Oklahoma City French Drain Contractor, Yukon, Norman, Edmond,

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Six Inch French Drain Installed along Foundation in Edmond

 CMG installs all types of French Drains and Drainage Systems, Sprinkler Systems and provides expert Sprinkler Repair.

FRENCH DRAIN IN EDMOND OKLAHOMA, DRAINAGE CONTRACTOR

Recently CMG installed a large 6 inch French Drain in Edmond.  The customer had water running under his back porch step and into his basement.  We did a Free Drainage Diagnostic and Estimate.  The French Drain design that we proposed would intercept the surface water and subsurface water that was flowing under the steps.  The French Drain design called for a 6 inch French Drain to be installed above and several feet away from the steps.  It would run around the house parallel to the foundation and about 5 feet to the East.  The French Drain would run past the steps to a point where water must cross the French Drain or run up hill to the steps which in this case was not possible.  Once past the steps, the French Drain would transition to Solid 6 inch Drain Pipe and continue on around the house to the Pop-Up Emitter down hill in the side yard.  Along the way we attached several Gutter Down Spouts into the French Drain.

 

A  French Drain is completely different from a Surface Drain.  A basic French Drain consists of a Perforated Drain Pipe in the bottom of a trench.  A  Trench Liner is sometimes used depending on the Drainage System Design and the type of soil.   The Drain Pipe should have a neoprene sock around the Perforated Drain Pipe.   This is to ensure that the Drain Pipe does not become clogged. A trench is dug that is slightly wider than the French Drain Pipe that is being used.  There are several sizes of French Drain Pipe.   Three Inch, Four Inch, and Six Inch are the most common sizes of French drain Pipe. The dirt that is taken out to make the trench is hauled away.  It is replaced by some type of small stone or gravel depending on what is desired or available.  I prefer crushed 1 inch lime stone.  It is the most economical option in my area.  Pea Gravel or some other type of small stone can work just as well.    The lime-stone or gravel is placed in the trench on top of the perforated Drain Pipe and filled all the way to the surface (ground level).   In some cases where the French Drain needs to be deep or is being placed in sandy soil, a special trench liner must be placed in the trench before the perforated Drain Pipe or the Gravel are installed.  This helps maintain the integrity of the trench over time.  It also increases the cost of the French Drain and the amount of time to install it.  I install a trench liner in a French Drain about 20% of the time.  Most of the time a liner in not needed.

 

A French Drain is designed to handle a large volume of water and cover a large area. The Drain is anyplace the trench goes. It has many applications and can be used in many situations.  It can be installed by itself or incorporated into a Drainage System with Surface Drains or Gutter Down-Spouts connected to it.

Curb Outlet for French Drain in Edmond

Running French Drain Pipe Under Sidewalk

 

The main downfall of a French Drain is that they, for the most part aren't very pretty.  They don't look very nice in a yard once they are completed.

Depending on the area the French Drain is installed and the type of grass around the French Drain, will dictate whether grass grows over the lime stone.  Grass can grow up and through the gravel in the French Drain over time eventually covering the gravel.  This is OK.  It won't have a measurable effect on the performance of the French Drain.  In some cases thick grass growing up through the French Drain will create a natural "Thatch" filter.  This makes the French Drain invisible.  The trick is to allow the grass to grow over the French Drain Gravel without covering it up with dirt.  Grasses such as Bermuda which grow well in the sun will put out runners and new roots and will grow up and through the French Drain.  This will not affect the performance of the French Drain.  The problem is that some times depending on the type of soil involved, it may take a long time to completely cover up the French Drain.  Sprinkling grass seed down in the gravel will speed up the process.

 

 

DON'T COVER THE GRAVEL IN THE FRENCH DRAIN WITH DIRT.  THE FRENCH DRAIN WON'T WORK IF THE TRENCH IS CLOGGED WITH DIRT.  DON'T EVEN INSTALL IT IF YOU ARE GOING TO COVER IT UP WITH DIRT.    

 

If you install a French Drain in a sunny area, you can:

                                         A.  Leave the  French Drain as-is and allow grass to grow over it in time.

                                         B.  Add grass seed directly to the French Drain gravel with (Light Hand Watering) to speed the growth process

                                         C.  Leave the French Drain as-is but decorate it with stepping stones and landscaping rocks ( leaving large cracks between stones to allow water to get into the French Drain,

2

If you install a French Drain in a shady area you can:

                                        A.  Leave the French Drain as-is, it will work well and look as it did for many years.

B.  Leave the French Drain as-is, but decorate it with stepping stones or landscaping rocks.  Many French Drains are hidden under rock walk ways.

