At A-Best Foundation Repair, LLC of Houston TX, drainage systems are one of our many specialties. Without proper draining, you could be setting yourself up for costly disaster that could impact your home for years to come! This can help you avoid the cost of leveling your home, and other pier and beam foundation repairs that can result form soil changes due to excess water.
Our team works with two primary types of drainage systems – catch basin systems and french drain systems.
French Drain Catch Basin System in Houston
The easiest way to explain a catch basin? Think of a giant box in the ground with a grate placed on top, along with a pipe that carries water away from the box.
Usually, the box is set up at a low point on the property so that water can flow freely into them. Catch-basins go a long way towards maintaining proper drainage on the property, as well as catching debris which is useful in preventing downstream pipes from becoming clogged.
The biggest advantages to using a catch basin system as your primary form of drainage are:
- Capturing unwanted debris and stopping it from flowing into larger storm drains
- Can serve as rainwater reservoir for homes that receive a good amount of rain
- Great preventative measure for reducing soggy soil and pools of water
- Keeps the home from flooding by rerouting water from the downspout to avoid settling
- Boosts the value of your home
Do I Need a French Drain or a Catch Basin (Area Drain) ?
Of course, any member of our team can help in determining what the best drain system choice is for your home. But generally speaking, here are a few things to keep in mind:
- Standing water on the property
- Consistently wet grass
- Areas of dead lawn
- Foul odor throughout the yard
- A large number of mosquitoes present in the yard
- Water pooling in the basement or garage following a storm
What We Do: Affordable Drainage Systems
Our team of technicians are experienced and knowledgeable when it comes to installation and maintenance of catch basin systems.
Not only will we dig the trench for your drainage system, we will also fill the surrounding areas of the pipes with gravel to ensure no leakage throughout the life of the drain.
We can also connect the catch basin system to the gutters on your home to allow for downspout run-off and total drainage, preventing any sort of backups either in your gutters or the main drainage pipe.
French Drain System in Houston
The french drain system is different from the catch basin system in that it’s maintenance free, while a catch basin will need to be opened and cleaned from time to time.
French drains allow for easy water run off by directing the flow of water into a gravel-filled trench, which then empties into a perforated pipe at the bottom of the trench.
Some of the advantages of a french drain system include:
- Homeowner can choose how far and where the water is diverted to
- Cost-effective drainage system
- Attractive drainage option that can be covered with decorative rocks or soil
- Maintenance-free
Common Signs You Need a French Drain:
Some of the same circumstances apply when determining whether you need a french drain, but the best way to make a choice is by consulting with one of our trusted experts. Generally, customers consider:
- Standing water on the property
- Water getting into the basement or garage
- Plans to build a retaining wall on a hill or other slope
- What We Do
The french drain installation process is something we take pride in – our customers are always left speechless when they see how beautiful but functional their drain system is.
We will dig out or contract excavation services for the trench needed for the drainage system, then fill the bottom of the trench with gravel – this allows for a snug fit without leakage.
Then, the pipe is placed in the ground, surrounded by gravel on top and around it. Our team then covers the pipe with a microfiber felt, followed by two inches of dirt and grass on top.
In most cases, french drains require some sort of slope on the property to allow the water to flow away from the home – however, if your yard is mostly flat, our team has a way around it. Our technicians will direct the water flow into a sump pump instead – water will always flow out but will never flow back in.
If you’re thinking about installing a home drainage system, don’t waste your time with anyone else. Call A-Best today and speak with one of our highly trained experts!
P.S Don’t forget about Sump Pump Systems!
Why Would You Need a Sump Pump?
Both catch basins and french drain systems rely on gravity in order to operate effectively. Basically, your yard needs to slope downward in order for either of them to work – water runs downhill to the low point in the yard where the drainage is located, and then pumped out. Without this, water just pools up, leading to your yard looking more like a marsh or swamp than a pretty part of your home.
Sump pumps work to send this water elsewhere, keeping your yard dry and making sure your drainage system is operating the way it should.
Professional Yard Drainage in Houston
Our team has a wealth of experience installing sump pumps to get around tricky landscape issues.
Our sump pumps are usually installed underground, keeping things discrete in your yard. Typically, the sump pump bucket is placed three to four feet underground – the depth depends on how much water your yard gets. Next, we determine how many pumps your yard will actually need – this is impacted by the amount of water we’ll have to drain from your home. Once the pumps are installed, we place 1.5 – 2 inches of PVC pipe in the system. Size depends on the distance of discharge, and we don’t recommend going more than 100 feet with a single pump.
The Bottom Line: If you are having water issues, and would like advice on the best solutions to remedy both your outdoor and indoor concerns, give us a call today. 713-714-0015
