th-cam.com/video/OAayXLLClfA/w-d-xo.html That's just one video of many. They are in my French Drain Man Channel playlist. Over 1280 videos and counting. Thank you for commenting and contributing!
I just installed a dry river bed to deal with a lot of water from downspouts and erosion. I’ve been looking for a tutorial on how to DIY an exterior French drain and you just unlocked the knowledge for me. Thank you!!
Thank you for all of your videos! Couldn’t have done it properly without you! Ran a double barrel with down spout solid in the same trench, burrito wrapped. Baughman tile pipe is the best pipe in the world! Shawn- SWPA
Awesome stuff! Thanks for posting. This was really good. However, as I have very little knowledge, this was hard to keep up with at times and understand. Not your fault, just wondering if you can make a series breaking down each step, explaining the parts and methodology a with more depth? To say I am a beginner is an understatement.
Wow great video. I have a huge issue in my big backyard in Vegas when it gets cold n rains. And live in natural springs area so just huge issue. Told by yard maintenance expert French drain system like this is best bet and starting to believe it after this video.
Maybe I missed it. Where was all of the water being routed to? I get that the popup emitter will spread the water from the downspout across the lawn, but where is the water from the 8 slot french drain and from the solid pipe with catch basins being routed to?
If you cannot grab a drain your yard, you probably need an outdoor some pump system th-cam.com/play/PLjFCqaZ4v1BXXbPw3Vf7e86DbKj7qOnLn.html&si=bbRvahEJRonrSsTN
I would love this system put into my yard cause i do have very low spots in my back yard and it retain water plus next door neighbors down spouts point to my yard too. But i don't have time or help for this.
Thanks you very interesting. Unfortunately you're in the US and I'm in the UK. I have about 7 acres that needs doin! I'll probably have to go for a opened dich its about all I can afford . But I love watching your videos and dreaming .
The pop-up / catch basin with open-bottom over the french drain confused me. Leaves and shingles are now going into the french drain trench. You can open it to clean it out, but at that point don't you have leaves and shingles potentially getting to the slotted pipe?
It stays concentrated in the bottom of the pop-up fitting. You don't have to do it, you can put your pop-up on the outside of your French train. We have customers that complain if they have a little puddle of water anywhere after we do our systems so by doing a popup in a French Drain the waters never left to puddle. Some yards are uneven.
I live in London so London clay is under the garden, in one area where water pooled I used an an auger and drilled down 600mm filled 90% of the hole with shingle then top soil on top to help with the drainage seems to be working just need to re turf the area as it is in a shaded area, also check to see if you have an underground river.
@@FRENCHDRAINMAN = Would have 2 or 3 inches of water sometimes and the mud/sod would be slippery as hell, London clay is a law unto its own as shrinks quickly and thats why London had so many brick factories and potteries also that is why the nickname for Fulham Football Club is the "Potters"
Gonna be needing to do my yard drainage this year. Not sure if I should fix the grade before trying to put drain in. Just over the years I’ve started to get low spots where water collects.
Low spots are found money in my business. You start leveling them out you will chase the water around your yard until you are blue in the face. Collect the water in the low points and evacuate from the property. Thank you for commenting and sharing!
Interesting video. However one thing to note, you don't have to pack your dirt down that well. Yes, doing it right will save you a bit of work, but if you need more dirt in an area you can simply sprinkle/layer some dirt and the grass will just grow through it. Something to keep in mind if you have a few lower spots after finishing. No need to remove sod.
Our installation crew has a no call back policy. We simply will be out of business if we have to send crew members back because of a erosion claim or settling. I do understand your point tho.
@@FRENCHDRAINMAN Ah, Yes I guess for you that would be an inconvenience. I was mentioning it for people that did it themselves. Very easy to take a shovel and sprinkle some dirt where needed.
@@FRENCHDRAINMAN i'm not asking for a lot. just an after picture, similar to the before pictures you had included. even the customer could take a few pictures and then send them to you. and btw, if you have been asked, as a business for result pictures, perhaps you could listen to your customers and fulfill their request? especially given that you have had previous requests in the past. plus the fact that you are a business and you do have employees? so then you could get one of your student helpers to drive out to the given customer site(s) during a rainy day to take pictures for you? Just saying. because it looks like you are providing a great service. just remember: steve jobs wasn't successful because he was the smartest person. Nope. Steve Jobs, the founder of Apple, succeeded because he was customer focused.
@@robertlee3778 Lmao. You're a viewer, not a customer. Viewer requests =/= Customer requests. I'm sure they're plenty customer focused, too. At some point you have to stop thinking that you're more important than you are. The fact that you started with, "I'm not asking for a lot." When he gave you an alternative. Someone's not gonna pay extra wages, or waste their own valuable time just to drive out to a previous job and get pictures for some rando when they already have a perfectly good video showing how results work. You are asking for a lot. You just don't think so, because it's for you.
Love the systems you show. My question is about yards that have had this problem for a longer period of time and would like to try and grow grass once the yard is draining properly and doesn't turn into a mud pit when it's wet as they currently have no grass. What do you do when there is no sod? Simply cover with dirt and let the homeowner seed the area?
