How To Repair French Drain

Help! We bought a great house, but soon learned that when information technology rains, the h2o runs toward the firm and foundation, causing flooding. The cost of professional person grading is prohibitive, but we aren't physically able to exercise a major DIY grading job ourselves. Any ideas? -Brenda

A French drain around the perimeter of your house would exist a great, inexpensive way to divert water runoff without having to regrade the entire yard. Think of a French bleed equally an clandestine "gutter" organization that collects and drains water earlier information technology enters your domicile's foundation.

Building a French bleed involves digging a 12" to xviii" deep channel, that slopes downhill to route h2o toward a chosen exit indicate away from the firm (make sure you lot know the location of cached utility lines and pipes before digging). You then put corrugated plastic pipe in the aqueduct, and fill up the hole to the top with gravel. Water is lazy – information technology chooses the path of least resistance – and then it volition fall into your channels and exist diverted before information technology reaches your foundation.

A French bleed volition require some heavy digging, as well as hauling and shoveling gravel. It also requires careful planning, as the channels must slope properly or water will collect in them without running off. However, once you've planned your design, yous could enlist the assist of friends, family, or even hired laborers to help with the concrete work. Alternately, you lot could hire a licensed mural contractor to build the French drain for yous, and it would likely exist much less expensive than regrading the unabridged yard or edifice retaining walls.

In addition to the French drain, make sure any rainwater from your roof is directed away from the foundation of your habitation – you'd be surprised how much h2o can exist eliminate that way. If you have gutters, extend the downspouts abroad from the foundation or toward the French Drain.

Julie