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Installing A New French Drain In Your Home

by Dan Mckinney

There are many options available to a homeowner that is wanting to improve their property's drainage and runoff management. In particular, French drains can be an effective solution for meeting this need, but there are some basic factors that property owners should consider before they make a decision about starting a French drain installation project.

French Drain Systems Can Be A Discrete Option For Improving Drainage

There are many homeowners that will want to improve the drainage of their property, but they may want to avoid adding unsightly gutters to the grounds. French drain options can be an option that will provide you with the same benefits as gutters, but they can be a more discrete solution. This is due to the fact that the pipes for a French drain system will be buried. A series of strategically placed grates will allow water to enter the drain system so that it can be carried away.

French Drains Will Require Excavation Of The Landscaping

While French drains can be a discrete solution for improving your property's drainage, they will require excavation work to be installed. Fortunately, French drain installation contractors will have tools and equipment that can assist them with being as accurate as possible when installing their new French drain systems. This can allow for smaller trenches to be created, which can significantly reduce the impacts on your landscaping. Prior to installing the French drain system, you should also assess the way that runoff flows over the property as this can allow you to anticipate the areas that will need to be excavated for the installation of the French drain system. While you may not like the idea of excavation areas of your landscaping, the benefits of effective drainage can be worth the temporary impacts that minor soil excavation can cause.

The French Drain Will Need To Be Periodically Cleaned

After the French drain is installed, you will need to commit to a basic maintenance schedule for it. Over time, there will be a risk of large amounts of leaves and other materials getting into the drains. These can reduce the flow of water through the drains. In extreme cases, it may even cause the drain to become completely clogged. Luckily, this is not a difficult issue to address as there are French drain services that can clean the interior of these lines by spraying a powerful jet of water through the line. This will break up these accumulations and allow them to be flushed out of the French drain system. 

For more information on French drain installation, contact a company near you.

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