Depending on the age of the house, the French drain may need to be replaced or even added. How do I know if it's a French drain? What is a French drain? We answer all your questions here.
French drain, is it necessary ?
09 May 2024 2 min
THE FRENCH DRAIN IN A HOUSE
WHAT IS THE ROLE OF A FRENCH DRAIN IN A HOUSE ?
The role is to collect rainwater or snowmelt that runs down the foundation of your home. The perforated drain redirects the water to the house’s storm sewer. It has a lifespan of around 30 years, so don’t forget to give it a check-up! Note that houses built before the 60s often don’t even have one. In such cases, it’s an essential part of your renovation project.
HOW DO YOU CHECK ITS CONDITION, OR EVEN ITS EXISTENCE?
The French drain is not easy to get to! The first thing to do is to check for the presence of a sump pit in the basement. Then, in the sump, you can see the possible arrival of the drain that carries the water to the storm sewer pipe. By passing a camera through this pipe in the basement, we can confirm the existence and working order of the house’s French drain.
The other option would be to dig along the foundation on the outside of the house. We’d then have to go to the bottom of the foundation footing, to reach the area where the French drain should be, to perform the camera test.
WHAT SIGNALS SHOULD RING AN ALARM BELL TO ASSESS YOUR FRENCH DRAIN?
Whitish surface on foundation inside = efflorescence
– Water infiltration
– Excessive humidity
THE BIG QUESTION: IS REPLACEMENT OR ADDITION ADVISABLE?
Ideally, this project should coincide with a home renovation project. It goes without saying that excavating all around the house will leave its mark on any paving or landscaping, but the longevity of your home depends on it.
Until the situation is remedied, you need to do everything you can to keep water away from your home. We make sure we have high-performance gutters and positive slopes that keep rainwater and snowmelt as far away from the house as possible.
