Tired of a soggy backyard every time it rains in Houston? 🌧️🏡
Between our heavy seasonal downpours and the notorious Texas clay soil, standing water isn't just an eyesore—it's a direct threat to your home's foundation. If you’ve been noticing marshy spots or water pooling near your concrete slab, a French drain is the most reliable way to channel that water safely away.
Before you start digging, you need the facts. We’ve answered the most common questions Houston homeowners face regarding drainage fixes:
The Critical Questions Answered:
📐 How Deep? Most French drains work best when buried between 18 and 24 inches deep to properly intercept groundwater in our local soil.
🏠 How Close to the House? Be careful—placing a trench too close to your foundation can cause serious structural shifts and water issues instead of solving them.
🪨 Is Gravel Necessary? Yes! Skipping gravel beneath or around the pipe ruins filtration, causing clay to clog your system and render it useless.
🗺️ Where Does it Go? A drain cannot just lead to a dead end. It requires a proper outlet like a street, a ditch, or a catch basin to discharge safely.
DIY vs. Professional Installation
While a smaller 20-foot run might seem like a straightforward weekend DIY project, Houston’s dense clay makes manual trenching incredibly difficult. Furthermore, French drains aren’t standard plumbing jobs—they require precise slope calculations to ensure gravity does the work over long distances.
Protect your landscaping, secure your foundation, and take your yard back.
Get the Full Breakdown 📝
Read through our complete pricing expectations, layout placement rules, and material choices like durable SDR 26 PVC.
👉 Check out the full resource: tunnelnow.com/french-drain-faq/
📞 Need a professional look at your yard? Call the local specialists at 713-321-2657 for a free estimate!
