Serving Kansas and Missouri

Kansas City’s Best Professional French Drain Installation

If you’re worried about water damage to your home, it’s important to have proper water management systems in place. However, sometimes these systems break down, aren’t installed, maintained or designed well. That’s where Foundation 1 comes in. Our team of professionals offers affordable and quick French Drain installation services in the Kansas City metro area. We specialize in solving standing water or flooding issues for homes and businesses in KCMO, KCK, Johnson County, and Lee’s Summit.

No job is too big or small for us. With our years of experience, we guarantee your French Drains will be installed properly and efficiently the first time. Contact us today and let us take care of all your drain installation needs.

What Are French Drainage Systems?

Like french fries and french toast, the French drain has little to do with France. In fact, it’s named after the New England man who invented the drainage system in the 1800s. Henry Flagg French invented the cellar drain, what we now know as the French drain, to save homes from too much groundwater.

french drain across backyard

How Do French Drains Work?

The French drain is a gravel-filled trench containing a perforated pipe. Excess groundwater runs into the trench and flows through the perforated pipe. This pipe then carries water away from your home, preventing oversaturated soil from creating hydrostatic pressure or a leaking basement. Ideally, the French drain descends at a slight slope, and the water exits at a lower point away from your home, such as a dry well, a dry creek bed, the street, or a storm drain.

It’s also worth noting that there are both interior and exterior French drainage systems: interior French drains redirect water that enters your basement and is typically installed beneath your basement floor, while exterior French drains move water away from low spots where it collects in your backyard—useful behind exterior retaining walls to prevent water from pooling and damaging the wall’s structural integrity.

When Do You Need a French Drain?

Though French drains are popular, they should never be used as a cure-all drainage solution. It’s just as important to make sure your landscape is properly graded, your gutter system accurately installed, and your basement sufficiently waterproofed.

When it’s impossible to grade your landscape in a way that directs water away from your structure, French drains can be installed to keep water from pooling in low spots and around your foundation. Foundation 1 can install our Curtain Drain, our version of a French drain, to help direct water away from your home, protecting it against water damage and foundation problems.

There are several indicators that you may be a good candidate for a French drain system, so see if any of the following statements are true for you:

  • Despite having an existing drainage system, your basement still floods or leaks
  • You don’t have a drainage system and your basement is prone to flooding
  • You live in a region with heavy rainfall
  • It takes a long time for your property to dry after a rainfall
  • You’re interested in building a retaining wall located on a hill

Our French Drain Installation Process

When you call the drain installers at Foundation 1, we will examine your structure and landscape to identify the problem areas where water is pooling and causing damage to your home.

We will figure out where to place the French drain so that excess surface water can enter the drain pipe system and flow through the drain to an exit point. Next time you have heavy rain or excess water buildup, the drainage work will direct the flow of water away from your structure.

Installing the drain requires digging a sloped trench and lining it with fabric, gravel, and a perforated drain pipe to prevent soil from getting into the drain. Some French drains do not use a pipe, rather, they use a gravel-and-fabric system alone. This could be done in certain situations, but it’s best to ask your water management professional at Foundation 1 if that is the right solution for you.

It should be noted that French drains do need to be cleaned at least once a year. Typically, an electric snake is used to clean out clogged debris from the drain, since it’s important to perform interior cleaning when maintaining a French drain. An electric snake is typically used to clean out clogged debris from the drain since it’s important to perform interior cleaning when maintaining a French drain.

Call Foundation 1 Today for Drainage System Solutions

French drain systems could make a huge difference in managing excess water and preventing drainage issues from damaging your home’s foundation or compromising the structural stability of your home. Good drainage is vital to preventing water issues, and the installation of a French drain could solve your water management problems.

Collected water and drainage problems can destroy your home, so it’s important to make an informed decision about what your water management solutions are. If you notice water on your basement floor, a soggy yard, or cracks in your home’s foundation, it may be time to install a proper drainage solution.

Drainage pipes come in different forms, and a water management professional can help you choose the right option for your home. We can help you deal with your water problem and save your home using a trench drain or other solution. Looking for French drain installation in Kansas City? Foundation 1 can provide reliable solutions for water management.