French Drains Philadelphia, Pennsylvania


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French drains are a type of plumbing system used in the USA, primarily in urban areas. A French drain or weeping tile, sometimes also called a trough drain, is a long trenches filled with rock or gravel or containing an underground perforated drain that diverts surface water away from an enclosed area. These drains are used to remove excess rainfall water, flood water, and convey water to sewers and other drains. They can be constructed using various materials including concrete footer, clay, stone, asphalt, clay, cast iron, vinyl, rubber or steel.

When constructing French drains near me, it is important to dig deep enough to accommodate a larger perforated pipe. The depth of the trench should be between one to three feet depending on the size of the drainage pipe or drain field. When using a single-depth trench, the French drain pipe must be dug at least six inches into the soil along the surface of the location. For trench footers, they can be constructed at a depth of four to six inches.

Install French Drains To Reduce Sewage Dangers At Home

French drains are a type of plumbing system used in the USA, primarily in urban areas. A French drain or weeping tile, sometimes also called a trough drain, is a long trenches filled with rock or gravel or containing an underground perforated drain that diverts surface water away from an enclosed area. These drains are used to remove excess rainfall water, flood water, and convey water to sewers and other drains. They can be constructed using various materials including concrete footer, clay, stone, asphalt, clay, cast iron, vinyl, rubber or steel.

When constructing French drains near me, it is important to dig deep enough to accommodate a larger perforated pipe. The depth of the trench should be between one to three feet depending on the size of the drainage pipe or drain field. When using a single-depth trench, the French drain pipe must be dug at least six inches into the soil along the surface of the location. For trench footers, they can be constructed at a depth of four to six inches.

Concrete Piers

Before digging a French drain, you need to prepare the location by excavating around the perimeter of the location. This will allow a perfectly lined inlet grate to be installed for drainage of standing water. Once the area has been excavated, the soil should be leveled. After this is done, the trenching can begin. Digging the French drains should be done around the perimeter to create an inlet grate and a sloped garden bed.

Most homeowners use French drains in basements for two main reasons, either to prevent basement flooding and to reduce the amount of ground water collected by the floor drain system. Perimeter drains will channel the excess water away from the foundation. This is achieved by creating a higher area of land between the water collection and the foundation. On the other hand, if the French drains are used for water conservation, they help to channel excess water away from the foundation.

If your basement or crawl space has a water collection and drainage system, it is very important to locate the drainage pipe first before building the French drain trench. Without locating the drainage, the French drain will not be installed properly and may eventually collapse. It is important that this task is performed by an experienced professional so there is no chance of a collapsed pipe system. The French drains also help to remove excess soil from the foundation, which helps eliminate the compacting of the soil beneath the foundation.

Once the French drains have been installed and properly lined, the homeowner should start excavating around the perimeter of the house. He should place gravel on the top of the soil near the area of the trench. The gravel will act as a filter for any solids and liquids that could be trapped within the perforated pipe. When excavating, the homeowner should make sure he looks in all directions to avoid destroying walls or damaging the foundation. Once the gravel has been placed, he can begin digging the trench.

Drain Pipe

Once the French drain is excavated, he can begin lining it with the various gravels and landscape fabric materials he has chosen. The French drain pipe will then be laid directly over the gravel. The perforated pipe can be connected to the gravel, and then the fabric can be attached around it using welding wire, plastic ties, or Velcro. All of these methods of securing the French drains to the gravel will ensure it stays in place and does not move.

French Drains: Know the Basics

French Drains are underground drainage systems used in residential, commercial and industrial applications. A French drain or weeping pipe is simply a long trench containing a stone or sand or a perforated channel which divert surface water away from an area and directs it to another location, usually a basement. They are popular in basements with wet cellars and can add a lot of value to your property if you ever want to sell it. French drains are a relatively simple installation that requires little maintenance and will last for many years. You can also install French drains where underground utilities have been laid so you can divert water away from your foundation.

Usually, French drains are placed directly under or next to existing roads, footpaths, driveways and main sewer lines. There are many advantages of using a French drain. French drains are usually smaller and much more efficient than main sewer lines and trench drains. In addition, you can find several different types of French drains made of concrete, stone or steel.

Most homeowners are familiar with the basic installation of surface drains like chain link or asphalt. However, not many people realize the importance of proper French Drain installation, especially if your home has a crawlspace. Cracks and openings in your walls may allow soil and moisture to seep through causing water damage, mildew and mold. Leaking water can cause mold and mildew to form on walls and ceilings in your home. The health risks associated with an unventilated crawlspace are simply too high to take the risk.

Another difference between French drains and other surface drains is that French drains can be installed anywhere along a wall and doesn't need to be located next to a structure. When soil pressure is applied to the wall it creates a bulge and when water is forced through the pipe it enlarges the diameter of the opening. This allows French drains to be installed in areas where other types of drainage systems would be impractical. A French drain is also designed to handle large amounts of water, often up to ten feet of water. Compared to other systems that measure water levels only at the top of the opening and discharge once the water level falls, French drains are extremely effective at draining large amounts of water from your home.

A French drain is designed to direct water away from the home and foundation. The roots of French drains are planted deep into the earth around the foundation. The roots expand the length of the pipe and make it easier for water to be directed away from the foundation. Unlike excavated roots, French drains do not put any pressure on the foundation, which allows them to be maintained over many years without the needing to be replaced when done correctly. You always want to work with gravity if possible, sometimes you may need a sump pump but we try to use gravity first. If the soil around your foundation is compacted, the roots of French drains costs will be able to go right through, while an excavated foundation requires that the soil be dug up and replaced.

After the French drains have been installed, they must be covered and maintained properly over the years to keep water from building up and collecting in wet areas of the landscape surrounding the house. There are two types of French drains - straight and curved. Most French drains are curved, as they offer more slope than straight French drains, which allow for more efficient drainage of soil that is saturated.

Trench Drains

Although trench drains can be used to control surface water runoff and channel excess water rem away from the foundation, French drains are more preferred due to the superior installation techniques, more reliable performance and avoidance of soil compaction and sagging. Drainage networks that include French drains perform better than home drainage networks with single-piece French drains, as French drains make use of two layers of soil. Surface water will pool near the house if the French drains are not installed properly. They need to be carefully constructed so that they will last for the maximum expected life expectancy, which depends on a number of factors including location, grade of the land and type of soil. If you live in an area that experiences seasonal weather changes, you may need to install French drains during one year and remove them during a different season.

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“After seeing you repair our neighbor’s foundation and fix their basement issues, we decided to give yall a call. Philly Foundation Repair handled our home better than we expected. Ed came out pretty fast and gave us a thorough break down on exactly what was happening, why it was happening, and a few solutions to fix it.


When the crew came they went straight to work and were very kind. We highly recommend Philly Foundation Repair to everyone.”

~ Lisa T, Parker


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