French Drains

Your home’s foundation is vital to its safety and longevity. And, without it being solid, the entire structure is could be in danger of falling. With proper care and consideration, planning, and effective work, Level Home Foundation Repair can help reinforce your foundation with a French drain. This helps the structure hold up indefinitely, adding more safety and longevity to your home or commercial property.

What is a French Drain?

Primarily, homeowners or commercial building owners install a French drain system to prevent water from damaging a building’s foundation. As this is the most important part of the structure. French drains also evenly distribute water. This is similar to what would happen in a septic drain field. French drainage systems are also vital for releasing pressure behind a retaining wall, if the structure requires it.

You should use a french drainage system to disperse water that has seeped through the upper rock or gravel quickly and evenly. French drain pipes usually run along the bottom of a ditch. This allows water to flow in a natural way. When a french drain system can control the aftereffects of the elements, there is no long-term damage. 

French Drain Installation

French drains are ideal for areas like Louisiana, Texas & Arkansas where the ground settles from time to time and the drainage system needs to adapt carefully without damaging the foundation of the home or business. When French Drains are installed correctly they flow perfectly into dry wells and rain gardens where plants can absorb the water and reduce the speed that the water will be passing through the drainage system. This can help minimize the negative impact that running water can have on a structure’s integrity.

The foundation is only one important aspect when it comes to the unseen areas of the home or building. The drainage system has a direct effect on the stability of your home, and without proper drainage, your foundation runs the risk of suffering long-term damage which could lead to catastrophic loss. Structural integrity is only as sound as any one part of the home, so you will certainly need to have reinforcements to protect your home or business from the ground up.

How Do French Drains Work?

A french drain provides an accessible path by creating a sunken channel. This encourages the water to drain out of the surrounding soil and flow along a smooth, predetermined path. Water will always seek out the lowest point along a path to follow.  And, put simply, this is where french drain installation comes in.  For a french drain to function properly, it must leverage gravity as it forces the water down from the surface of saturated soil, pulling it along the downward-sloping pipe to the appropriate discharge point.

Foundation repair experts know to slop the trench bottom around an inch for every 8 feet.  Depending on the particular circumstances, you can divert water to a:

• drainage ditch
• lower spot on your property
• street
• dry well.

A simple way to determine where you may need a french drain is to look for areas where water pools.

What Does a French Drain Cost?

Typically, we’ll install a sump pump in the basement with an interior French drain to prevent flooding. The installation process is labor-intensive and requires digging a large moat around the foundation of the building.

If you have a 20 by 30 foot basement, that’s a 100 ft perimeter. If your basement perimeter is less than 130 feet and only requires a single sump pump, you’ll pay less that those with bigger basements that require two sump pumps. Even though most installations are charged by linear feet, the drain length will depend on how far away you want the water released.

French Drain Maintenance

There’s actually not much regular maintenance required for a French drain to function properly. But, over time, leaves and other debris can build up in the drainpipe’s holes. This will compromise the effectiveness. In order to avoid this, you’ll need to clean out and snake your French drain once a year.

Whether your performing interior or exterior French drain maintenance or a basement French drain clean out, you will probably need an electric sewer snake.

Contact Level Home Foundation Repair for Your French Drain Needs

If you need a team to install a french drain system on your home or commercial business, or if you have any questions, please contact us online or by calling 318-539-5554 at Level Home Foundation Repair LLC for help today. We are experienced and qualified to handle any situation you may have and can answer all of your questions.