HOW A FRENCH DRAIN WORKS

[@kolankprof]

Excellent Video! Thanks for explaining why the holes need to point down.

[@andrewbeer2146]

I love this guy. Always puts a possitive spin on everything

[@Frenchylikeshikes]

Thanks for the explanation. I'll go to sleep less dumb tonight.

[@ptuffgong8504]

Haha! Perfect comment. I feel the same way. The use of small words in the video was also very helpful.

[@JoseChavez-ql8oi]

🤣😅😅👍👍👍

[@kobaltocr6927]

🔥👁🔥👁🔥

[@Northruby138]

😂😂😂😂

[@jessykamau2287]

Me too

[@TheSuburbanGardenista]

So simple, but might not be that obvious for the inexperienced french drainer! Thanks for making it so clear!

[@DJEddieB1]

Thanks for providing a solution to my yard problem. It rains cats and dogs here in Florida and this is the perfect solution. Now I can install the privacy fence and not worry about runoff water eroding and exposing the cement potentially damaging the structure.

[@andymccreight3175]

Lmao

[@ericknoblauch9195]

The house I currently live in had a 20 foot section where 2 inches of water would sit after a good rainstorm in the backyard. I installed a french drain, and laid the pipe exactly as shown in this video. The drain I installed was around a lawn, and snaked around the house to the street. At each corner, I also installed clean outs just in case there is a blockage in the future. I also used a line level, and made sure there was enough fall in the pipe to keep the water moving that was inside the pipe. Since installing the french drain, there has been no water in that section after severe rain storms. Also, when I did the drain, another drain was installed at the same time to catch and divert the water that drains from the gutter downspouts.

[@johnhouli3450]

Chuck how are you and family Doing. I watch you all time thanks for information. I live in a 1950 one level house with a basement when I first move here 30 years ago we had water coming in when we did a wash. So my plumber said to dig a large trench. So I got up early on a Saturday and dug 6 ft down 6 ft wide 20 feet out. I then told my plumber and he told me to go to industrial store and pick up 6 ft plastic heavy duty with slits on side of container’s he then connected it all. I first put stone down then container’s then more stone on top. Then slowly added dirt. It has been working great. For the washing machine. In front of my garage that goes under my home is a large pit rain came so fast it wasn’t able to keep up with seepage of water into the five foot deep pit when I opened my garage a wave of water flooded my garage and basement. It took me 8 hours to get water out with a wet vac. Thanks Just last week it rained for 3 hours and dropped 9 inches of rain I had water coming into my basement from my garage and from the back wall what would you suggest for me to keep water coming into basement. Would u suggest pipe with the holes facing down and run it towards the street. Only question how far do I have to go down into ground.

[@appledrains]

yes Hole point down! Sounds like you got this !

[@rickyray3575]

Folks the French Drain man is a joke !!!!! This guy is the best I know I have been doing this for 35 Years and I know good work when I see it. Keep up the good work Apple.

[@dontmakeitcomp692]

Love the short and simple explanation! Wish there were more like you!!

[@Steftodd1]

You are an incredible teacher!

[@appledrains]

Thank you

[@felicianorodriguez4354]

Wow! I've also always thought the holes go up. Now I know! Thank you.

[@TheHollabbeyHomestead]

This was a super helpful video, considering doing this ourselves. I would have thought holes up but now I see why that wouldn’t work! Great video thanks!

[@frankchen6401]

excellent video to explain the french drain system.

[@auntielisa]

A great explanation that anyone can understand!

[@svitali11]

can you install a french drain against the slope of the soil? i plan on making sure the trenches have a negative slope but just curious about digging my trenches opposite the natural slope of my backyard, my basin is in the back of my yard and my land slopes toward my house hence the question, thx love your videos, so informative

[@bdneoh]

Maybe dumb question. Using perforated corrugated pipe means that a little water can accumulate in the corrugations. I am worried that that might be an attractant to roots over time, which would compromise the system. If cost was not an issue would you suggest non-corrugated perforated pipe? And thanks for your videos. They help out a lot.

[@R_Thomp]

Can also wrap the pipe in filter fabric to prevent fines from building up inside the pipe and clogging it and always keep the pitch of the pipe in mind

[@aricblack7848]

I was wondering if you dig the trench on a slant or a fall so the water runs downhill out the drain?

[@millin2222]

Thanks for the explanation can I ask do you wrap the pipe with a membrane sheet to stop soil from going into the pipe?

