How to Install a French Drain that Actually Works! DIY Project

Installing a French Drain system around your home will not only keep your yard dry, but also extend the life of your foundation and help to prevent flooring. In this video I show you how to install a dual pipe french drain system to collect all the eater from your roof and also ground water from your yard.

Follow Me on Social Media:
LINK TREE

MATERIALS USED In VIDEO

MY FAVORITE TOOLS

#frenchdrain #weepingtile #PenningtonIronite

DISCLAIMER: Links included in this description might be affiliate links. If you purchase a product or service with the links that I provide I may receive a small commission. There is no additional charge to you or anything different you have to do. Just shop as normal.! Thank you for supporting me so I can keep creating awesome content for you.

[mikekernan]

Your supervisor sure was keeping a close eye on you while you were working on your downspout. Thanks for another interesting and informative video. Mike

[seanhannam]

For anyone being overly critical in the comments or claiming to be a pro… why are you watching this in the first place? Good video man

[kd]

I'm a civil engineer, you did a great job. Attention to detail is everything when it comes to this kind of job.

[OGJEEP]

I like the fact that you also did a decorative & practical rock and gravel in the dry creek you drained everything into

[uptone]

This is a great video-I installed mine this way over 20 years ago around my house and its still works today

[nateiowa]

Thank you so much for this video. We just built on raw land over the winter and this is our first spring here. We just had a heavy rain and noticed a SERIOUS drainage issue. I have a lot of work to do but this gave me the confidence I needed.

[JohnFrieden]

Great installation, most people don't understand that you need to use a solid line for your down spouts. The only thing I would add is that I would use rigid PVC drain pipe or SDR-35 storm drain pipe. You have a fair amount of mature trees on your property, their roots will seek water. The roots have the potential of clogging your french drain line. If that happens to the corrugated pipe you will have to dig it up and replace it. If you use rigid pipe you can call a rooter company and have them snake the line and you're back in business again.

[letimetcalfe]

Thank you! My front and back screened in Porch flood badly. The previous owners neglected to tell us that when we bought the home so imagine my surprise when at the first storm water flooded both areas to almost 5 inches. We do have a French Drain but it's not doing it job. I called several companies with promises of helping me with this situation and no shows. So I'm going to have to do this project myself. Thank you for your helpful advice. Hope to get this problem fixed soon.

[jewdd]

My sister had water leaking into her garage and back porch because the way the soil was graded. Thankfully she sold her house but anyways so glad you demonstrated this! Always enjoy your videos

[sparkysmalarkey]

We bought an old house in western Oklahoma to be our forever home. It was sitting on rock hard clay. Shredded mulch, seed and worm castings spread thin over the yard will get the job done. We only had to do it once too.
It's been about ten years since then and my yard is like walking on pillows. Except a race track that our dogs have packed down running their route around the house. It pretty much does the same job as a french drain, because our basement has not flooded since our second year.
I like the way you overbuild though, mad props. Thanks for the content.

[peterstevens]

That perforated drainage pipe we here in New Zealand have a sock that goes around the whole pipe, so all you do is full the trench up with gravel from the bottom and both sides and top and you're done! 👍👍👍

[myRatchets]

1% slope is not 1” for every 10 feet. To get your slope get the total distance in inches than times by .01 for 1% . So 10ft x 12= 120 inches x .01 = 1.2” not a big deal for short distances but you need to do the math for longer distances and get it right. GL

[tylersowa]

Couple tips from a landscaper…
- use the excavator to tamp the soil
- use flashing tape if using tape as a second added layer of connection
- install a “ Y “ clean out valve by the bottom of downspout
- use a small butane torch to cut the tarp instead of a box knife
- use a separation fabric the line the bottom of the trench. Use a geotextile tarp to “burrito” wrap the drains to allow water to pass

[StonyAcresEstate]

At 9:12, it looks like you are connecting your downspout to the french drain (pipe with slits in it).

[Samuel-srym]

Thanks for taking so much of your time to make that video. Very informative. I liked it. Good job.

[justadbeer]

Nice job. I like how you added the non perf pipe to carry away the downspout water. I had this same issue and did this back breaking job last summer. Only difference is I added a few more catch basins to move the above ground water quicker as my septic field slopes toward the back of my house .

[drowsy]

I''m a 5th Generation farmer's son and a Home Inspector. IMO, installing underground drain pipes for underground down spout's water run off management "should be minimum building code". Use solid pipe at 12"-18" deep to "take the water away" from the building. Below 12" and it reduces summer time drought marks on the above lawn. If wondering, I did this to my previous house 25 years ago, did this to my cottage 8 years ago and currently doing this upgrade to my new retirement home (which is on a little hill). For all sites, I used a no holes drain pipe and the last 10 ft (in the low ground bush with the pipe on the ground surface), I used 4" pipe with holes / sock and end cap with holes as well. Instead of using landscape fabric, I used old rugs instead. Being under ground the scrap rugs last much longer than thin landscape fabric. All works great. And yes, there are many positive reasons why farmers spend mega dollars on tiling (which is large scale french drain install) their fields for a reason.... French drain pipe with holes / filter for ground's low spots is a great idea as well. I did this for my one wet spot (that was a semi natural spring) and it worked great Seriously... If you are thinking of doing this DIY upgrade, simply do it. Its worth it in the long run...

[tdz]

Hey man. Thanks for this video. I have to get a French drain put in and this gave me a lot of good tips. If I may, your grass issue in the yard and around the pool….your soil seems hydrophobic. Use a product called hydretain OR you can use baby shampoo in a hose sprayer. It will loosen the soil and allow the water to penetrate. I had similar in my yard and thought I had grubs. No grubs. But someone told me about hydrophobic soil. I tested and sure enough water was just not penetrating. Hit the section of yard with Johnson and Johnson baby shampoo in a hose sprayer and i have a lush green lawn.

[eclandscape]

Yes, great vid. I liked the pace of everything and not boring. Of course I loved your Aussie. Keep up the good work.

[CantonGregory]

I love the dog appearing in the window at 7:25