Rain should always be diverted away from your structures. One good way to do this, especially where you have a water logging problem, is through the use of a French drain.
A French drain, in its simplest form is merely a ditch filled with stone.
The old way, involved a ditch, stone, and a covering of dirt and sod.
The new way doesn’t involve any dirt. The new dirtless way stops the potential for the drain to become clogged over time.
You need a trench starting where the water issue begins, such as up by your house, and proceeds outward, with a downward slope, away from your house or other structure.
Your ditch should be at least six inches deep and 3 feet wide. The bottom should be encased in a u shape plastic or rubber footing, followed with a French drain pipe (perforated piping). The pipe should be covered with weed barrier to keep any errant dirt from getting inside. The pipe then should be covered with rock or gravel up to level with your existing ground.
Your exit strategy should be ever so slightly downhill. Remember, you want the water to flow down and away. Test the drain with water from a water hose before filling in with gravel, just to be certain you have the slope correct.
Next time it rains, you’ll be pleased with the amount of water that sweeps away down your new French drain.
ALWAYS check with local utilities before doing any digging!
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Tags: french drain