FRENCH DRAINS
West Michigan French drain solutions keep water
out of sight, out of mind.
French Drains provide a natural low-spot underground. This is the ideal method of effectively removing perpetual groundwater and solving wet and muddy yard challenges once and for all.
French Drains require quality materials and proper installation to continue working successfully for years to come:
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The Trench. Width and depth will depend on the situation, but typical sizes are 12"-18" deep and 16" wide. The bottom must be flat and sloped to the discharge point.
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​Nonwoven Geotextile Fabric. It's important to build a barrier between the ground and the French Drain that allows water to freely pass though, but holds back dirt, sand, rocks, etc. Regular landscape fabric or "cheesecloth" might work for a few months or year, but won't perform well long term.
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Corrugated Perforated Pipe. Heavy-duty, high-quality pipe is installed in the bottom of the trench, which offers ground water the path of least resistance. Pipes using prefabricated socks quickly plug and are not long-term solutions.
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Rock. The pipe is covered with washed (no fines) round rock, providing a large empty "chamber" for water capturing the necessary volume before discharging via the perforated pipe.
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Cover the stones . Wrap the ​non-woven geotextile fabric over the top and cover with sod or topsoil.
FEEDBACK & REVIEWS
Short lead time, completed work within 3 days of original call request. Did a professional job. Very flexible on project expansion from original request. Very fair pricing for service. HIGHLY recommend using AJS for your next project. This was for a business property.
Phenomenal to work with! Efficient, fair, on time, and very professional!
Ron
Matt
FRENCH DRAIN INSTALLATION
A successful underground drainage solution that works reliably for many years requires the right materials and installation. To operate successfully, a barrier between the ground (typically clay, gravel, or other impenetrable materials) and the catch basin is critical.
When installing drainage we commonly encounter failed perforated pipe (sometimes with a silt sock). Unfortunately, using just a pipe is rarely a sufficient, effective, or long-term solution because:
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Without a stone catch basin to create a natural void, the pipe alone won't collect enough water to be effective.
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Without the correct Nonwoven Geotextile Fabric for a barrier with a stone basin, the pipe will quickly become plugged, only working marginally well for a short period of time.
With proper installation, Nonwoven Geotextile Fabric as a barrier, and the appropriate washed stone, only groundwater will enter the pipe and it will never become clogged. A properly constructed French drain using high-quality materials will operate with high efficency for decades!