[@namewitheld2568]

This video is super helpful but I have a question. I have a small low area in my yard that gets very boggy. Everything drains that direction. Very small maybe 5 ft by 2 ft shaped like a rectangle. I'm going to dig all of the dirt out of there and replace it with gravel I'd like to put in a French drain but I don't necessarily have anywhere for the water to go I just need to stop it from being absorbed by the soil. I have a concrete pad next to it so if it overflows a little under the concrete it's not a big deal. Would this work?

[@appledrains]

Give it a try!

[@namewitheld2568]

@@appledrains thanks for the encouragement. I will.

[@kurtcarson8911]

Thanks. I was going to put the holes up. Seems obvious now! Well done video.

[@RichardBoardman-r8k]

I did with holes up and now I no why back yard is saturated and why water was running under the pipes and not in them, redoing them deeper, deep trench,more stones, wife setting me straight 😅

[@Quetzachapin]

Wow!!! I did a drainage on the side of my house and I did it with the holes up and I thought I did a good job Until I seen your vid. Tomorrow is November so I’m waiting until spring next year. Thank you for this informative video and I wish I had seen it before. Subscribed.

[@Nicholas_Van_Orten]

I have seen many videos on youtube where people install it with holes up. I don’t understand why nobody explained that holes needs to point down?

[@jpjp3873]

I am backfilling a semi inground pool. Should a french drain be installed at the bottom of the 40" excavation (pool on hillside) and wrap around to downhill side, or just put it at the top foot or so of backfill?

[@kbamoroso]

This is the first video I have found that explains why I have holes in my drainage pipe. Now I have to go see if they are on the bottom. I hope so. I have an explose 4" pipe under my basement floor that comes out at the bulkhead stairs. It's clogged with rock however. trying to figure out if I remove that rock, will that hurt anything because the water has been backing up from the bottom of the bulkhead stairs for 30 years. Just discovered it was plugged. ugh.

[@shofarsogood7504]

Honest question. If water travels through the gravel, and first at that, why not just fill the trench with gravel? Why use a pipe at all?

[@pauljansen6650]

Had the same question

[@peterpoloka7942]

The pipe drains the water away at a higher speed than gravel alone would.

[@eagl0215]

@@peterpoloka7942that’s it’s? So could use just rocks then. But preferably a pipe helps. We can do a trial and error and see what happens :-)

[@peterpoloka7942]

@eagl0215 The gravel around the pipe expands the water catchment surface area of the pipe. Water travels through the gravel to the pipe a short distance. Once in the pipe, it travels a much longer distance at higher speed, also taking any sediments with it that would otherwise end up clogging the gravel over time.

[@CrashedMC713]

I’m assuming here, but that’s just a water hose…. With actual rain it will probably need the pipe to flow faster and prevent flooding. If you rely on gravel it will probably flow slower and start to flood.

[@alittlepieceofpromisedland8209]

Until this video I didn't understand why there was a pipe in the ground in a French Drain. Once you explained the holes in the bottom it became clear.

[@davidturner3180]

Will this get rid of rising damp on an old property which has risen above blue engineering bricks ?

[@terribamford8933]

What size should the holes be and what size should the gravel be?

[@stephentimoney6951]

Excellent video. Informative and straight to the point. Thank you

[@enfinityTX]

Great video, Chuck! Would you recommend putting a Drainage Ditch Liner under the pipe? I heard a pro would be that the pipe is less likely to clog with a liner.

[@banksiasong]

Great visual explaiation using the rigid PVC.

[@garystevens4303]

Very good. What about the flexible pipe with perforations all the way around? The slots on that stuff aren't too big. But that's what you have to buy.

[@stingerbee8346]

Flex pipe has a lot of opportunities for blockages and buildup.

[@tenGjenko]

The pipe in the video you were using as an example had holes at the 3 and 9 o'clock positions as well and the water was still not draining. It's likely that pipe had holes all the way around it but was just full of dirt and sediment due to the shortcuts taken during installation.

[@Chrissy726]

This was very clear and easy to understand. Thank you !

[@lawn-n-orderlandscaping1389]

Line your trench with fabric to prevent clogging though

[@teyyet2004]

Your videos are very helpful, I have a steep driveway that I was going to install 18 inch deep french drains in on both sides of the driveway. I have the black 4 inch flexible drain pipe with the sock already around the pipe. Would this pipe be strong enough to withstand the pressure of vehicles driving above it or would I need to use the schedule 30 drain pipe?

[@uroskovac2212]

Do you use geotextile to prevent sand and dirt of entering and stuffing the pipes?

