Basement French Drains

Basement French Drains by Jersey Shore Crawlspace

Basement French drains are a necessary method in basement waterproofing in New Jersey! If water is a chronic issue in your basement, installing a French drain system is a great solution. A French drains give water a path of low resistance to flow through.

Basement interior French drains catch water that can seep inside and channels it by gravity to a sump pump. This sends the water back outside or to the drain line.

Reasons for Needing a French Drain

Flooding or standing water occurs in your basement.
Foundation walls are damp or have signs of moisture intrusion (mineral deposits, water lines, etc.)
It’s in your plans to finish your basement in the future.
You are planning on storing belongings in your basement.
You are experiencing excessive humidity.
The soil surrounding your home near the foundation is soggy.
The backyard has a retaining wall on a hillside.

Much of these reasons are negative conditions that lead to water intrusion in your home. Therefore, the best way to protect your home and the items in it are to have a proper drainage system in place. This allows the excess moisture and water in your home to be collected and diverted away from the basement.

It will not only protect the home itself and its contents, but it will help to protect the value of the home and the investment that you’ve made into it. This will especially prove to be beneficial if you ever find yourself in the process of selling your home. Without a proper drainage system in place to address any moisture issues, you could be facing a headache during the inspection process or a decline in the value and sale price of your home.

French Drain Installation Process

The purpose of a French drain installation is to collect water rising from the ground. The French drain’s channel collects water from the hollow cinder blocks that comprise your foundation, along with water rising from the ground.

We accomplish this by first trenching around the perimeter of your basement and installing our Fast track drainage system within the trench to collect the water. Then, the water routes to a sump pump, which diverts water outside of the basement.

Following this, our technicians drill “weep holes” in the foundation. This directs water collected in the foundation wall into the French Drain.

Lastly, we install skirting on top of the Fast track drainage system to cover the “weep holes” drilled, and divert water into the trench for the sump pump to pump the water out of the basement environment.

Preparing your Basement for the French Drain Install

Each install is planned extensively during your basement evaluation.

After the Evaluation, we plan your project execution extensively. We provide our technicians with details pertaining to the installation.

Following this, our highly skilled technicians begin removing concrete around the perimeter.

Installing the Track System

First, the weep holes are drilled. Next, we install the track system within the basement floor. Subsequently, this trench is now ready to provide adequate drainage for your basement.

After the installation of the track system, we begin installing the skirting around the perimeter to divert the water causing moisture intrusion on the basement walls.

Afterward, the french drain is then in place.

filled in french drain fast track system

Filling in the French Drain Trench

Following the installation of the french drain track system, along with the skirting, we begin filling the trench with 3/8″ pea gravel.

The pea gravel acts as a suitable drainage aggregate. Specifically, it encourages the flow of water into the drainage system.

On the underside of the track, there is manufactured slotting that is designed to prevent sediment from entering the line while allowing for proper collection and disbursement of the water.

completed French Drain system in basement

Completing your French Drain

After the trench is filled in with gravel, we begin the masonry involved as the finishing touches of your basement french drain.

Meanwhile, we smooth every seam to match the height of your basement’s floor.

Following the installation of the french drain, with the height uniform, you will be able to complete additional waterproofing measures and finish the basement if this is part of your planning for your home’s basement.