Holes are always down. The failed pipe that was removed didn’t fail because of the orientation of the holes. It failed because the system didn't include the drain rock to keep the finer sediment out. Keeping the sediment out can be accomplished by either surrounding the pipe with extra drain rock, or more commonly by using the filter fabric.
Thanks for all the information. Questions for you, is it normal to have water at the end of your line by the pop-up? I'm concerned about the water freezing during winter time and breaking the system. Any recommendations? My guy did everything you showed on the video.
Do you have any advice on what product to use with pavers? This would be start on pavers but will eventually go out onto the grass area around the house and out the front to the street.
Hi, enjoyed the video. The previous owner said there is a French drain in my backyard. The problem is that is covered up with grass. I have tried finding it that way I could dig up that area. When it rains really hard, it pools in yard. I think one of the house downspouts goes into it also. Do you have any ideas to help locate it? Thank you, Bill
My question is, if the french drain is only 2” of sod above it, is that not sufficient enough to collect all the water in the yard? will the water not percolate fast enough through the sod so it will flood the yard? I would figure that after a big rain the yard water would pretty quickly drain out surface and subsurface water through the French drain
Hi. Just saw your video and would like to know what sort of system would you build to drain standing yard water to then catch and store in order to use in spring/summer veggie garden??? I want to drain my front yard but also preserve what I drain to reuse. A different sort of rain catchment instead of using downspout from roof it would be coming from standing in the yard. Have you ever been asked to build such a system? How would the rain barrel portion be setup in order to use with ease throughout the growing season? How would the drain and storage attach to each other? What area do you work in? Thank you.
How do you expect grass to survive when you put the sod back, right on top of the fabric, which is directly over a bed of stone ? During a hot dry summer there will be a perfect "map" of the drain field because of the dead grass
It all makes sense to me, but I have one question; If you are draining water to the lowest point in your yard, how does the water drain away without a pump?
This may be a dumb question - complete rookie here. Is it okay to do a French drain with no drain basin? I am going to build a dog area with river rock. I’d like to put a French drain system underneath this dog area so that when I clean it, (enzyme-water sprayer/ sprayed with the hose) that excess water will go down and be flushed out by the French drain. This French drain system would only be 10-15’ long, and then connect to the solid pipe which will be connected to all my down spouts. I live in Arizona, so the soil is dense. It often floods so I am trying to brainstorm ideas and knockout 2 birds (flooding/ urine smell) with one stone (French drain/ solid pipe system). Thank you for your videos, they’re extremely helpful
Great info and video!! Sir I have a question between my neighbors house and mine. It’s just a really bad spot there with water collects in the middle and it’s just ruining my yard so I’m going to put a French drain down through there. Do I just put it in the middle there and I guess the water will go to the lowest spot and drain out of the yard. That is the correct way to think about this right? Thank you.
half my back yard pools 6-8” every rainfall… running it all the way to the street is a hike. backyard edge is a solid wall behind businesses. is it possible to plum a yard drain and/or french (with clean outs) to a large basin underground? (so to speak) like a temporary holding tank for the volume? if so, how can i calculate the basin size i would need?
If the area you are draining has zero slope say, for 50 feet, but the remaining 100' of drain has good slope, the daylight exit is much lower than than the the rest of the system...will that first 50' of zero slope still flow?
This is an amazing max info video. So many of your videos I’ve watched come together on this one! Q: Is there a maximum suggested length for pvc adapter that connects to a pop-up emitter? I have situation where I’ve made/finished a burrito wrapped FDS that discharges into a deep storm water gully- but set the discharge pipe too low at the bottom of the gully. When we get a heavy rain and the gully fills up this causes the drain to start filling back up into the French drain. Thinking, if can install a 10” - 12” high section of PVC that holds the pop up emitter over the gushing water, this can keep the discharge level above water level. I assume I would drill holes on the bottom of the adapter as you’ve suggested to let the extra seep out. Is there a standard height you’d recommend? Trying to learn! Thanks
Results vary with trench depth. Once we are 16" deep or deeper we go to triple pipe system with 2 eight slot High Octane on the Bottom. We do 1% Slope.
@@willray4098 No. If you have this situation you need a Outdoor Sump Pump System. You Pump the water to the surface and discharge it to your desired location. I hope this helped.
Will this system work in the kingman az desert ? I have alot of water that flows from back property's onto mine and across at a diagonal. I would like to reroute it along and down the fence line to where it normally exits. Will this work in desert sandy dirt ?
@@FRENCHDRAINMAN ok. So a French drain with a 1% to 3% slope is enough pitch to force the water out of a pop up emitter at the end of the run? I can see how roof water from a downspout has the velocity to come out of a pop up emitter but I would be afraid that a French drain for yard water wouldn’t
How does surface/subsurface water in a yard not immediately above the drain, instead of go straight down further deeper into the soil, got drawn into the drain ( if the drain is not at lower point ), read somewhere water follows path of least resistance or something ?
I did not save my sod. Would it be better to burrito wrap my drain tile and rock and then just add topsoil and plant grass? Or put a couple inches of gravel on top of the burrito and hope it will slowly fill in with grass? Thank you! I just received my order from you and anxious to get started.
