All About French Drain Maintenance
Many people don’t have a strong understanding of how French drains work or how to do French drain maintenance. This may not seem problematic, but if these people own properties with French drains, they may be suddenly thrown for a loop when these drains stop working. If you are one of these people, and you need a better understanding of what you’re dealing with, you’re on the right webpage. At Orlando Roofs & Gutters, French drain maintenance is one of our specialties, and we want to lend our knowledge to you!
During our time in the Orlando, FL community, we have tackled many French drain cleaning projects. As a result, we’ve learned the ins and outs of how these drains work and how to maintain them. With this guide, you can decide whether you’d like to tackle French drain maintenance on your own. Or, you can schedule an appointment with our professionals. Either way, you’ll get your French drains back in working order.
French Drains and How They Work
First, it’s important to understand what exactly French drains are. Let’s start with a fun fact. Did you know that German chocolate cake is actually an American invention? It was invented by an American baker named Samuel German. Similarly, French drains were popularized by Henry Flagg French, a man who lived in Massachusetts. These mechanisms, which divert overflowing water away from the landscape, quickly caught on in communities across the country.
So, how do French drains work? When rain causes water to accumulate in a yard, it is attracted to its lowest points, where it rapidly pools up. To prevent this, pipes with holes on top of them are installed in small trenches in these areas. Then, the pipes are covered with a porous substance such as gravel. As water is drawn to these areas, it seeps through the gravel, goes through the holes in the pipes, and is channeled to a drainage site.
Why French Drains Require Maintenance
French drains are incredibly useful at preventing a landscape from flooding. However, these useful irrigation devices can lose their effectiveness over time. Generally, debris accumulation is to blame. While French drains are designed to collect rainwater, they can inadvertently collect other substances as well, including dirt, soil, silt, sand, gravel, and algae. As this unwanted debris builds up, it can create clogs that prevent water from passing through French drains. In other words, French drain maintenance is a necessary part of keeping your landscape safe.
How often do French drains need to be maintained? The short answer is that it depends. To be more descriptive, there are several factors that come into play. The position of the French drain may affect how quickly it accumulates debris; for example, if it is near a tree, it is more likely to be intruded upon by roots. The amount of rainfall that occurs during a year is an important variable to consider, too. Ultimately, it is likely that French drain cleaning will be necessary every one to two years.
How We Maintain Drains at Orlando Roofs & Gutters
Now that we’ve established why French drain maintenance is necessary, it’s time to talk about how this process is accomplished. Fortunately, this doesn’t usually involve digging up pipes or anything like that. Most French drains have an easily accessible cleanout port. After locating this port, our professionals prepare a device known as a high-pressure snake. This flexible hose attachment connects to a pressure washer, allowing us to clean French drains with pressurized water.
Once all the equipment has been prepared, the high-pressure snake is inserted into the French drain’s cleanout port. Then, pressurized water is used to blast through clogs and rinse out debris. It sometimes surprises us how much debris we’re able to flush out this way! While it might be a little gross to watch, it’s actually a good thing because it means that the French drain will be that much cleaner as a result.
Testing French Drains After Cleaning
Before packing everything up and leaving, we choose to test French drains to ensure that their functionality has been restored. This is accomplished by taking water and pouring it into the water collection area. As water flows into the French drain, if the system takes water to the drainage point, it proves that maintenance was successful. Otherwise, closer inspection may be needed to identify what problems are still in play.
In most cases, another round of cleaning with the high-pressure snake may resolve the problem. If not, however, there may be a more serious problem at play, such as a broken pipe. If things reach this point, it may be necessary to unearth and inspect the drainage system in greater detail. French drain repairs are not provided by Orlando Roofs & Gutters.
DIY Vs. Professional French Drain Maintenance
Ultimately, you have a decision to make. Do you want to attempt French drain maintenance on your own, or do you want to schedule this service from a professional business? If you choose to do this work without help, you’ll need to make sure you are adequately prepared. You’ll need the right equipment for the job, some open time in your schedule, and extra energy to carry you through the project. However, if you feel like the DIY process isn’t for you, don’t fret. You can always reach out to Orlando Roofs & Gutters for the help that you need.
We proudly provide French drain maintenance services to anyone in our community who needs them. This includes both residential and commercial clients. We don’t require our clients to even lift a finger during this work; in fact, you can stay inside and watch television while we work our magic. We only ask that you pay a reasonable price for our services. If you’d like to learn more, we encourage you to contact us online and schedule an appointment with us today! We’ll even provide you with a free cost estimate for your convenience.
