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Foundation Drains: How much does it cost for different types of drains?

Thanks to Compare Home Quotes multiservice platform, all important projects concerning your property are facilitated. Do not worry if you are confronted with infiltration of water in the basement, a problem of iron ocher, a clogged agricultural drain, etc.

We will put you in touch with the best drainage excavation companies serving your area.

Reasons for water infiltration in the basement

Water accumulating in the soil around a house as a result of heavy rains puts pressure on the foundations. The water can end up infiltrating there. Land that drains poorly is always a risk.

The soil may be naturally inclined to retain water. Often, however, it is the type of land used to backfill the foundation that is causing the problem. Clay, for example, retains water. Further, during periods of drought, clay soil promotes concrete cracking.

Without earthwork, while it may be effective in terms of aesthetics, rainwater (or iron ocher) may run to the house. Even poorly chosen or trees planted too close to the soil play a role in soil drainage problems. Your foundation is going to bail out!

Other possible (and common) causes of infiltration problems:

• Failure to seal the external surface of concrete foundations (bituminous coating missing due to wear or installation defects).
• Damage to the French drain that can be broken, crushed, displaced; it is often clogged with fine particles that accumulate over time.
  • Important: If your home was built recently and the drain is not functioning correctly, it is because it has been incorrectly installed: incorrect slope, insufficient gravel recess, etc.
• Caulking cracks inbasement openings (doors, windows).
• Poor condition of the curbs(drainage is partially or not functioning).
• The level of the house is located lowerthan the street level or of neighbors.
• Presence of a shallow water tablein the soil.
• Poorly designed inflow of gutters.
  • To watch for: sometimes, in old houses (over 50 years), there is definitely no French drain.

Consequences of infiltration

Water infiltration into the foundation of your home ultimately weakens the base of its structure. Do not be negligent: as soon as you have a doubt or detect an indication of infiltration from the outside, contact an expert in excavation and drainage.

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Here are some indicators that you are probably dealing with a problem of water infiltration in your home:

• there is a lingering smell of humidity in the basement
• there is efflorescence (powdery and whitish spots) on the surface of the concrete;
• mold is at the base of the walls in the basement;
• water drops on the floor;
• rust appears on the columns in the basement;
• the false floor is curled

Solutions to water infiltration

In most cases of infiltration, it is necessary to excavate all around the foundations. This process has improved in recent years. Machinery and techniques are now more efficient and developed.

A good contractor also knows how to fix the gaps and put back the landscaping as it was before the work.

• If the contractor sees that the old drain has been incorrectly installed, he will remove it, dig further, and install a new one so that the drain is lower than the base of the concrete slab. Thus, the drain can do its job and prevent the floor of the basement is constantly wet.
• If the contractor finds that the drain is completely clogged or filled with particles, he must excavate the entire perimeter and also install a new drain. This time, the latter will have been surrounded by a geotextile membrane.
• If the drain is partially clogged, he can try to clean it with a powerful jet of water.

Three types of French drains

1. Terracotta drains: Old, composed of cylindrical pieces spaced from one to two centimeters, these drains must be covered with a membrane and a sufficient layer of gravel.
2. Concrete drains: Also located at the base of the foundation. These drains also consist of cylindrical pieces (30 cm in length, 10 cm in diameter) not adjacent to each other. Proper membrane and gravel are therefore also required.
3. Agricultural drains: More recent, these are flexible pipes made of plastic (polyethylene) of 10 cm. in diameter, specifically pre-cracked. Inexpensive, they are effective and we cannot surround them with a filtration membrane.

Installation of a French drain: how do we proceed?

Here is a concise way to proceed when it comes to “laying down a drain”:

• Establish the precise level of the basement slab to properly locate the level of the drain.
• Clear the targeted area for excavation (shrubs, pavers, patio, etc.) and place plywood panels on the lawn to receive the excavated material.
• Excavate mechanically to the base of the foundations (concrete slab).
• Make sure to make a bed of compacted gravel and equal to the bottom of the trench; no slope required, except on the evacuation portion.
• Install a perforated pipe (drain) along the entire length of the trench. In sandy soil, use a rigid and smooth pipe (PVC). The top of the pipe should be lower than the bottom of the foundation.
• Connect chimneys that extend above ground for inspection or drain cleaning.
• Connect the drain to the drainage drain.
• Surround and cover the drain with a minimum layer (15 cm) of crushed stone.
• Depending on the soil, previously drain the membrane (geotextile or polyethylene).
• Clean the surface of the foundations cleared by the trench to better detect cracks. If necessary, seal these cracks by applying a waterproofing film. If the soil is clay, go with it rather than attaching a plastic membrane
• Fill the foundation, clean the ground, and redo the landscaping.

Iron Ocher/ Maintenance and cleaning of a drainage system

In clay-ferrous soils and when water tables are relatively shallow, a bacterial phenomenon may appear in the ground, producing a muddy brown iron hydroxide mud which completely clogs the French drains. This is iron ocher.

There is no solution to prevent the phenomenon from occurring, and the solutions to lessen the impact of iron ocher on the drains are only temporary.

• Blainville, L’Assomption, Laval, Lorraine, Mascouche, Repentigny, Sainte-Marthe-sur-le-Lac and Saint-Jérôme are among the cities with fertile soils for the development of iron ocher.

Some homeowners have their drain excavated and cleaned, which is an expensive and recurring operation. But serious entrepreneurs do effective maintenance. (cleaning)

They can also offer drastic solutions: a waterproof casing of the foundation or an elevation of the house (on piles) with condemnation of the basement filled with gravel.

The next step: compare prices for your drainage system

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We work with competent partners in your area who can meet your needs. Fill out the form on this page and receive up to three quotes from contractors and drains specialists, no matter where you live in Quebec.

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