If you have a sprinkler system it's easy to grow grass on a french drain. If you don't have sprinklers you will need more dirt on top of the french drain. Make sure to put straw over your seed to keep the new seedlings from drying out. Hope this helps. Thank you for commenting and contributing.
I live south of San Antonio Texas and my yard collects the neighbors water and well as my own and it floods my porches and yard. I see that you are located in Michigan, what type of profession name would I look up to find a company that does what you do? Also, for the size of job that you videoed, how much did that cost for parts and labor to do?
I live in an area where foundations have to be 4 feet down due to winter ground freezing. How does this affect installation of the french drain? Thanks.
A building foundation would commonly have an underdrain system, but probably separate from a French drain system similar to the downspout drains being separate in this video. If grades or public sewer systems allow, it might be able to drain by gravity flow. More commonly though, because of the depth, it would need a sump pump.
I have a overly saturated back yard, that slopes away from the house. When it rains water floods the far corner of the yard. Water also flows on top of the soil from high point to the low corner that floods. My thought is to install a catch drain in the corner that evacuates the water out "under" the fence. would a French drain work in the saturated part of the yard or just the catch drain? Also, should I add drains and solid drain pipe where water rushes over the ground towards the low corner?
I got 5 acres that needs to be done in Buffalo ny do u know a good companies out here that does a nice job like you guys out here that u would recommend lol
Most homeowners are buying and supplying a local contractor. You can get a quote for them to install the pipe you supply them that way you know the system will not fail due to cheap garbage pipe. Let me know if you find a good contractor in your area. At this time we don't know of anyone.
If I had low spots in my yard, 1st thing would fill in with dirt to even it and slightly higher where needed for run off. Did small trenches to re-direct water flow/build-up. If that wouldn't work, french drain. See where this would be needed more when living in a subdivision or in city.
FILLING in a low spot is the worst thing you can do because it make the water harder to collect. You will chase water till you are blue in the face. LOW SPOTS are great collection areas. 40 years ago I thought like you and I learned the hard way. ✌️ Thank you for sharing
Great descriptions and explanations. Any particular reason you used corrugated vs pvc? Here in the south most professionals go pvc these days. Wondered if there was a reason you didn’t.
Hello Robert, I have a situation where someone needs to change how their setup is currently. They have at least one channel drain at porch and 1-2 gutter pipes leading into an open yard pit which overflows into neighbors yard sometimes. They would like it to go away since an eyesore in their mulch bed which is only trees. Here it does slope to side yard and somewhat to side/back yard. Several trees around. Also no city drainage at road so everything needs discharged into yard. What’s the best design/install option? Thinking running each gutter in various spots on side yard to disperse. Would adding a River birch tree also help? Thanks
Vegetation almost always helps. Water flows downhill, so the key is figuring out where is downhill. You could also increase the underground reservoir by using bottomless barrels instead of rocks (100% void instead of roughly 25% voids), or even install rain barrels above ground and save on irrigation $.
my backyard is the low point in my entire neighborhood, every time it rains we end up a lake in our yard, my house is old and my basement is the stacked cinder block construction and it's now leaking badly, I honestly don't know what to do about it, it really sucks
Now please tell me if there was gravel in the bottom of trench and all around it etc where you took out the old pipe. No doubt your solution works but if the pipe you pulled out was installed incorrectly you should mention that.
It was installed correctly. PVC doesn't have holes 360 degrees like corrugated so when the bottom of the drain fills with sediment it can no longer work
Great video but I thought this was about "collecting" water. This is less about collecting and more about capturing and redirecting. Id like to see a true collection and perhaps reusing the water during dry months.
I'm no expert just a question, if the french drain is doing it's job there should be no surface water, only if french drain was overwhelmed will there even be a need for surface drain catchers.
French drain will take in surface water slowly. So people send me pictures during the rain with pudding during a 2" rain 🤷🏻♂️🤦♂️with this world of everything on demand NOW people have high expectations.
th-cam.com/video/F5d-47POqbo/w-d-xo.html Start at 10" and drop 1" every 100" for 1% Slope. Watch the video on how to do this. Super easy DIYers under $5.00 way of measuring Slope of your trench bottom NOT the Slope of your grade. Always 2 pipes on the bottom of the trench with our double punched fabric. Enjoy your drainage project. If you do this you will be successful.
Another question, for my solid pipe drain I was going to add multiple 6 inch round catch basins, but how do you keep the 1% slope going and yet keep those suckers at ground surface??!! Is there an adaptor or extender that keeps basins ground level while pipe keeps going deeper in ground . There ARE NO VIDEOS discussing this. Please advise!
The pipes are probably 4” drain pipes, and it’s best to have a space between the pipes that is bigger than the rock you’re backfilling with. If you are using 1.5” rock as he recommends, that’s at least 6” (3x2”) wider, or 14” minimum. It is more common, and in many ways better to use slightly smaller rock; 3/4”. The key though, is that it is drain rock, or washed rock, so that there aren’t the fine aggregate that does clog the system. As for the riser, you could fit a pipe extension on to it, but if the ground is rising, you don’t really need an area drain. Water flows downhill.
