If your home or property is experiencing an issue with a soggy yard or a wet basement, then a French drain is your cure. The way French drains operate is by diverting water
away from the house, utilizing a slight slope trench filled with round gravel and a pipe. French drains provide an easy channel for water to flow through, water runs into a gravel-filled trench, then into perforated pipe at the bottom of the trench

How It Works

The trench bottom should be at a 1-inch slope for every 8 feet in the direction that you would want your water to flow through. Depending on your situation, water can be diverted to a low-lying area of your property, a drainage ditch, a dry well, or the outer streets.

It is recommended that you should install a French drain if you have a problem with surface water, such as a soggy lawn, or a driveway that washes out, if water is getting into your basement space, or if you’re building a retaining wall on a hillside.

Interior French Drain

An interior French drain intercepts water as it enters your basement, it’s the surest method of keeping your basement dry and a better option than a footing drain. In the case of a finished basement, you’ll have to remove interior walls in order to install a system.