The Difference Between French and Curtain Drains
Does your basement look like this? You might need a french or curtain drain on your property.
Hardly anything is more frustrating to a homeowner than coming home to find the basement filled with water after a rain storm. Unfortunately, some houses are built on lots that don’t get great drainage for groundwater and/or surface water. However, there are solutions to this annoying problem. Two of the options that homeowners have for a drainage system are french drains and curtain drains. Both of these drains help to prevent water damage in vulnerable areas like basements or yards. Keep on reading if you want to find out the difference between french and drain curtains- and decide which is best for you!
French Drain
Simply put, the purpose of a french drain is to remove of groundwater that is collecting near the surface of a home. The french drain is a trench that is usually located on a slope near a home. Often times, this trench is covered in gravel so that no one can see the drain from the surface. In most cases, french drains are used on homes that sit on a hill or slope, where water consistently collects in the basement or yard. This trench is filled with rounded pebbles and a perforated pipe that can help with water drainage. If installed well, the french drain can also prevent excess groundwater from collecting again in the future.
Another option is called a deep french drain. This type of drain is used when a house is built on an entirely flat surface. In flat lot cases, groundwater does not have any place to run off and therefore continues to collect in the yard or basement. These types of drains are built around the perimeter of the home at the same level of its foundation to help divert the groundwater from entering the basement.
Curtain Drain
Curtain drains essentially do the same thing that french drains do- get rid of the water. The main difference is that french drains deal more with groundwater while curtain drains have more to do with surface water. Curtain drains are built in a very similar way to french drains but are dug to a shallow depth. They are also usually built in front or around a house to divert the water around the house before it gets the chance to collect in the basement or in the yard.
French and Curtain Drain Installation with All Aspects Waterproofing
For more information on installed a French drain today, contact All Aspects Waterproofing. All Aspects Waterproofing is a Better Business Bureau A+ rated company with over 30 years of experience in the Washington, DC/Maryland/Virginia area. Contact us online or by calling 1-866-999-3110 or 301-766-4420. To see what we’re up to, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Pinterest, YouTube, LinkedIn, and Houzz.