Laying a French drain for basements
In time, water finds its way through the smallest spaces to your basement. A few minor drips can get transformed in a full-scale flood that can cause real structural damage to your home. French drains represent one effective solution for this problem.
- You will need to dig a trench around your home with a slope going towards your basement. It should be 5 inches wide and 8 deep.
- Add a layer of 2 inches of fine gravel.
- Get the French drain pipes and lay them on top of the gravel. Connect the multiple pipes using special sealant.
- At the point where the water needs to be redirected away from your home, you will need to add an unperforated pipe.
- After laying the pipes, cover them with more gravel. Add a layer of at least 1 inch.
- You can cover the unperforated pipes with sod.