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French Drains

Have a wet basement? You may need professional basement waterproofing if you want a long-term solution. Contact us for a quote in Harford and Baltimore counties.

The French drain was originally developed by Henry French. French improved upon existing drainage systems by eliminating the main problem with other water drains: clogging. French added crushed rock to a channel to prevent it from clogging with debris. The rock acts as a natural filter, allowing the water to move through the channel, but preventing soil, leaves and other organic matter from clogging the water’s path. This most basic drainage system design simply involved a dug trench, gravel and re-cementing the floor leaving a gap between the floor and the wall called the French drain. The trench should be sloped to channel the water to whatever point has been designated to handle the water collection, be it a sump pit, a dry well or simply a more appropriate water accumulation point.

Typical Steps For French Drain Installation:

  • Open floor along entire perimeter.
  • Install sump well and sump pump along designated wall/corner; discharging to grade.
  • Bleed block where practical.
  • Install drain tile in all open areas.
  • Cover drain tile with washed gravel.
  • Broom sweep and remove all debris.

Bel Air Waterproofing offers a transferrable lifetime guarantee on our French drain systems and we have never had a complaint that our French drain system was faulty.

Contact us

For the fastest response, call us at 410-879-0008. You can also fill out the form to schedule a quote to let us know what repair you need, and someone will get back to you by the next business day.