you call it “footing tile” or Basement perimeter drains, installation specifics and efficiency are the same. An experienced engineer is unlikely to deny this fact.

Exterior drains come in two types – shallow and footing. Shallow drains are most common for draining a soggy yard and are less expensive in general. Footings go around the perimeter of your home and are very deep, often several feet, which causes the costs to rise considerably. They will be visible, so it is common to use decorative pebbles and a curb to contain them.