I had one very large problem here, two stories, one story, all the same with RAIN... the only thing with rain is SURFACE AREA, how much surface area does the roof cover...
So, you failed to show slope and where all that water will be discharged and how it will be discharged. Is that water being collected in a sump and then a sump pump discharges that water to the street, the storm sewer, or what?
We’ll sir if you dig your trench wide enough and deep enough and put a good 4-6 inches of gravel under the pipe with holes down. It won’t clog. If you cheat with the 3/4-1 inch pieces of gravel under the pipe yes it will fail.
th-cam.com/video/6g7QB3XUSiA/w-d-xo.html
would really be great if you could follow up with a video of the system performing during a rain event.
th-cam.com/video/OAayXLLClfA/w-d-xo.html
That's just one video of many. They are in my French Drain Man Channel playlist. Over 1280 videos and counting. Thank you for commenting and contributing!
Lots of golden nuggets in this vid
I just installed a dry river bed to deal with a lot of water from downspouts and erosion.
I’ve been looking for a tutorial on how to DIY an exterior French drain and you just unlocked the knowledge for me.
Thank you!!
I wish you could come do my yard. This looks great.
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Thank you for all of your videos! Couldn’t have done it properly without you! Ran a double barrel with down spout solid in the same trench, burrito wrapped. Baughman tile pipe is the best pipe in the world!
Shawn- SWPA
Great video, love all the detail with clear explanation. Thanks for sharing your knowledge and experience!
Great video sir; intelligent, straightforward engineering
You build a really nice system.
Awesome stuff! Thanks for posting. This was really good. However, as I have very little knowledge, this was hard to keep up with at times and understand. Not your fault, just wondering if you can make a series breaking down each step, explaining the parts and methodology a with more depth? To say I am a beginner is an understatement.
th-cam.com/video/VFYj7sbmXGg/w-d-xo.html
That was really helpful info and it just made sense. I have serious ponding in my yard. The water just has no where to go.
This playlist will help it sounds like you need a outdoor sump pump
th-cam.com/play/PLjFCqaZ4v1BXXbPw3Vf7e86DbKj7qOnLn.html
Great video Bro!
Thank you
You can still put rocks around the underground downspout pipes and it will also help channel water downhill, while protecting the pipe
Yes 💯%
Thank you for commenting and sharing.
Wow great video. I have a huge issue in my big backyard in Vegas when it gets cold n rains. And live in natural springs area so just huge issue. Told by yard maintenance expert French drain system like this is best bet and starting to believe it after this video.
th-cam.com/video/VFYj7sbmXGg/w-d-xo.htmlsi=XnLWaO4OvtwR36rU
I recommend you visit the place when it's raining to show us the result and your work in action. That would really be nice.
th-cam.com/video/OAayXLLClfA/w-d-xo.html
th-cam.com/video/OKOSD5o_h2U/w-d-xo.html
th-cam.com/video/bPs7fvCYwbg/w-d-xo.html
@@FRENCHDRAINMAN Thank you for replying. Enjoyed your video.
nice back to basics
Pretty good video 😊
Thanks Rob
awesome video!
Love it, thanks for sharing
Maybe I missed it. Where was all of the water being routed to? I get that the popup emitter will spread the water from the downspout across the lawn, but where is the water from the 8 slot french drain and from the solid pipe with catch basins being routed to?
Gravity drain down the side of the house to the street curb out front. Ended the line with a pop-up emitter.
@FRENCHDRAINMAN would u recommend routing the water to a 8 x8 drywell where the gutter is also piped to aswell
I wish you could come to Texas and fix our backyard drainage problem.
If you cannot grab a drain your yard, you probably need an outdoor some pump system
th-cam.com/play/PLjFCqaZ4v1BXXbPw3Vf7e86DbKj7qOnLn.html&si=bbRvahEJRonrSsTN
Would have loved to see how it daylighted.
th-cam.com/play/PLjFCqaZ4v1BXXbPw3Vf7e86DbKj7qOnLn.html&si=w5fYNCkeFAb6hY4q
I would love this system put into my yard cause i do have very low spots in my back yard and it retain water plus next door neighbors down spouts point to my yard too. But i don't have time or help for this.
Google "Yard Drainage Contractors near me"
Thanks you very interesting. Unfortunately you're in the US and I'm in the UK.
I have about 7 acres that needs doin!
I'll probably have to go for a opened dich its about all I can afford .
But I love watching your videos and dreaming .
The pop-up / catch basin with open-bottom over the french drain confused me. Leaves and shingles are now going into the french drain trench. You can open it to clean it out, but at that point don't you have leaves and shingles potentially getting to the slotted pipe?
It stays concentrated in the bottom of the pop-up fitting. You don't have to do it, you can put your pop-up on the outside of your French train. We have customers that complain if they have a little puddle of water anywhere after we do our systems so by doing a popup in a French Drain the waters never left to puddle. Some yards are uneven.
@@FRENCHDRAINMAN Perfect, thanks FDM! This is exactly what I wanted to do anyway but thought it was a no-no. Really appreciate the reply.
Great job...
