French drain below foundation level, problem solved. Anything less than that, problem potentially remains. And crip659 s also correct – you should fix the grade – my rule of thumb is that you want at least 12 feet around the house to slope away from the house by at least 1%, 2% better.

How close can you put a French drain to the house?

How Close Should a French Drain be to the House? A good rule of thumb is to install french drains 3 feet from the house.

Where should French drain end?





Your French drain should end where it is most appropriate to deposit excess sprinkler system water and rain water it carries. Most often, French drainage systems are installed to carry water towards the front of a house near the sidewalk or out into the road if you are able to cut through the curb.

Should French drain be next to foundation?

It’s important to install French drains around foundations because a French drain can prevent water from causing foundation damage.

How deep should French drain?

about 18 inches deep

Dig a Trench



The trench should be about 18 inches deep and 9 to 12 inches wide. French drains need to have a slope of at least 1 percent, so the force of gravity will work for you. This means that the drain should slope down a total of at least one inch for every 10 feet of pipe.

How far should drain pipe be from house?





As mentioned above, the water should be diverted at least 4 to 6 feet away from the house. If a home has basement walls, it should be at least 6 feet away. The furthest away from the foundation the better. Putting gravel or rocks at the end of the downspout to avoid erosion is a great idea.

How do I keep water away from my house foundation?

Gutters and downspouts are excellent methods for moving water away from a home foundation. Rainfall on the roof naturally drips directly next to the foundation, creating various issues like hydrostatic pressure, differential settling and erosion.

Can a French drain terminate underground?

In fact, a French drain doesn’t require an inlet on just one end either. You can construct the drain to accept water along its length, and disperse it underground.

How does water exit a French drain?

Quote from the video:
Quote from Youtube video: So the proper way to terminate the end of a french drain. Is one dig a hole that is much bigger than the uh this elbow. And then you're going to dig down and you're going to put crushed stone.

Does a French drain need to run downhill?



Quote from the video:
Quote from Youtube video: It can run uphill as long as the discharge is lower than the collection is this that simple.

Can a French drain be too deep?

Gas and water lines, electrical wires, and sewer pipes are some of the things that this digging may encounter. If the drain is dug below the footer, it will cause the home to settle and it’s important not to dig too deep.

Will a French drain prevent water in basement?

An interior French drain doesn’t prevent water from entering your basement. Rather, it catches water that seeps inside and channels it by gravity to a sump pump that sends the water back outside or into a drain line.

How much gravel do I need for a 100 foot French drain?



To calculate gravel needed for a 100′ french drain, multiply the length of the trench by the width and depth. If you plan to lay down 4 inches of gravel, multiply 100 feet x 4 inches = 400 cubic feet. Since each bag equals 1.5 cubic feet, divide 400 by 16 to determine the number of bags you will need about 26 bags.

How do I build a French drain next to my house?

Quote from the video:
Quote from Youtube video: Into our pipe. And so we want to go ahead and cut the sod off so that we can contain the gravel we want a nice clean trench not too wide. Because we want that gravel to be contained. Cut the sod off.

How far away should water be from foundation?

A. Today’s building codes generally recommend that water should be diverted 10 ft. away from the house foundation. The further away the water flows, the safer the home.

How far can you run a drain line?

The ICC organization’s plumbing codes state that there should be a vent pipe within five feet of any drain. With your new location 35 feet away from the main stack (which is of course vented), you’re too far away from that one, so you’ll need to tie into another vent stack.

How far can you run a drain without a vent?



If you have 1- 1/4-inch pipe, the horizontal distance of the vent ought to not be more than 30 inches. For a 1- 1/2-inc pipe the vent must be 42 inches away at the most while a 2-inch pipeline must have an optimum distance of 5 feet.

How far can you run a horizontal drain pipe?

If you have 1 ¼-inch pipe, the horizontal distance of the vent should not be more than 30 inches. For a 1 ½-inc pipe the vent should be 42 inches away at the most while a 2-inch pipe must have a maximum distance of 5 feet.

What is the minimum slope for water drainage?

For efficient drainage, paved surfaces should have a minimum 1-percent slope. Turf or landscaped areas should have a minimum slope of 2 percent.

At what angle does water flow?

Since water finds its own level, even a 1 degree slope will allow water to run, but it is generally better to to pitch your roof 15-30 degrees for efficient running of water to avoid water soaking into the roof and leaking.