How Far Should A French Drain Be From Foundation?

A french drain is an underground piping system that helps to redirect water away from a home. Once problem areas in a yard are identified, a trench is dug and a perforated pipe is laid then covered with gravel or stone. Water will be drawn to the stone and hollow pipe because they act as the path of least resistance, where it will then be directed away from the home it could cause damage and further foundational troubles to. 

How to Install a French Drain

Installing a french drain is a necessary step in preventing pooling, water damage, and molding around a home. The installation of a french drain can be performed by our professional landscapers or oneself depending on the size of the area in consideration. The steps to add a french drain to a yard include: 

1. Find a Location - To determine where a french drain should be installed, it is important to plan for where the redirected water will go. Nearby bodies of water or the curbside can be great outlets for the runoff water from a yard. The drain should always run in a downward slope and it is important to direct the water away from the home by using flags or markers to indicate where a trench can be dug.
   
   
2. Dig the Trench - It is important to check that there are no underground utility pipes that might interfere with digging the trench for a french drain. The standard size of a french drain trench is 18 inches deep and approximately 10 to 12 inches wide. The slide of the trench should be at least 1 percent so that the water can flow with gravity. 
   
   
3. Insert the Pipe - Before laying the pipe in the trench, it must first be lined with filter fabric and a gravel bedding. The pipe can then be hooked up to connections and set in the trench. Once the pipe is inserted, it should be covered with gravel or stone, as well as a final layer of topsoil.

Distance from Foundation

Knowing where to put a french drain is an important step of the installation process. Appropriate location will play a key role in the functionality and success of the french drain system, as it works to reduce the damage to a home caused by water buildup. A general rule of thumb is that a french drain should be installed around three feet away from the foundation of a home, but this can vary depending on individual landscaping factors such as where the water is pooling and where gutters are already aligned. It is important that the french drain is not installed too close to the home's foundation, as it can cause structural issues in the long term and impact the efficiency of the drain.

French drains are a widely used method to redirect water that tends to flood in a yard and cause poolage. They are simple to install with the right tools and understanding, and can be a wonderful asset to the functionality of a landscape. To avoid damages caused by poor drainage, one should consider a french drain as a possible solution to implement outside of their home. Don't hesitate to call our team for top-notch French drain installation and repair services!