I live in London so London clay is under the garden, in one area where water pooled I used an an auger and drilled down 600mm filled 90% of the hole with shingle then top soil on top to help with the drainage seems to be working just need to re turf the area as it is in a shaded area, also check to see if you have an underground river.
Dry well is effective in some cases.
@@FRENCHDRAINMAN = Would have 2 or 3 inches of water sometimes and the mud/sod would be slippery as hell, London clay is a law unto its own as shrinks quickly and thats why London had so many brick factories and potteries also that is why the nickname for Fulham Football Club is the "Potters"
Gonna be needing to do my yard drainage this year. Not sure if I should fix the grade before trying to put drain in. Just over the years I’ve started to get low spots where water collects.
Low spots are found money in my business. You start leveling them out you will chase the water around your yard until you are blue in the face. Collect the water in the low points and evacuate from the property.
Thank you for commenting and sharing!
My yard is a swamp, will try this
th-cam.com/video/wPkMB7qlUSo/w-d-xo.html
Interesting video. However one thing to note, you don't have to pack your dirt down that well. Yes, doing it right will save you a bit of work, but if you need more dirt in an area you can simply sprinkle/layer some dirt and the grass will just grow through it. Something to keep in mind if you have a few lower spots after finishing. No need to remove sod.
Our installation crew has a no call back policy. We simply will be out of business if we have to send crew members back because of a erosion claim or settling. I do understand your point tho.
@@FRENCHDRAINMAN Ah, Yes I guess for you that would be an inconvenience. I was mentioning it for people that did it themselves. Very easy to take a shovel and sprinkle some dirt where needed.
it would be nice to see the before and after pictures.
thanks for the video, btw. looks great!
th-cam.com/video/OAayXLLClfA/w-d-xo.html
@@FRENCHDRAINMAN i'm not asking for a lot. just an after picture, similar to the before pictures you had included. even the customer could take a few pictures and then send them to you.
and btw, if you have been asked, as a business for result pictures, perhaps you could listen to your customers and fulfill their request? especially given that you have had previous requests in the past. plus the fact that you are a business and you do have employees? so then you could get one of your student helpers to drive out to the given customer site(s) during a rainy day to take pictures for you?
Just saying.
because it looks like you are providing a great service.
just remember: steve jobs wasn't successful because he was the smartest person. Nope. Steve Jobs, the founder of Apple, succeeded because he was customer focused.
@@robertlee3778 Lmao. You're a viewer, not a customer. Viewer requests =/= Customer requests. I'm sure they're plenty customer focused, too. At some point you have to stop thinking that you're more important than you are. The fact that you started with, "I'm not asking for a lot." When he gave you an alternative. Someone's not gonna pay extra wages, or waste their own valuable time just to drive out to a previous job and get pictures for some rando when they already have a perfectly good video showing how results work.
You are asking for a lot. You just don't think so, because it's for you.
Love the systems you show. My question is about yards that have had this problem for a longer period of time and would like to try and grow grass once the yard is draining properly and doesn't turn into a mud pit when it's wet as they currently have no grass. What do you do when there is no sod? Simply cover with dirt and let the homeowner seed the area?
th-cam.com/play/PLjFCqaZ4v1BXXbPw3Vf7e86DbKj7qOnLn.html&si=bbRvahEJRonrSsTN
We need you in Longmont, Colorado
I wish we could move around. We are so equipment heavy and fuel is over $5 a gallon for Diesel fuel.
Could you discuss your prescription for window egress pits where there is no footer tile. What about multiple pits and roof runoff?
th-cam.com/video/NNXxfoqFB3o/w-d-xo.html
Several other videos say holes r to be in bottom, #2 grade rock then fabric finish with burrito wrap.
th-cam.com/video/kqUNnc0j8Kg/w-d-xo.html
@@FRENCHDRAINMAN thanks
Holes are always down.
The failed pipe that was removed didn’t fail because of the orientation of the holes. It failed because the system didn't include the drain rock to keep the finer sediment out. Keeping the sediment out can be accomplished by either surrounding the pipe with extra drain rock, or more commonly by using the filter fabric.
Good stuff ty
th-cam.com/play/PLjFCqaZ4v1BXXbPw3Vf7e86DbKj7qOnLn.html&si=fWKthNE80ztXPigt
Thanks for all the information. Questions for you, is it normal to have water at the end of your line by the pop-up? I'm concerned about the water freezing during winter time and breaking the system. Any recommendations? My guy did everything you showed on the video.
th-cam.com/video/yFxGFxfSD0A/w-d-xo.htmlsi=8k4fkuazgrZycVOk
Do you have any advice on what product to use with pavers? This would be start on pavers but will eventually go out onto the grass area around the house and out the front to the street.
I believe part of this video will be of help
th-cam.com/video/pUTNYsP3G9c/w-d-xo.htmlsi=Mqqye-yJtTtThQn8
Hi, enjoyed the video. The previous owner said there is a French drain in my backyard. The problem is that is covered up with grass. I have tried finding it that way I could dig up that area. When it rains really hard, it pools in yard. I think one of the house downspouts goes into it also. Do you have any ideas to help locate it? Thank you, Bill
Hire local plumbing company to track with a Locator. Worth every penny.
