How French Drains in Westford, MA Can Protect Your Home

by | Oct 23, 2013 | Water Proofing

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Many Westford homeowners have trouble with their air conditioner drainage. The problem is most frequently found in homes at the bottom or on the side of a hill. Homes on flat land may also have standing water problems. Water from improper drainage can cause a lot of problems for your yard and home. The water may make the soil around your air conditioner soggy or even muddy.

Standing water can be a fertile breeding ground for mosquitoes and other undesirable insects. In extreme cases, the water that drains from an outdoor air conditioning unit can cause damage to the foundation of your home. One effective solution is to build French drains in Westford, MA to route the excess water under the ground and away from your home. Be sure to follow all zoning and building code regulations when you install a french drain. If you don’t have another acceptable exit for the excess water, consider building a dry well on your property.

A french drain is simply a trench to take the water away from your home and deposit it in a more appropriate area. Installation can be done in a few hours with a a shovel, landscaping fabric, gravel and appropriately sized drainage pipes. The first step is to dig a trench. The slope is very important when you install a french drain. Water will not flow properly through if there is not enough slope on your trench. After the trench is dug in the ground near the unit, landscaping fabric is added to prevent debris from getting into the drain and preventing the water from flowing freely away from your home. Next, gravel or rocks are added on top of the landscaping fabric. When the trench is halfway full of gravel, drainage pipes are inserted. Finally, the rest of the trench is filled with gravel and covered with the remaining landscaping fabric.

With an effective drainage system, you reduce the risks associated with standing water outside your home. French drains in Westford, MA protect the investment area homeowners make in their homes and landscapes. Some French Drains in Westford, MA are beautifully decorated with rocks while others are covered with turf to hide them.