If you get a lot of rain in your area you need to worry about water getting into your home especially if you have a basement. One way to protect your home from water is to install a foundation drain. There are two types of drains you can choose from. Below is information about both to help you decide what would work best for your home.

French Drain

A French drain is buried underground next to your home's foundation to collect water. To install this type of drain a trench is dug that is a few feet deep. The depth chosen will depend on the type of soil you have. The contractor then lays landscape fabric inside the trench to prevent roots from penetrating the drain. A layer of gravel then perforated piping is then placed in the trench. A pipe and a sump box are installed that will direct the water away from your home, which is generally to a street nearby you. There must be enough slope in the trench for this drain to work properly.

The next step is to cover the perforated pipes with gravel and then another layer of landscaping fabric may be placed over the gravel for extra protection. When finished, topsoil is placed over the French drain so it cannot be seen. You can then plant some grass seed over the topsoil or use landscaping rocks.

Footer Drain

Another type of foundation draining system is a footer drain. This type of drain carries water away from your home's foundation to another area, such as a waterway (pond, river, etc.), a storm drain system in a street, or to a nearby street. With this drain perforated pipes are   installed underground and must be level or below the basement slab or crawlspace.  There must be an incline that slopes enough for the water to drain away from your foundation.

A trench is dug, and gravel is placed in the trench. Gravel is then placed over the piping to hold them in place. Landscaping fabric is placed over the gravel, or the contractor may encase the pipes in a filter sock that is made of fabric. This type of drain is extensive as the trench is deeper when compared to a French drain. Because of this, a footer train is best installed while a home is being built. You can still choose this type, however, if your home is already built. 

Talk with a contractor  or The American Drain Company who can tell you much more about French drains and footer drains. They will suggest the best type to use for your home.

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