 

IF YOU NEED WATER DRAINED AWAY FROM YOUR HOME OR BUSINESS CALL CMG.  405-226-0629  CMG Sprinklers and Drains installs all types of Drainage Systems and French Drains.

French Drain Installation is a primary focus for CMG Sprinklers and Drains.  Angie's List has awarded us their Customer Service Award for the State of Oklahoma for top quality French Drain Installation.  Along with the French Drain Customer Service Award, Angie's List has given CMG their top A+ Rating and placed us at the top of their website for Oklahoma French Drain Installation.  CMG also installs a variety of other types of Drains.  Our Drainage Systems may utilize: French Drains, Surface Drains, Channel Drains, Trench Drains, Basin Drains, and Sump Pumps.  In the past 21 years, we have installed French Drains to keep water away from home and business foundations, Surface Drains to keep water away from sidewalks and driveways,  Trench Drains, and French Drains to keep standing water out of flowerbeds and yards, and Sump Pumps to remove water from basements and outdoor low lying areas.

French Drain Running Through Low Areas in Yukon

 

For 21 years, CMG has solved Drainage Problems for people in Central Oklahoma.  Experience is key in diagnosing Drainage Problems.  Some Drainage Problems are Simple and straight forward others are complex and difficult.  CMG utilizes a wide variety of Drains and Drain Pipes when designing a Drainage System.  A Simple Drainage System may use one type of Drain running through a Drain Pipe to an Exit Point.  A Complex Drainage System may use several types of Drains and Drain Pipes running to many exit points.  CMG Utilizes:  French Drains, Surface Drains, Channel Drains, Trench Drains and Sump Pumps.  The Drain Pipe we use may be  ADS, PVC, or Sewer and Drain Pipe.  Which Drain and Pipe used depends on the particular Drainage Problem.

Installing a Drain Pipe For a French Drain that Releases water through a Pop-Up Emitter at the Street

Angie's List rates us A+ and now has awarded CMG Sprinklers and Drains for our exceptional customer service in french drain

Channel Drain in Oklahoma City

 

 

Drainage System Installation, French Drain, Surface Drain, Channel Drain,

CMG Sprinklers and Drains -- Providing: French Drains, Surface Drains, Drainage Systems, Lawn Sprinkler Systems, and Sprinkler Repair.

CMG is based in Norman.  We Service Surrounding Central Oklahoma including:  Oklahoma City, Moore, Edmond, Yukon, Mustang, Midwest City, Del City, Blanchard, Newcastle, and Purcell.  405-226-0629  cmgsprinklers@gmail.com

 

French Drain Installation this week was a little more difficult than normal.  Many times the route that a Perforated French Drain Pipe must travel to its exit point is not very easy from an installation point of view.  French Drains may have to travel through tree roots, (big ones) under sidewalks, through retaining walls, around swing sets or dog kennels or Mom's Prize Rose Bush.  The 4 inch French Drain we installed this week was in Oklahoma City south of 23rd in an old part of town where all the houses were old 2 or 3 story homes with lots of huge Elm Trees.  The Elm Tree in Question actually was just an old stump that had been topped out but not completely removed.  They left the roots just for us!  The roots were growing into the homes foundation and were right in the way of the path of the French Drain.  Forty feet of solid Elm Roots and 4 chain-saw blades later CMG was successful in running a new French Drain through a tree stump.  Yuck! "Well you gotta  do what you gotta do!"

 

French Drain with colored river rock

A little info about French Drain Pipe and Tree Roots.  Normally tree roots don't seek out and penetrate French Drain Pipe.  Tree roots seek moisture and residual water that may stay inside Solid Drain Pipe.  French Drain Pipe is perforated.  Water that does not reach the exit point of the French Drain will seep out of the Pipe into the surrounding dirt.  Solid Drain Pipe that is used with Surface Drains can be penetrated and eventually clogged by roots if the pipe does not have good slope or "Fall".  If the solid pipe does not drain well and has residual water, tree roots will seek it out.

