Trench Drainage

It goes without saying that regular watering is an essential component of any successful yard. Water is absolutely necessary for the growth of plants and maintaining the fertility of soil.

However, there is certainly such a thing as having too much water.

If excessive water enters your yard, perhaps through a heavy rain or an ineffective gutter/drainpipe system there can be a number of unfortunate drainage problems as a result. Standing water can develop, which can lead to your plants being suffocated.

It can also cause leakage, damaging your home’s foundation and potentially infiltrating your basement, which can lead to a whole host of difficulties. There are a number of potential solutions to this problem. You can, for example, re-grade your yard to keep water from pooling in inconvenient places.

However, for some re-grading is not an option. For them, trench drainage might be the answer. Installing a French drain in your yard really can make a huge amount of difference.

French drains are constructed of three main components:

• Piping: French drains contain perforated pipes to carry excess water away. The perforations allow water to enter the pipe freely. These pipes take the water from your yard and carry it to another location, perhaps a storm drain, minimizing its ill effects on your yard.

• Gravel: Gravel surrounds the pipe. Its porous nature allows water to filter down freely enough to ensure that any and all water can enter the pipe but slowly enough that the system will not be overwhelmed. The gravel is course on the outside to let in more water and finer near the pipe to prevent clogging.

• Fabric: Surrounding the entire trench is filter fabric. This allows water to pass through freely but keeps out other elements like rocks and soil which might clog up the system.

These three elements work in tandem to ensure the effectiveness of the French drain.

Optimally, French drains should be installed in areas where you have noticed excess water pooling or leakage occurring.

If you think you might need a French drain installed in your yard contact Twin Oaks Landscape today. We’ll begin work on a personalized plan to meet each and every one of your needs.