Why You Should NEVER Install a Well for Yard Drainage

In this video, a homeowner's yard suffers from poor drainage due to a previous company installing a simple well. Wells are inadequate solutions that fill up and fail to alleviate standing water during heavy rains. We always recommend French drains instead, which are far more effective drainage systems.
For this yard, we would install a French drain by tying the downspouts into it, running it through the swales to absorb pooled water, and continuing it alongside the house to collect runoff. It's critical that the drain outlet is at a lower elevation in the front yard. We would also regrade the backyard to direct water into the French drain system. With an extensive French drain, it can completely dry out soggy yards.
We advise against wells, as they often cost about the same as a drain but do not properly address drainage issues. French drains installed by our expert landscapers are the best solution for diverting water away from the house and controlling yard flooding and standing water.
#FrenchDrain #drainage #Landscaping
Ware Landscaping & Snow Removal
964 Eddystone Cir, Naperville, IL 60565
312-219-9265
www.warelandscaping.com/
/ warelandscapingandsnow...
/ warelandscapes

[@maurov.1232]

Where is the after video?

[@peternyc]

Would love to see what it looks like now and a report on how it performs. Could you upload a video on this?

[@danfromorlando]

lol... yeah for real, where's the pay off here? french drain man has some before and after stuff... all in 1 video

[@codysmith5333]

What if there is no low point in the front?
I've wanted to put a French drain in to clar pooling water at the rear of my house but don't have enough fall to clear water in the front. I could go all the way to the street but then going over the curb would put it higher than the grade...so going "uphill" to get to the street.

[@tf9160]

thank you 👍

[@patricklines8872]

While all of that sounds just wonderful a thing to consider is some areas, such as where I live, do not allow you to drain your yard into the ditch or street and you have to deal with your yard drainage within your own property.

[@tholi1052]

No doubt a french drain is the best solution, but, at what cost? Can you compare the cost of a dry well, or multiple dry wells to the french drain you proposed. I think the difference is about $800 for multiple dry wells and $4000 for the proposed french drain. Am I wrong? Multiple dry wells would improve the drainage response and would decrease the time that the water pooled, if any pooling occurred at all. A dry well is one version of vertical drainage and is always much, much less expensive than long, labor intensive french drains.

[@hotmetalslugs]

From my experience, this yard needs more than the drywell, specifically because of all the grading issues and swales with nowhere to go.
If there’s a good drop out to the curb, go with the French drain and surface water drains (two different pipes remember) where he indicates.
Best not to feed downspouts into French drain pipes.
Another popular drain site on YT has a few new videos on soakaways that can be helpful.
The key is that you’d be looking to get the surface water below the hard clay (which gets harder over time the more it stays flooded) so it can percolate through. Not perfect. Better. Good luck!

[@Williamxmr]

Try a vertical drain

[@jeffaston6172]

That’s great but thousands of dollars

[@Butterfly-iz3nm]

Yay! I got to do the first comment!