Heavy rains and melting snow can lead to water accumulating in the yard, where it forms puddles and creates large areas of mud and standing water. In addition, when the water cannot drain away from the yard, it may flow towards the home, resulting in flooding and water damage. To help protect the foundation of the home from ongoing damage and to prevent flooding, a French Drain can be installed to redirect the flow of water away from the home. By drawing water in from the saturated ground, the French drain system also reduces standing water in the yard, so your kids and pets can enjoy the lawn without worrying about huge puddles.

So, what is a French drain, and how does it work? Basically, a French drain is a simple trench dug in the ground in the most problematic areas of the yard. The trench is filled with a perforated pipe and the pipe is covered with several layers of stone or gravel. French drain systems work because gravity causes the water to flow downhill, and water will always follow the path of least resistance, so it is naturally drawn down through the stones into the hollow pipe where the water can flow free. We generally install clean-out ports roughly every 100ft or or near a turn for easy maintenance. The clean-out ports can also act as an inlet for excessive surface water as they are covered with a drain cap.