Ultimate Guide to French Drains in Mobile AL
French Drains: How Do They Work?
First, French drains aren't actually from France. They're named after a Massachusetts judge named Henry French. Not that it matters, but a little history lesson never hurts.
Henry French designed this drain type to deal with sub-surface water. When water is standing above the surface, it is easier and more cost effective to install a catch basin with an exposed grate. When water is not standing on the surface but is heavily saturating the ground, relentlessly remaining wet and not draining away, Henry French's design comes into play.
These drains are unique with their slotted or perforated piping. Installed underground, they are covered with either sand or gravel and special fabric. Their slotted or perforated design allows water to seep into them while the surrounding landscaping textiles help block roots, soil, and debris from entering and clogging the pipe. As the water seeps in, the pipe directs the water to a new place where it can ultimately enter a natural or man-made drainage system.
French Drains in Mobile AL: Unique Problems in Our Area
When considering a drainage solution, there are a few problems shared by all drainage types and some unique to French drains in Mobile AL. In our area, all drainage problems tend to face one or two of the same problems.
There Has to Be Somewhere for the Water to Go
Regardless of if you're considering a ditch, French drain, trench drain, or something else, you ultimately have to have somewhere to send the water. Successfully installing some type of drainage piping is great unless there is nowhere to send the water to. If you're home is the lowest point in the area, oftentimes pumps may be required to push the water to its new destination, but this only works if there is in fact somewhere to push the water.
City drainage, natural drainage, or some other area has to be available to connect to and send the water. But this can be tricky. City codes and private property laws may restrict where and how you can push your water off of your property. More so, if you do it the wrong way and cause damage to someone else's property or to the city sewer then you may find yourself liable for damages. It's important to consider the ultimate destination for the excess water before bothering with deciding the right type of piping to use to get it there.
Soil Type Can Drive Up the Cost
Our nearly ubiquitous red clay can impact the cost of installing a French Drain in Mobile AL. While still effective in clay, it requires additional back filling of sand, gravel, and top soil to protect the drain from clogging and to keep it effectively receiving in-ground standing water. Doing this correctly, however, can get expensive, and often makes these projects cost-prohibitive.
Pumps, Pumps, and More Pumps
Being beneath sea level in some areas and dealing with swampy, marshy conditions, it's often necessary to include in your drainage system one or more electric sump pumps. While not a problem to install, sump pumps increase the project's cost and ongoing maintenance needs once installed. They'll also require a licensed electrician and reasonable way to tie into your home's electrical systems.
Sometimes It Isn't Your Fault
Generally, all property owners are required to 'contain' their own water with proper drainage so that water does not run off onto adjoining properties. This includes owners of public roads and road beds, usually the local or state municipality.
Therefore, if the road or adjoining property is not designed to properly contain its own water, and that water is draining onto your property sufficient to cause substantive damage, then you may have a cause of action against the municipality that owns and/or maintains the road or property. In such a case you would sue the municipality to force them to install proper drainage and to pay you for the damage the water runoff has caused to your property.
What you can't do, however, is simply install your own system that pushes the water right back. These situations can get tricky, and we'd recommend consulting an attorney and a civil engineer to evaluate it before taking any actions.
Determining the Right Solutions
A lot of things around the house exist that you can manage yourself. From do-it-yourself assessments and repairs on your air conditioner to fixing your own GFCI outlet, tackling your own problems can be both satisfying and budget-friendly. But when it comes to determining an effective solution to your drainage troubles, this is one area we recommend relying on an expert.
There are simply too many things that can go wrong. An improperly installed drainage system could direct water to an unintended location causing damage or violating local laws or it could simply be ineffective after spending time and money to install it. Bottom line, drainage systems are complicated and require a wealth of knowledge and experience to properly execute.
Consequently, we suggest using an expert. An experienced landscape and drainage specialist can evaluate your unique situation and provide a plan. They'll also take on the liability of ensuring everything is done correctly, as well as warranty their work to guarantee its effectiveness. The peace of mind of using a drainage expert is well worth the additional cost.
Looking for a Drainage Estimate?
Our team would love to answer any questions or concerns you may have. Before you commit to a costly repair for solving your drainage problems in Mobile AL, give us call. We offer free evaluations and estimates.
Simply give us a call and our team will come out at no cost to take a look at you situation. From there, we'll provide experience-based recommendations on how best to solve your problem.