My question is, if the french drain is only 2” of sod above it, is that not sufficient enough to collect all the water in the yard? will the water not percolate fast enough through the sod so it will flood the yard? I would figure that after a big rain the yard water would pretty quickly drain out surface and subsurface water through the French drain
th-cam.com/play/PLjFCqaZ4v1BXWZPUFUNw6SMI64dtHlhzl.html&si=KsGJ1eFhfZZhxRdf
This is the playlist that you wanna watch.
Where can you buy the blue 8 slot tile? and down spout conns?
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Hi. Just saw your video and would like to know what sort of system would you build to drain standing yard water to then catch and store in order to use in spring/summer veggie garden???
I want to drain my front yard but also preserve what I drain to reuse. A different sort of rain catchment instead of using downspout from roof it would be coming from standing in the yard.
Have you ever been asked to build such a system?
How would the rain barrel portion be setup in order to use with ease throughout the growing season?
How would the drain and storage attach to each other?
What area do you work in?
Thank you.
You need to have several cisterns installed
How do you expect grass to survive when you put the sod back, right on top of the fabric, which is directly over a bed of stone ? During a hot dry summer there will be a perfect "map" of the drain field because of the dead grass
th-cam.com/users/shortsLFGJQa68yTc?feature=share
I need this between my house and my neighbors. Their downspouts and their lawn slope toward my house.
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Can you leave the 1.5" stone exposed at the top? I plan to run a french drain along the fence and don't mind the look. Anything I should consider?
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What are those 'traffic sheets' along the side of the trench? What's their commercial name, where to buy? I realize you used to use 3/4'' plywood..
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It all makes sense to me, but I have one question; If you are draining water to the lowest point in your yard, how does the water drain away without a pump?
You need to watch this again because we are collecting water in the lowest points NOT draining in the lowest points
This may be a dumb question - complete rookie here. Is it okay to do a French drain with no drain basin? I am going to build a dog area with river rock. I’d like to put a French drain system underneath this dog area so that when I clean it, (enzyme-water sprayer/ sprayed with the hose) that excess water will go down and be flushed out by the French drain. This French drain system would only be 10-15’ long, and then connect to the solid pipe which will be connected to all my down spouts. I live in Arizona, so the soil is dense. It often floods so I am trying to brainstorm ideas and knockout 2 birds (flooding/ urine smell) with one stone (French drain/ solid pipe system).
Thank you for your videos, they’re extremely helpful
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Great info and video!! Sir I have a question between my neighbors house and mine. It’s just a really bad spot there with water collects in the middle and it’s just ruining my yard so I’m going to put a French drain down through there. Do I just put it in the middle there and I guess the water will go to the lowest spot and drain out of the yard. That is the correct way to think about this right? Thank you.
Yes.
We do consulting as well 248-505-3065
half my back yard pools 6-8” every rainfall… running it all the way to the street is a hike. backyard edge is a solid wall behind businesses.
is it possible to plum a yard drain and/or french (with clean outs) to a large basin underground? (so to speak) like a temporary holding tank for the volume?
if so, how can i calculate the basin size i would need?
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Thank you
If the area you are draining has zero slope say, for 50 feet, but the remaining 100' of drain has good slope, the daylight exit is much lower than than the the rest of the system...will that first 50' of zero slope still flow?
Yes
This is an amazing max info video. So many of your videos I’ve watched come together on this one!
Q: Is there a maximum suggested length for pvc adapter that connects to a pop-up emitter?
I have situation where I’ve made/finished a burrito wrapped FDS that discharges into a deep storm water gully- but set the discharge pipe too low at the bottom of the gully. When we get a heavy rain and the gully fills up this causes the drain to start filling back up into the French drain.
Thinking, if can install a 10” - 12” high section of PVC that holds the pop up emitter over the gushing water, this can keep the discharge level above water level. I assume I would drill holes on the bottom of the adapter as you’ve suggested to let the extra seep out.
Is there a standard height you’d recommend?
Trying to learn! Thanks
Results vary with trench depth. Once we are 16" deep or deeper we go to triple pipe system with 2 eight slot High Octane on the Bottom. We do 1% Slope.
@@FRENCHDRAINMAN thank you! How high can a pop up emitter pop up?
Is it ok to have an extended piece of PVC rising up - say a foot high - from the French drain pipe to the emitter?
@@willray4098 No. If you have this situation you need a Outdoor Sump Pump System. You Pump the water to the surface and discharge it to your desired location. I hope this helped.
Leave the water to infiltrate; it reduces flooding and increases ground water.
Doesn't a french drain around a house eliminate the need for gutters? And can a French drain be directed into an underground rainwater cistern?
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Will this system work in the kingman az desert ? I have alot of water that flows from back property's onto mine and across at a diagonal. I would like to reroute it along and down the fence line to where it normally exits. Will this work in desert sandy dirt ?
No, it will not work in the desert sand.
Nice shop.
Your access to this site has been limited by the site owner.
Looks like I'm going to order from somewhere else.
248-505-3065 tell them Robert Sherwood said to take your order over the phone. 10% off right now
Sorry for your trouble. Hope this helps.
So where does that water go..does it drain into the storm sewer or does it come out to day light through a pop up somewhere else in the yard?
