What You Need to Know About French Drains: Our Guide

Are you frustrated about the area in your lawn that seems to be perpetually damp? Perhaps, you’re more worried that you’ll end up with a flood in your basement after a continuous downpour. However, you need not worry about these situations happening because there’s a simple backyard drainage solution that Michigan’s landscape and garden experts can provide you: a French drain!

You need good drainage to make sure that your home is protected from water damage and that you won’t have to deal with mold growth. A French drain is an excellent option, and to know exactly what can be expected from one, here’s everything you need to know about it:

What Is a French Drain?

A French drain is basically a trench that is covered in rocks. It connects to pipes that drive water away from the house. Typically, the drain field where the excess water collects and enters the drainpipes is elevated, while the lowest point of the drain is the exit point for the water.

If you are dealing with water in the basement, even if you already have outdoor drainage, it’s likely an indication that you need a French drain. What you’d need to do is create a trench in the basement slab along the perimeter of the foundation, then lay a pipe in that trench and a sump pump that will push water from your basement to the outdoor space.

How Does a French Drain Work?

As you should know, water will always find its way to the lowest point in the surface and will go through loose soil. This is what a French drain aims to solve. What it offers is a ready path for the water to drain out of the ground without causing damage to the home’s foundation in any way.

French drains utilize gravity as it pulls water down from the elevated drain field. That’s what’s going to draw water downward into the sloping pipe all the way to the exit point. Then, depending on your property and specific circumstances, the water could be diverted to the street, a drainage ditch, or a low spot within your property.

Typically, seasoned drainage contractors in Belleville can determine where it is best to install the French drain on your property in the first place.

What Are the Advantages of Having a French Drain?

There are many advantages to having a French drain system for your home. For one, you get efficient drainage that takes water away from your property to wherever you want it to go. In fact, it saves your lawn from being damp all the time so that your grass can grow healthy and the family can enjoy playing outdoors again.

French drains are also relatively inexpensive, especially when compared to other basement waterproofing solutions. Likewise, depending on the complexity of the system, the installation can be finished in a matter of hours or a couple of days.

Conclusion

There’s no reason you should endure a lawn that’s spongy and damp all the time, not when there’s a simple solution for it. French drains are an excellent and inexpensive backyard drainage solution that could solve the problem you are having with your lawn or your basement. Note, however, that if you’re going to do one for your basement, it could be more costly because of how complex the work would be. This is why you should only depend on expert assistance!

If you are looking for reliable drainage contractors in Belleville, Van Buren Township, and Sumpter, you can trust Sir Williams Drainage & Waterproofing Solutions. We have been providing expert services for more than 40 years, and you could be our next satisfied client. Contact us today to learn more about our services!