What Is A French Drain?
French Drains collect water from one location and send it to another. In Crawl Spaces, French Drains collect water around the perimeter of the foundation wall, then move it quickly to a Sump-Pump which gets it out of the Crawl Space.
French Drains are a fairly simple design and use grade to move water in a specific direction. They can be quite complex systems in certain applications, but the short of it is; you have a pipe with holes in it, surrrounded by stone and it runs down hill! When water enters the pipe, it flows freely and unobstructed to the place you designate.
FLC Energy uses EZ-Flow French Drain systems in our Crawl Space applications. This gravel-free alternative is light-weight, environmentally freindly, long-lasting and slashes installation times because it reduces the need to transport, shovel and move heavy gravel around in extremely tight spaces.
How Do I Know If I Need One?
If these situations apply to you, a French Drain might be part of the solution for you.
Standing Water In the Yard
Standing water in your yard means poor drainage. Althought a French Drain alone might not solve this issue, it could be a part of the process. If you have water standing in the same place after every rain storm, a French Drain can help move that water to another location, away from the areas you and your family use. French Drain systems beneath the soil can collect that bulk water and move it to a ditch, a basin, or graded areas of your property.
Standing Water in Your Crawl Space
Standing water in your crawlspace can have disasterous effects on your health and your home. Standing water is a great way for Mold and Mildew to grow right beneath your nose, maybe without you even knowing. If left unchecked, this water can lead to failing foundations, footers and pillars, as well as structural damage to floor joists, girders and other building materials.
Worst of all, standing water can have serious health effects on occupants in your home, particularly the young and the elderly. If your home’s HVAC system is in the Crawl Space, these problems will be even worse.
Since most homes have vegetation and landscaping around the foundation, an interior French Drain can be a great solution to your water problems. This French Drain is connected to a Sump-Pump, which is also inside the foundation wall and is pumped outside to a convenient location.
Standing Water in Your Basement
Many people install drainage tiles in basements, but beneath those systems you should have a French Drain. French Drains work in the same way they would in a crawlspace, only they’re beneath the concrete in this scenario. The French-Drains grade towards a Sealed Sump-Pump Basin containing a Sump-Pump with a Battery Back-Up. Just like the Crawl Space application, the Sump-Pump moves the water to a convenient location.
Ready to Quote your French Drain System?
#CallFLC at 410-860-8410. Our certified and experienced experts of the FLC GreenTeam will inspect your property and propose a wholistic and effective solution based on your needs.
#CallFLC today and take the first step towards a dryer tomorrow.
Stopping heat gains (your house getting warmer from the sun) begins with the sealing of passageways in your home that allow hot air to push into your living space. Most of these holes and penetrations are in your attic floor; typically they’re electric runs, plumbing lines and even the cut-outs for your HVAC system. Other times they’re just from poor building designs! After that’s been taken care of, add the insulation! Code for attic insulation in our area is R-49 or roughly 15-17” depending on the product type.
After the work is done, enjoy a more healthy, comfortable and efficient house. Do this right the first time, and you won’t have to worry about it for over 20 years.
