French Drain Austin, TX

In Austin, one problem that many homeowners and commercial property owners contend with is a wet basement. Due to excess ground moisture that is not properly controlled, they often find themselves frustrated with mold, mildew, seeping water and other problems. Before excessive moisture leads to mold that can exacerbate health problems, or before it leads to serious damage to the structure, it is important to find a solution. Today, a common solution that is both affordable and practical is a French drain. This type of lawn drainage solution is ideal for many properties.

What Is a French Drain?

French drains may be indoors or outdoors. An interior drain is less common than an outdoor one. This is because an exterior drain prevents moisture from entering a basement. Keeping water out of the basement and the surrounding property adds the benefit of reducing pressure on basement walls, which means that they are less likely to crack or leak. With both types of drains, the system includes pipes, gravel and a lower point where the water exits. Depending on the property type, there may be several exit point options. Interior drains may be connected to a drainage system or use a pump to remove water from the lowest point.

How Do French Drains Work?

Professional installers create trenches, which is where they place pipes. The pipes have holes or perforations in them, and the pipes are covered with loose gravel. This design helps aerate the soil outdoors and allow excess groundwater to flow into the pipes. Since the trenches and pipes end in a lower point, the water flows to the collection point from there. With interior drains, the pipes and trenches are placed along the perimeter of a basement. Exterior drain trenches are planned at an angle away from the structure, and the specific placement of them often depends on whether the property has a slope or does not have a slope. If

there is a slope, the water may collect in a dry well, street drain or low-lying field. Storm sewers, dry wells, sump pumps and existing septic systems are options for properties that do not have a slope.

When Is It Time To Install a French Drain?

A French exterior yard drain may be appropriate in some conditions. While it may be the solution to end excess yard moisture for many people, it is not ideal for all properties. Assessing the land to determine if this form of drain is right is a job for a professional. A professional can measure slope accurately, determine the right placement for trenches and consider any other issues or challenges that may exist.

These are some signs that an exterior French drain may be a

good lawn drainage solution:

• There is mold or mildew in the basement that causes a musty smell.
• After it rains, the basement often floods.
• The yard often has standing water in one or more places.
• There are visible cracks, water stains or seeping water along the basement walls.
• Humidity is always a problem in the basement.
• Yard soil usually feels soggy.
• The basement does not have a waterproofing system.