[@1251wire]

SCIENCE !!! (of sorts) im going to make this to carry water away from my house to lessen rain water puddles. I like it and I have a shovel.

[@courtneylamer4045]

thanks for posting this video. Helpful.

[@christianwemoboi]

Can u do holes on both....top AND bottom ????? is there an issue with that ?

[@makie6900]

It’ll fill up with sludge rather than divert it under the pipe into the gravel

[@Lucymcdd]

Can you still add holes to the top as well?

[@gabrielrivera2139]

Yes you can do But not recommended you want to keep the Water low

[@mrjessephillips]

Wow, great explanation. THANK. YOU SO MUCH!!!

[@arthurcantrell1954]

Best video on out. Thanks!

[@sofiatsambounieris2872]

Maybe somebody can help me. If we have heavy rain fall literally all the rain from the surrounding houses comes to my yard. My front and back yard are alllllllllll HUGE LONG PUDDLES and it’s becoming a problem. Is this a solution? What do I do?

[@otofoto]

Solution is to deal with cause and not try to solve it only on your property. You can't save all the world. If they are not willing to cooperate then block the water by rising your yard around perimeter.

[@RichardBoardman-r8k]

Same with our house,

[@roblindsay101]

Why no landscape fabric or sleeve on the pipe?

[@TheFredMoore]

Does it matter where the water drains off too? We've got a spot near the back of our house that just pools water after it rains. I want to install a french drain to take care of this. Can I just dump it into the side yard or does the drain need to run down towards the sidewalk at the front of the house? Thanks!

[@KB-sm6pj]

Great video thanks for the encouragement at the end means a lot have a blessed day

[@georgevarghese1184]

Thanks for this very valuable video. Great idea.

[@yorkshirekoi2246]

Is one reason to have holes pointed up is if you need water to be removed from a drain hopper via pipe to a main drain. ?

[@b3arwithm3]

I have clay soil and it takes days for water to reach my drain. What can i do to improve my drainage? I have artificial grass and having stagnant water in the base rock seems like a bad setup

[@lawn-n-orderlandscaping1389]

fill your drain with gravel and do not top with soil

[@daniellam6298]

I know this is an old video but I am going to try to DIY this. Do I cap off one end of the pipe or does that stay open?

[@nofurtherwest3474]

great illustration!

[@mattd8411]

Thanks for the video. Would it hurt to backfill with rock and do about 6in of top soil on top for grass ?

[@appledrains]

Perfect

[@mattd8411]

@@appledrains awesome thanks. Just bought me a excavator trying get a few small jobs lol.

[@mattd8411]

@@appledrains Sorry for another question. Would you recommend the geo thermal fabric for this type?

[@billshasta5296]

can you add top soil and grass on top of the rock that cowers the pipe?

[@sharpdressed1799]

What’s pipe best for French Drains? Corrugated perforated or solid perforated PVC pipe?

[@bluebutterflywellness2273]

Love your information AND inspiration! 😍

[@appledrains]

Thank you!

[@preetimaheshwari1329]

In a rectangular tank of 6 ft × 5ft ×4 ft Where should be the drainage hole in backcorner bottom or centre of tank , for water to drain out tge fastest . And which size should be tge drainage hole.

[@nawazishali7936]

can we install a french drain network inside the boundary walls of house to stop damping walls/seeping of water?

[@lawn-n-orderlandscaping1389]

Better to go outside to keep water from entering the crawl space entirely

[@Do_not_assume]

but that example pipe had holes everywhere, even on its sides. what's all that about?

[@PhoenixFlowerEmma]

Can you only do a single pipe like this or could you do a large gravel area metres wide and have a single pipe every 30cms and have them join at one end into a single pipe that directs the water into say a pond or creek or hell even into a in ground water tank which can be filtered and used for drinking or grey water at least? We get either drougjtllht or flooding rain here in australia and its common and considered necessary in most states to have water tanks that catch the water from the steel roof into the gutters then into pipes directly into your above ground water tanks. But as flood prevention and also to make use of rain when we get it id love to make the land without buildings over it catch rain too especially if you can pop a lawn overtop as im nit a fan of all gravel yards like they do in arizona and such places would this work? Im imagining it a tad like underfloor heating where it has this snake of water pipes under the floors that get heated and provide warmth but instead of that a french drain under the lawn section of the backyard and the raised vegie patch and have the trees and garden on the slopes where they can prevent soil erosion and get the water themselves in places where a french drain wouldnt work. And the excess water can end up in a dam or farm irrigation channels which are a bit like swales of sorts as extra above groune catchment and also the plants help filter the water and the yabbies and fish in the dams are good food if need be. Not like theres a lot of seafood in the outback 😂 unless you want freshwater that you catch yourself. It seems simple enough just would be a lot of earth moving but rather have that done and prevent flooding than not have it done and have to replace flooded buildings and contents... thoughts? Love a video on large scale french drains i wonder wouls it have anything in common with septic tanks/sinks concept... just a different kind of water 😂...

