French Drains
Crawl Space French Drains And Basement Drainage Systems
If you encounter water problems in your crawl space or basement that lead to standing water or continuous water intrusion, your home could benefit considerably from a drainage system featuring a French drain. Standing water can have many adverse effects on your home’s foundation and structural integrity if left unattended. Alongside a sump pump, a crawl space french drain system from Clean Crawlspace will keep your crawl space dry and safe for life!
Standing water can come from many different sources under and around your foundation. It can seep in under the footer of the foundation wall, intrude through cracks or vents, or come from a leaking or burst water pipe. Standing water can cause foundation settling and increase the humidity in the crawl space encouraging mold growth and pests. The first step towards a water-free crawl space is to identify the ways in which water is entering your crawlspace and stop them if possible.
Water in the crawl space that stays for an extended period can lead to many problems and won’t go away on its own. As the crawl space is a dark place that receives no direct sunlight, standing water will slowly evaporate and keep the humidity level very high for a long time. A french drain system won’t stop water from entering your crawl space or basement to begin with, but it will prevent it from staying there and causing problems.
The Dangers of Standing Water To Your Home
Standing water under the home is extremely dangerous to the structure of your home. If water has nowhere else to go, it will collect in your crawl space or basement, causing high humidity and leading to many other issues. The most significant problems addressed with a french drain system are standing water, excessive humidity, and sagging floors.
When moisture content in the air is extremely high, due to standing water the chances of wood rot and mold doing damage to your wood floor supports are much higher. When wood becomes soft and moist, it becomes more vulnerable to wood rot and wood-eating pests such as termites. Mold loves an environment with high relative humidity, so keeping humidity levels low is essential.
When mold and rot begin to take over, that is when problems like sagging floors arise. Once your crawlspace reaches this stage of damage the issue is extremely severe and will likely cost thousands of dollars to repair, as the supports of your home’s flooring are failing. Avoiding this scenario by preventing and actively working to stop water from entering and affecting your crawl space is essential.
Standing water isn’t the only dangerous water to have under your home. High water content in the soil under your home can lead to hydrostatic pressure, which can compromise the foundation of your home. French drains help to alleviate this problem by allowing the excess water in the soil to drain properly.
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A French Drain System That Protects Your Home From Damaging Water
By diverting water away from your crawl space or basement and preventing the build-up of excess moisture you can lower the overall humidity. In combination with measures such as a vapor barrier and dehumidifier, you can control the relative humidity of your crawlspace and stop mold and pests in their tracks.
Not only does a French drain mean less humidity in your crawl space or basement, but it also means less humidity in the rest of your home. A large portion of the air on the first floor of your home flows from or through your crawl space. That means any humidity, dust, dirt, pollen, or other air pollutants in your crawl space are affecting the air quality of your home as well. Lowering the humidity of your crawl space via a french drain system also takes the pressure off your HVAC system, allowing it to run less and last longer.
A high-quality french drainage system in your crawlspace also protects your home from flooding or any other emergency water intrusion your may encounter. If a water pipe bursts under your home or a big storm brings in floodwater, you can rest easy knowing that the water is being moved away from your crawl space by your drainage system.
Our French Drain Method
We install our french drains along with the interior of the foundation wall of your crawl space or basement. This system is typically connected to a sump pump at the lowest point to move the water entirely out and away from your home.
When installing a crawl space french drain system, we first dig a trench along the foundation wall and use a perforated PVC pipe, strip vain or wick drain. This draining is covered in a non-woven fabric filter designed to stop dirt particles and allowing water to flow freely through the drain. We lay down this drain and then backfill with gravel. This combination of fabric drain with gravel on top means a double layer of filtering, providing extra protection from debris that might clog the drain line.
French drains effectively prevent water from accumulating in your crawl space. They’re can also be extremely cost-effective compared to other water diverting solutions, including exterior french drains. Water that collects at the dirt floor and wall joints is captured before it has a chance to gather, and these systems require little maintenance and work very effectively alongside other measures to waterproof your crawlspace.