Discharge ran out front to the street. Yes a pop-up emitter
@@FRENCHDRAINMAN ok. So a French drain with a 1% to 3% slope is enough pitch to force the water out of a pop up emitter at the end of the run? I can see how roof water from a downspout has the velocity to come out of a pop up emitter but I would be afraid that a French drain for yard water wouldn’t
How does surface/subsurface water in a yard not immediately above the drain, instead of go straight down further deeper into the soil, got drawn into the drain ( if the drain is not at lower point ), read somewhere water follows path of least resistance or something ?
🤦♂️
I live in the desert southwest and don't get much standing water
Well, it was a wet year, that's for sure. I thought the entire country ended up saturated good for you, man!
Does this system comply to code when you need to drain to a state ditch? Indiana resident.
Yes
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I did not save my sod. Would it be better to burrito wrap my drain tile and rock and then just add topsoil and plant grass? Or put a couple inches of gravel on top of the burrito and hope it will slowly fill in with grass? Thank you! I just received my order from you and anxious to get started.
If you have a sprinkler system it's easy to grow grass on a french drain. If you don't have sprinklers you will need more dirt on top of the french drain. Make sure to put straw over your seed to keep the new seedlings from drying out. Hope this helps. Thank you for commenting and contributing.
Do you need surface drains if you dont put turf grass on top?
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What size is a typical French drain to move water between 2 houses…12’x12’, 18’x12’?
Sorry…I meant that I’m inches
Start shallow and create slope. 7" in the beginning and 1% or 2% Slope.
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Why not solid pvc? Don't the corrugated pipe collect dirt and debris and can collapse?
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I live south of San Antonio Texas and my yard collects the neighbors water and well as my own and it floods my porches and yard. I see that you are located in Michigan, what type of profession name would I look up to find a company that does what you do? Also, for the size of job that you videoed, how much did that cost for parts and labor to do?
We have someone in the state of Texas. Call our main office 248-505-3065
Best French Drain and Yard Drainage Contractor
frenchdrainman.com/
If you cut your grass with a zero point mower, will care have to be taken to not run the machine over these drains?
No sir
They take 4600 lbs with no problem. Tractors 🚜 can drive over it
@@FRENCHDRAINMAN Awesome! Thank you🤙🏽
I live in an area where foundations have to be 4 feet down due to winter ground freezing. How does this affect installation of the french drain? Thanks.
No it does not. The French Drain Systems can be shallow but we do build them to Drain out completely.
A building foundation would commonly have an underdrain system, but probably separate from a French drain system similar to the downspout drains being separate in this video. If grades or public sewer systems allow, it might be able to drain by gravity flow. More commonly though, because of the depth, it would need a sump pump.
Can you use the gravel on top on the burrito french drain instead of the soil?
th-cam.com/video/mSfXGLlyIKM/w-d-xo.html
Yes
Where does the run eventually run to?
To the street in the front yard
Do you ever just leave the surface as the rock backfill? If you don't care about having sod over the top?
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I have a overly saturated back yard, that slopes away from the house. When it rains water floods the far corner of the yard. Water also flows on top of the soil from high point to the low corner that floods. My thought is to install a catch drain in the corner that evacuates the water out "under" the fence. would a French drain work in the saturated part of the yard or just the catch drain? Also, should I add drains and solid drain pipe where water rushes over the ground towards the low corner?
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I live in florida. My home is own a minor slope. When a hard rain comes I get erosion. What kind of system do you recommend?
Swale to caught water and inlets to pipe it to desired location
There are lots of options for natural systems to slow water. Faster water causes erosion.
I got 5 acres that needs to be done in Buffalo ny do u know a good companies out here that does a nice job like you guys out here that u would recommend lol
Most homeowners are buying and supplying a local contractor. You can get a quote for them to install the pipe you supply them that way you know the system will not fail due to cheap garbage pipe. Let me know if you find a good contractor in your area. At this time we don't know of anyone.
If I had low spots in my yard, 1st thing would fill in with dirt to even it and slightly higher where needed for run off. Did small trenches to re-direct water flow/build-up. If that wouldn't work, french drain. See where this would be needed more when living in a subdivision or in city.
FILLING in a low spot is the worst thing you can do because it make the water harder to collect. You will chase water till you are blue in the face. LOW SPOTS are great collection areas. 40 years ago I thought like you and I learned the hard way. ✌️
Thank you for sharing
Ok but where does the water go ? I have No slope.. Should I just put in a Huge Catch basin
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Great descriptions and explanations. Any particular reason you used corrugated vs pvc? Here in the south most professionals go pvc these days. Wondered if there was a reason you didn’t.
Corrugated is flexible so it’s often times easier to install because no connections are needed to make bends of changes if direction.
$$$$$ its far cheaper for the installer.
Your mileage might vary when it comes to how long it lasts.
PVC is really heavy, and in wet soils, it'll form more bellies than you'll ever find in corrugated pipe.