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Drain Pipe running from French Drain to the street in Oklahoma City

Drainage Systems are designed to protect your home or business from standing water.  Storm-Water Runoff can cause damage in many ways.  Water from your gutters can seep down into your home's foundation if it has no good way to drain off.  If the temperature then drops below freezing, the water around your foundation can freeze and cause serious damage to the home's foundation.  Foundation repair can cost more than a Drainage System.

Drainage Systems typically make use of , French Drains, Surface Drains, or Channel Drains.  Depending on the Drainage Problem, A Drainage System may utilize one or several types of Drains.  CMG might install, for example, A Surface Drain in the middle of a driveway that runs to a gutter that is connected into the drain pipe.  The Drain Pipe might continue to a French Drain running parallel to a homes foundation.  Next the drain pipe might continue to a channel drain cutting across a sidewalk.  The Drain pipe might then reach its exit point running out through a curb fitting installed and cemented through the curb.

A Surface Drain basically is a basin that has a grate on the top.  A drain pipe is connected to the basin below ground.  The water flows in through the grate and down into the basin.  The water then exits the Basin through the Drain Pipe and move toward the exit point of  the Drainage System.  Surface Drains are designed to handle water that accumulates in a low areas.   These areas should not be too large or broad, and the water that drains into a surface drain should not be moving very fast.  Surface Drains can become overwhelmed if they are placed in an area that must move a large volume of water, quickly.  Selecting the correct drain for the specific drainage problem is a benefit that CMG provides through twenty years of experience.

French Drain Facts and Information, Oklahoma City, Edmond, Yukon

Drainage Systems, French Drains, Surface Drains, Channel Drains, Sump Pumps, Sprinkler Systems, Sprinkler Repair, with 21 years of experience. 

Installing Surface Drain in Driveway

CMG Sprinklers and Drains Recently installed a Drainage System in Nichols Hills.  The Drainage System was made up of a 4 inch French Drain starting in the back yard.  It ran between the garage and the pool.  Several gutters were connected directly into the French Drain.  From this point, we expanded up to a larger 6 inch Drain pipe to handle the added water into the system from the gutters.  In several places the French Drain had to run through areas where Sprinkler Pipes were in the way.  We had to re-rout all the Sprinkler Pipes and Wires under the French Drain.

Once the Sprinkler System had been redesigned and the gutters had been connected, CMG ran the 6 inch Drain Pipe from the end of the French Drain, around the house to release through the curb.  We cut the curb and installed a 6 inch curb fitting with acrylic concrete.  A few days later a major thunderstorm poured down on the property.  The French Drain and the Drainage System Worked Perfectly.

A Channel Drain is a type of Surface Drain and many times is installed in concrete across sidewalks or driveways.  It is long and narrow with a grate on top.

Installing Channel Drain Across Sidewalk in Norman

A French Drain is completely different from a Surface Drain.  A basic French Drain consists of a Perforated Drain Pipe in the bottom of a trench.  A  Trench Liner is sometimes used depending on the Drainage System Design and the type of soil.   The Drain Pipe should have a neoprene sock around the Perforated Drain Pipe.   This is to ensure that the Drain Pipe does not become clogged. A trench is dug that is slightly wider than the French Drain Pipe that is being used.  There are several sizes of French Drain Pipe.   Three Inch, Four Inch, and Six Inch are the most common sizes of French drain Pipe. The dirt that is taken out to make the trench is hauled away.  It is replaced by some type of small stone or gravel depending on what is desired or available.  I prefer crushed 1 inch lime stone.  It is the most economical option in my area.  Pea Gravel or some other type of small stone can work just as well.    The lime-stone or gravel is placed in the trench on top of the perforated Drain Pipe and filled all the way to the surface (ground level).   In some cases where the French Drain needs to be deep or is being placed in sandy soil, a special trench liner must be placed in the trench before the perforated Drain Pipe or the Gravel are installed.  This helps maintain the integrity of the trench over time.  It also increases the cost of the French Drain and the amount of time to install it.  I install a trench liner in a French Drain about 20% of the time.  Most of the time a liner in not needed.

