Two of the most popular drainage methods utilized today by both contemporary residences and businesses are trench drains and French drains. However, which one of these two methods needs to be installed is one of the most frequent questions homeowners ask themselves. We’ll examine the advantages of both systems to help you choose the best drain system for your home’s yard, among other places.
Trench Drain
Surface drains are typically thought of as trench drains. These are ideal for directing standing water away from the ground’s surface so that it won’t damage your house’s foundation. In parts of the house where there is a greater likelihood of water collecting, this style of drain is preferable. Since you don’t want water to collect in these areas of your home, Pierman Foundation Repair offers a wide variety of solutions, including channel drains for patios and driveway drains and grates.
These drains are also a preferred method for homes with negatively sloping yards. This indicates that the region next to and around your home’s foundation walls is lower than the area in the yard. Rainwater is naturally directed toward your home’s foundation by this negative slope away from the yard. It is inevitable that your home will eventually run across a water damage problem.
Trench drains are the most effective solution in these situations since the water on the negatively sloped surface will be directed away from your foundation. You can now manage any type of water pooling or ponding on the surface of your yard much more effectively if you use the pre-sloped trench drain system.
French Drain
Trench drains direct water that has accumulated on your yard’s surface away from your home, whereas French drains control groundwater or water that seeps through the earth. In other words, these yard drainage systems are perfect for homes where rainwater seeps through the ground. It is ideal for homeowners whose yards only occasionally flood during rainstorms and don’t have flooding difficulties in general.
The major problem with a French drain is that it can be more difficult to install appropriately since a non-porous liner must be buried beneath the ground to act as the system’s moisture barrier. The trench is then lined with crushed rock or pebbles, with a perforated pipe inserted within.
When installing a french drain, a deep trench is excavated into the earth, and the bottom of the trench is filled with a perforated pipe. After that, ornamental stones or loose gravel are used to cover the pipe. Together, these two parts of a french drain function by draining away water that would otherwise accumulate in those places. Homeowners may have headaches as a result of these standing water-related issues brought on by pooled water. The water is instead allowed to trickle out via the drainage pipe and down into the rocks, thanks to the french drain system.
Differences Between A Trench Drain Vs. A French Drain
When deciding between various kinds of drains, a few key distinctions should be taken into account despite their similarities. Contrary to trench drains that are surface-level, French drains are underground drains. They are beneficial in yards that seldom flood but experience extra water during unusual rain events because they aid in draining excess water from the oversaturated ground. They can assist in preventing significant structural damage to your house.
A french drain is intended to divert more water the deeper it is put. Consider building a deeper french drain in yards that flood often. A french drain is another tool you may use to keep your house structurally sound. It is possible to assist foundational walls that are now being harmed by the weight of large amounts of water soaking in the earth. Removing the water to lower that pressure can be done by a drain like this one.
French drains are also excellent instruments for preventing bacterial movement into unfavorable areas. For instance, keeping your yard free of foul septic odors can be achieved by properly diverting waste water away from your septic system.
The slope of the ground and the location of the drain affect how well a French drain works. They are not intended to rapidly remove a lot of water from the landscape. As a result, a trench drain would be preferable for a landscape with a steeper slope and more water than a French drain in a landscape with a low slope and less water. Another aspect is installation. A liner and perforated pipe are put in a trench to create a French drain. They are more challenging to install than trench drains since the pipe is covered with gravel after installation.
For more information about the types of exterior (and interior!) drainage systems there are for protecting your home from moisture intrusion, give Pierman Foundation Repair a call today at (580) 453-0330! Our team of experts will evaluate your home or outdoor landscape to determine how we can best assist your property with professional drainage installation.