Hello Robert, I have a situation where someone needs to change how their setup is currently. They have at least one channel drain at porch and 1-2 gutter pipes leading into an open yard pit which overflows into neighbors yard sometimes. They would like it to go away since an eyesore in their mulch bed which is only trees. Here it does slope to side yard and somewhat to side/back yard. Several trees around. Also no city drainage at road so everything needs discharged into yard. What’s the best design/install option? Thinking running each gutter in various spots on side yard to disperse. Would adding a River birch tree also help? Thanks
Vegetation almost always helps.
Water flows downhill, so the key is figuring out where is downhill.
You could also increase the underground reservoir by using bottomless barrels instead of rocks (100% void instead of roughly 25% voids), or even install rain barrels above ground and save on irrigation $.
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Did I miss a part? Where does the water go/discharge?
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@@FRENCHDRAINMAN
Thanks for the playlist. Just discovered the channel. Seems I have some catching up to do.
Where can I find a company in the Va beach area? Please help. Thank you
Dr. Dan's Landscaping & Architectural Design g.co/kgs/SsGh3xv
R & S Outdoors g.co/kgs/uPE6M3g
my backyard is the low point in my entire neighborhood, every time it rains we end up a lake in our yard, my house is old and my basement is the stacked cinder block construction and it's now leaking badly, I honestly don't know what to do about it, it really sucks
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Now please tell me if there was gravel in the bottom of trench and all around it etc where you took out the old pipe. No doubt your solution works but if the pipe you pulled out was installed incorrectly you should mention that.
It was installed correctly. PVC doesn't have holes 360 degrees like corrugated so when the bottom of the drain fills with sediment it can no longer work
Without any slope?
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What does a job like those cost in 2024? Large estimate range is fine. Trying to set goals.
@@MrJaxparadize
Best French Drain and Yard Drainage Contractor
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@@FRENCHDRAINMAN thank you good sir! Great work on the vid btw!
What kind of business would I go to if I want this done professionally?
Yard Drainage Contractors
@@FRENCHDRAINMAN Thank you. Any recommendations for the Chicagoland area?
What is the fabric that is being used?
Non-woven Geotextile Fabric in 4 oz and 8 oz
frenchdrainman.com/filter-fabric/
Where is your company located as we live in FL in the Tampa area …
Would like to get someone like you to help us out .
I'd love to help. We do consulting. 248-505-3065
Nice job. How much?$$?
Most of our jobs are 5k -10k
Great video but I thought this was about "collecting" water. This is less about collecting and more about capturing and redirecting. Id like to see a true collection and perhaps reusing the water during dry months.
👍
How much does a drainage system cost for your home .
It ranges like automobiles. Every job is custom and unique.
I don't understand the sod on top of the fabric. Has anyone else had any problems with it living with no dirt underneath the sod
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Where did you discharge at or how???
We run everything away from the house
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I'm no expert just a question, if the french drain is doing it's job there should be no surface water, only if french drain was overwhelmed will there even be a need for surface drain catchers.
French drain will take in surface water slowly. So people send me pictures during the rain with pudding during a 2" rain 🤷🏻♂️🤦♂️with this world of everything on demand NOW people have high expectations.
Question.
How deep should your trench be?
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Start at 10" and drop 1" every 100" for 1% Slope. Watch the video on how to do this. Super easy DIYers under $5.00 way of measuring Slope of your trench bottom NOT the Slope of your grade. Always 2 pipes on the bottom of the trench with our double punched fabric. Enjoy your drainage project. If you do this you will be successful.
@@FRENCHDRAINMAN how wide for the 2 pipe burrito special?
Another question, for my solid pipe drain I was going to add multiple 6 inch round catch basins, but how do you keep the 1% slope going and yet keep those suckers at ground surface??!! Is there an adaptor or extender that keeps basins ground level while pipe keeps going deeper in ground . There ARE NO VIDEOS discussing this. Please advise!
Deep
The pipes are probably 4” drain pipes, and it’s best to have a space between the pipes that is bigger than the rock you’re backfilling with. If you are using 1.5” rock as he recommends, that’s at least 6” (3x2”) wider, or 14” minimum. It is more common, and in many ways better to use slightly smaller rock; 3/4”. The key though, is that it is drain rock, or washed rock, so that there aren’t the fine aggregate that does clog the system.
As for the riser, you could fit a pipe extension on to it, but if the ground is rising, you don’t really need an area drain. Water flows downhill.
keep the ground water and make a hockey rink.
I had one very large problem here, two stories, one story, all the same with RAIN... the only thing with rain is SURFACE AREA, how much surface area does the roof cover...
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What is the cost of a French drain like this?
5k - 10k
So, you failed to show slope and where all that water will be discharged and how it will be discharged. Is that water being collected in a sump and then a sump pump discharges that water to the street, the storm sewer, or what?
This shows complete installations:
th-cam.com/play/PLjFCqaZ4v1BXWZPUFUNw6SMI64dtHlhzl.html&si=IM2n9K0dTjbAkAGn
I used free fill to raise my property until it was higher than my neighbors.
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We’ll sir if you dig your trench wide enough and deep enough and put a good 4-6 inches of gravel under the pipe with holes down. It won’t clog. If you cheat with the 3/4-1 inch pieces of gravel under the pipe yes it will fail.
We perfer corrugated pipe because it has holes 360 degrees and it doesn't fail