Professional French Drain Installation in Houston
While you wouldn’t think it, the most destructive element on the face of the earth is water. As the saying goes, “water always finds its way,” and for confirmation of this fact, look no further than the Grand Canyon or the Mississippi River for proof.
What is true in the great outdoors, also holds true for your home and more specifically, your yard. Newer homes, particularly around the Houston suburbs, are being built primarily atop concrete slabs. These slabs tend to have a thickness of between four and six inches, with an edge perimeter beam made up of up to two feet of concrete. Depending on the builder of the home, and the materials used in your construction, there may be a layer of gravel above the soil beneath the slab…and that’s a good thing.
How Do I Know if I Need a French Drain Installation in Houston?
If your home was built atop a slab foundation with a gravel layer, you probably have never experienced pooling or ponding water in your backyard. If every time we get a torrential downpour, you encounter standing water anywhere in your yard, your home is a candidate for a French Drain Installation in Houston and our professional plumbing services can help.
What is a French Drain?
French Drains, despite their name, are not a product of France, but instead, are an invention by a gentleman named Henry French. French was a lawyer who also wrote a book in 1859, called Farm Drainage. In this book, he described using ditches lined with gravel that is pitched (angled) from a high area to a lower one. The original French Drains were made from roofing tile atop one another with gravel in between the layers. The purpose of these drains was to divert water from areas where it would collect to a proper drainage system.
Today’s French Drain Installation in Houston is far more advanced, using modern construction materials, like perforated PVC pipes and other textiles in the process. In addition to providing excellent drainage for your yard, a French Drain can also be a decorative a part of your landscaping.
Can I Maintain and Repair My French Drain?
Performing French Drain Maintenance and Repair in Houston can be a do-it-yourself endeavor for the handy homeowner. All you need to keep your French Drain flowing is a keen eye and a few simple tools. Grab your garden hose and use the high-pressure setting on the nozzle to flush any yard debris that has collected along the length of the drain, especially after heavy rain. Use the rake to pull any standing debris from the outlet of the outlet pipe.
French Drains are great for eliminating problems with pooling and ponding water around your yard. By design, they are virtually maintenance-free aside from the simple methods described above. Sometimes, French Drain pipes fall victim to blockages from built-up sediment, silt and other particles that can lead to a partial or complete blockage.
At least once a year, you should inspect your French Drain for any signs of possible blockages or leaks. Regularly inspect your French Drain for any signs of possible blockages like pools of water in your yard, once or twice a year should be an adequate schedule. Part of your regular plumbing inspection should be the removal of the louvered drain grate (if one is installed) at the low point in your yard. Check for and remove any debris that has accumulated there, and you’ll surely prevent a need for a French Drain Repair in Houston service call.
French Drain Installations and repairs are not complicated and are something that Nick’s Plumbing Service has been doing since 1979. Our trained and licensed plumbers operate over fifteen fully stocked trucks with the equipment they need to make your French Drain Installation in Houston a success. Or if you’re simply looking for french drain repair in Houston we can do that too!