[@troybyrd5873]

Thank you for the demo and examples, very helpful

[@gmulhall]

Can I ask why you wouldnt just fill a trench with gravel? What is the purpose of the pipe itself? I imagine for significant downpour the water will flow easier through a pipe than through drainage rock, but it still has to fill the pipe through the smaller holes compared to just running alongside the pipe. Even if enough water entered the pipe in a storm the high flow rate through the pipe would probably have to be restricted or dispersed when the water exits the pipe at the other end to not damage soil where it exits? Thanks

[@jedivideo6203]

I believe the pipe is to carry the water away from the area. For instance if you are getting water intrusion in the basement, you don't want the water to just soak through the gravel and pass through and permeate the area, but you want it to flow away from the foundation.

[@plasmidlifecrisis5355]

Water flows faster through the pipe than the through the gravel, so you're basically making a highway for the water to get it out of the trench and away from the foundations or whatever you're using the french drain for.

[@oclost]

Straight and to the point. Bravo

[@smith0250]

Going by your name I think you'll like this nugget of information. It's called a French drain because it was invented by an American bloke called Henry Flagg French not because of the country France.

[@Chainyanker007]

How much gravel under the pipe? 2”-3”? Also did you drill you own holes in the pipe? As I recollect perforated PVC have holes all the way around, wouldn’t this would allow dirt to eventually go thru the top layer of gravel and get into the pipe? Guess that’s what the clean out is at the other end.

[@handle1196]

Whats the name for the french drains that need a geotextile membrane wrapped around

[@appledrains]

French Drain

[@lawn-n-orderlandscaping1389]

drain sock. We wrap ours in landscape fabric to prevent clogging

[@matshulten5396]

Why your US pipes don’t have holes all around is curious... The pipe is there to be a ditch for free flow of water. Also surprised the pipe isn’t surrounded by geotextile to prevent dirt from blocking the holes and entering the pipe.

[@chrisfilby9678]

What if you have nowhere for the drain to go to, for example bordered on all sides by gardens?

[@PaulPhoenix2010]

You can try using a dry well

[@MaDGriZz78]

Is that sdr 35?

[@seasiderjay5240]

Ohh I watched many videos of French drains now and was so confused how the water ended up inside the pipe I thought it was some kind of magic no one ever mentioned the holes they just lay non descript pipe in a gravel trench

[@markdunsing4929]

Oh my that crawlspace

[@j4panfour410]

My drainage system was replaced last year and im still getting damp spots from hydrostatic pressure coming through my slab (house was built in 1940, 3" slab w no vapor barrier). I was told it would dry up in a few months but has not. The company replaced corrugated with 4" pvc and there are 2 clean outs, ive looked in there many times to see if water is in there but its always dry. I never thought about this until I saw your video, but the holes in the pvc are pointed straight down. Yours are down but on an angle which to me makes so much more sense than straight down... how mine are positioned would allow water to drain up into the pvc but it doesn't get trapped. Is straight down incorrect? Would it be worth raising hell to the company who did that?

[@camarocraig7060]

Corrugated is probably the issue. Next it could be the drain point is slightly higher than the pipe level in the drain, which would leave a water level in there that would have to evaporate vs running down the pipe

[@j4panfour410]

@@camarocraig7060 thanks for the reply. No sorry, they took corrugated out and replaced it with pvc. Im mostly concerned with the hole placement, never thought about it until I saw how yours was positioned

[@camarocraig7060]

@@j4panfour410 yes the holes not being down would have the same effect as a drain point not being low enough. The drain would have to fill up 6-9" before the water would enter the pipe, this would leave the drain wet for a long long time and of course hydrostatic pressure will do it's thing when water is present non stop.

[@joshparker9128]

what do you recommend for drainage around a monolithic slab garage?

[@DerpyDragonful]

Does this work for huge fields? Let's say for a Music Festival??

[@appledrains]

Yes as long as you have down hill run away from the area

[@DerpyDragonful]

@@appledrains Thanks for the reply. You have gained a sub!!!

