# Should I put in a french drain?



## Kmurdock (Aug 2, 2010)

A HO has a water drainage problem up against her house, of course the grade is pitched back towards the house, the rain gutter isn't extended, the sprinkler valves are leaking and the HO has been over watering her lawn. There is a very minor water leak in the foundation into the crawl space but it seems like the water is also coming up under the footings into the crawl space, it's taken a week to even start to get it dry with two commercial air fans, the soil is mostly clay and so it holds a lot of moisture. I'm in the process of taking care of the grade, gutter, valves, the minor leak and I adjusted the amount of time the sprinklers run, but there is a nagging doubt in the back of my mind that there is something more to this and am wondering if a french drain would help or if it is even necessary. There is a lot of moisture, I've hand dug a 4' deep hole where the minor leak in the foundation is and it is really wet and I would bet it is still wet at 5' or even 6' deep. It rained this morning and even though I had the hole covered it filled up and was ponding around the hole, I haven't pitched the soil away from the house yet, I'm just worried that it won't be enough. French drain or no? Any opinions? Thanks


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## Diamond D. (Nov 12, 2009)

Where are you going to put it?
Do you have a place to run the discharge?

What did you tell, her, you were going to do?

I probably do what you said, you have planned and see what happens.
I think regrading it properly, will work wonders.

D.


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## Diamond D. (Nov 12, 2009)

Where are you going to put it?
Do you have a place to run the discharge?

What did you tell her, you were going to do?

I,d probably do what you said you have planned and see what hapens.
I think regrading it properly, will work wonders.

D.


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## thom (Nov 3, 2006)

check for additional underground leaks on the sprinkler system. Check to make sure there is not a steady leak on the potable side of the system.


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## Kmurdock (Aug 2, 2010)

thom said:


> check for additional underground leaks on the sprinkler system. Check to make sure there is not a steady leak on the potable side of the system.


I had a plumber I know come and check the main line and the sewer line just in case. How would I find any additional leaks in the sprinkler system?


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## griz (Nov 26, 2009)

Kmurdock said:


> I had a plumber I know come and check the main line and the sewer line just in case. How would I find any additional leaks in the sprinkler system?


Try a flow meter or a air pressure test.


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## Kmurdock (Aug 2, 2010)

Diamond D. said:


> Where are you going to put it?
> Do you have a place to run the discharge?
> 
> What did you tell her, you were going to do?
> ...


I don't have a lot of experience with french drains, I was thinking of running it parallel to the foundation and run it about 15' past the house both ways. I haven't suggested a french drain yet, I just finished fixing the minor leak in the foundation after bailing out water from the hole with a bucket and of course it started raining again :laughing:. I wouldn't be so worried if the water wasn't coming up underneath the footings in to the crawl space, I don't know if I should be worried that the footings will start settling/sinking.


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## Cuda (Mar 16, 2009)

You can't just pick a number like run it 15 feet past the ends of the house. It is easy to collect the water it is where you take it that counts. Running it to daylight is good if you can do it. Or running it to an approved pipe like a SS line or to a combined sewer if allowed. Sometimes they just want a catch basin on the footing drains before connecting in to be able to collect debris. Your local inspector should help you out. Another option is take it to a drywell, but again it matters if the soil conditions where you place it will except more water during the heavy rain season.


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## peteo (Jan 8, 2011)

With all due respect to Cuda, a dry well never works unless you have gravely ground and at that point you shouldnt need one in the first place. All it does is hold water and if it rains a lot it fills up and then backs up the drain lines thus adding to the problem you are trying to fix. Not to mention you never put a dry well in clay ground to begin with. Find a discharge point for your french drains if you or the HO decide to go that route but like Diamond D says, regrading will do wonders.


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## Cuda (Mar 16, 2009)

peteo said:


> With all due respect to Cuda, a dry well never works unless you have gravely ground and at that point you shouldnt need one in the first place. All it does is hold water and if it rains a lot it fills up and then backs up the drain lines thus adding to the problem you are trying to fix. Not to mention you never put a dry well in clay ground to begin with. Find a discharge point for your french drains if you or the HO decide to go that route but like Diamond D says, regrading will do wonders.


Yes I should have said more than a short sentence but that's what I was getting at. Drywells work if the location that is chosen will accept the water . Sometimes we use a long trench with perferated pipe to release the water with gravel of course. Like I said it's easy to collect the water it's getting rid of it that's the challenge.


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