Surface Drain Installation in Edmond

 

 

We just finished a 4 inch Drainage System in Yukon.  It was a complicated system to install.  It utilized 4 inch French Drain in the flower beds,  12 inch Surface Drains on the side of the house,  6 inch French Drain along the garage foundation with 2 Pop - Up Emitters in the back yard and 3 Curb Fittings in the front.    First we installed 4 inch French Drain in the flowerbeds on both sides of the front door.  We connected 4 inch solid Drain Pipe into the French Drain and ran them underside walk to the curb.  Next we cut the curb with a concrete saw and installed 3 curb outlets for 3 separate French Drains.

Installing a Curb Outlet for a French Drain in Oklahoma City

Next we installed 4 12 Inch Drain Basins with grates along both sides of the house continuing with Solid Drain Pipe to the Pop-Up Emitters on the back fence. Finally we completed the Drainage System by installing a long run of 6 inch French Drain down the side of the garage foundation.   Installing the French Drains in the flower beds was the most difficult and took the most time.  Each French Drain took over a ton of crushed limestone to fill the French Drain trench.  The Six inch French Drain took even more limestone.

French Drain, Drainage System, Oklahoma City, Edmond, Norman, Yukon

FRENCH DRAIN, DRAINAGE SYSTEM, OKLAHOMA CITY, EDMOND, NORMAN, YUKON

 

French Drains can be installed by themselves, or as part of a Drainage System that uses other French Drains, Surface Drains, or other Drain combinations.  Typically a French Drain is used to protect a broad area that has a lot of standing water.  A French Drain might run along side a homes foundation, or beside a driveway, or on any Drainage Project where Sub-Surface water is the primary problem.  If water is running toward your home under ground ( through sandy soil), A French Drain is the only Solution  for draining away water flowing under ground.

French Drain in Oklahoma City

After Diagnosing a Drainage Problem in Oklahoma City, We installed a 6 inch French Drain that went all the way around the pool in the back yard and then ran all the way to the street on both sides of the house. The French Drain made the shape of a horse shoe. The Drainage System had two Curb Outlets installed through the curb at the street. This gave the French Drain two different directions to allow the water to flow to the street.  Two Drain Outlets allowed the French Drain to move a huge amount of water during heavy rains.   A few weeks  later we got a call from our customer after a heavy rain.  She was very happy.  The French Drain did a great job protecting her pool.  All the Storm Water was diverted around the Swimming Pool.

Gutter Down Spout Connected into French Drain in Norman

French Drain installation is a big focus for CMG during our 21st year in business. A French Drain is one part of a Drainage System.  A French Drain can be connected to other types of Drains or Gutter Down-Spouts and then run through Drain Pipe to an Exit point where the water is released.

A Drainage Exit Point is the area where water goes to be released when it comes out of the Drainage System. The two most common exit points for a Drainage System are a Pop-Up Emitter or a Curb Fitting.
A Pop-Up Emitter is a Fitting on the end of a Drain Pipe that has a lid that pops up and releases water. When water drainage is complete, the lid shuts back.

Pop-Up Emitter in Yukon

Gutter Downspout Connected to 6 Inch French Drain

CMG Installed a Double Six inch French Drain in Edmond this week.  A Double Six Inch French Drain is two six inch French Drains laid side by side in one very wide and deep trench.  It is designed to move a huge amount of water away from a home.   The CMG customer had several different drainage problems in their back yard.  After a thunderstorm, water would run under their back fence and into their garage.  The back yard was on a steep hillside and the water would run very fast down the hill and into the garage.  CMG installed 2 large six inch French Drains across the water's path.  This allowed the water to be diverted into the French Drain which then ran through drain pipe to a curb outlet at the street.  Three Gutter Down Spouts were connected into the French Drain.  The French Drain created a protective barrier for the garage.  A 12 inch Surface Drain was also included in the Drainage System.  It was placed up against the driveway and connected with 4 inch Solid drain pipe to the 6 inch French Drain.  Water was completely rerouted away from the home.  A French Drain  and Surface Drain combination in this case was the best solution to this particular drainage problem.

Installing a Curb Outlet for a French Drain in Edmond

 

If you live in Oklahoma City and need a French Drain installed in your yard, or along your driveway, or near your foundation, give CMG a call.  If you live in Edmond or Norman and need a Surface Drain installed in the concrete in your sidewalk or driveway, we can help.  If you live in Mustang or Yukon and would like to protect your trees or flower beds from standing water with a French Drain, CMG specializes in just that!