[@francescopuppini]

Excellent video! Thank you!

[@clasalle]

Great lesson and video.! First time viewer, but I subscribed for more :-)

[@karlaavina5452]

Awesome video!!! Thanks a bunch!!!

[@alexchopper7997]

So does that mean technically we don’t need a catch basin? It would still work with just a drench?

[@namewitheld2568]

That's exactly my question. I have a low area of the yard which most of the time is fine but can get boggy. It's not very big and I'm thinking if I dig it out and replace it with rocks and a French drain that will be sufficient. I don't want to put in a catch basin it's okay if the water overflows to the concrete area next to it

[@mohamedwarsame9708]

whats the name of music towards the end ??

[@petrisorserdaru2595]

I'd like to see if it works with soil over the stones

[@Skumberg74]

Very good point. There's a special canvas for that purpose to keep mud away from the pipe. We call it geo-textile in Europe, don't know the American name but I'm sure you have the something like it.

[@MichaelEllis1]

@@Skumberg74 it's called landscaping fabric in the US.

[@bethbishop3828]

Thank you so much for this very informational video!! I thought rain comes down so holes up, man am I glad I saw this, thinking of doing myself this year & you saved me so much aggravation. I want to use the polystyrene however, I DO cover with topsoil and seed right?

[@lawn-n-orderlandscaping1389]

You can however it will be less effective in catching water

[@夏川徳川]

Correct me if I am wrong. But, aren't the holes on the side?!

[@theDonRua]

Why wouldn't the water seeping down just continue to wash away the dirt and support under the pipe/gravel, so eventually the pipe starts to sag and have issues? I have a serious issue to resolve beside our pool, not due to standing water, but do to water washing out all of the soil and dirt and taking it down a hill on the back side of the pool. We had people fill all the space with foam, and the next rain just went under that, and washed out the dirt below it. Why wouldn't lots of rain washout what's under this pipe?

[@BirdWings360]

Good explanation video.....

[@joea2274]

So you want a gravel bed before installing pipe?

[@lawn-n-orderlandscaping1389]

yes and on top

[@joea2274]

Does it matter how much of a gravel bed

[@lawn-n-orderlandscaping1389]

@@joea2274 not particularly, you want enough, generally 4 inches. Too much will allow water to just avoid the pipe entirely.

[@trickyp1585]

Chuck ive seen you use fabric and not use fabric i dont know what to do anymore

[@Iamtherodlight1453.]

Thank you, sir

[@kensheffield343]

Wow Good Stuff Thanks

[@andreassiemund4101]

Well explained!

[@nicolechelios801]

Interesting. Thanks!!

[@Samzter1925]

Easy explanation!

[@tonemeas6505]

Great video,,, EZ,, thanks

[@soldier-Dave]

Excellent thank you

[@theautodidacticman_]

Great video man I appreciate the information. Hell I wouldn’t have even thought about the placement of the holes until I watched this. I was just gonna drill holes all over the pipe and hope for the best haha but I’m gonna scratch that idea now since it drains so much better with them down 😎👍

[@GuildF40]

Man that was brilliant .

[@HillbillyRednecking]

You for got to mention how the holes get clogged when up, even whit the holes up in the basement like you're saying it should still drain, but you for got to mention the holes get clogged

[@krystiangruszczynski4555]

Exactly , use terram wrapped up , 10 mm stone around pipe

[@ConstructiveMinds100]

What if the pipe after two years get stuffed with mud and soil?

[@otofoto]

You need to have inspection wells to clean them by water pressure.

[@emilywelsh1072]

Thank you!!

[@bmanscire]

To be honest It looks like 50% of the water is going under that pipe. But I really like the lesson and appreciate the good advice

[@otofoto]

Because he made it wrong. You put directly on clay. There is no need for pipe if it is in middle of gravel as gravel also works without pipe. Unfortunately without pipe gravel would eventually fill up with soil.

[@scassidy77]

Looked like most of the water flowed from around or under the pipe. Not a whole lot through it. Makes we wonder what the point t of the pipe is at all. Why not just use crushed rock over a bed of plastic sheeting that is directed to away from the home?

[@alexmonge2272]

Wao thanks for sharing.

[@kingtut4752]

what about holes all around?

[@kurtwolford5801]

That would work just as well, may get gravel in the pipe though

[@rob_over_9000]

Fine dirt, sand, or clay will work it’s way in through the top, settle, and clog the bottom holes. Having holes only on the bottom uses hydrostatic pressure to keep the holes clean and give the water a place to go.