Good morning, Chuck here with Apple Drains. This video is NOT discussing whether or not to wrap your French drain. It just shows the action of a French drain in Clay soil. Be sure to watch the upcoming videos on our new channel that will show how a French drain works in all types of soil!
@@hjc0706 thanks for the reply. I kindof regret purchasing 70 foot of ez drain. I didn't realize clay was a problem for it. Now I'm just hoping the catch basins do a good job drying this all up.
@@appledrains I did share! With the wifey as this is our next project we so desperately need to accomplish! Im in Houston, Tx where our soil is absolutely horrible clay clay clay. We will be watching your wonderful vids to educate ourselves so we do it right the first time! Yes, we can do it as you said!
Argh! I wish I would have seen this a few months ago. I've got the exact same thing happening in my yard. I was excited to see the first rainfall even of the season and how my new french drain would perform, and I got this exact same result but on a much bigger scale. I'm going over to French Drain science now. Thanks so much for posting Chuck!!!!
UK here looking for the best way to create multiple linked French drains 360 degrees around a house where the water table is in heavy clay under the subsoil. I can see the filter sock doesn't work directly around the pipe, but what about the woven membrane encapsulating the drain and clean stone inside it burrito wrapped? If I don't use a membrane what stops my stone and perforated flex pipe becoming blocked?
I haven’t read the comments but, here is what I see in your test that is different than most applications. Your test soil is totally broken up and very porous, so water drains all The way down to the bottom vs lots of sub soils being compacted and not nearly as porous, forcing the water to the path of least resistance and flower much faster towards the drain area. Catch basins help to take in water for sure, but this test needs be done using a subsoil that’s not screened.
Isn’t the consensus especially with clay to not back fill with the dirt you pulled out of the trench? Rather fill with the correct stone and option to put some light screened top soil and sod over top?
Chuck, I have heavy clay soil. How do I make a french drain that works fast and reliably over time? (besides the catch basin). What other steps can I take?
The slope is about 2' from fence in backyard to the back of the house ,I did a vertical hole about 12' from home foundation, as soon as I hit about 18" water started to bubble up ,.I continued a couple more inches,but then started fill hole what too do.??
Hey buddy, I watch all your videos! I'm building a small cottage in Hays Nc and have clay on my hill.i want to do my own French drain installation but am confused about rather to use fabric or not? Also have a large slope of land above my build site in the back of home . Do I need a standard French drain with holes at bottom and another drain with a surface drain and what pipe. Thank you for answers
I have an solid corrugated pipe from my downspout that comes out a pop up emitter. But water stays inside for days after a storm is that normal? I do have a slotted hole in the elbow of the emitter
Chuck, do you recommend anyone near Oklahoma City? The east and west sides of my house are so flat and non grassy, they just hold water for a long time.
Hi Sean! I don’t know anyone in your area, there is a guy in the Midwest, B&B drainage.I don’t know where he’s located, and he may have retired. He understands rain water drainage fairly well. But you can search for him on UA-cam. Thanks, Chuck
@@fortpatches About a year or so ago, I got a quote from Crutcho Creek Unlimited. My realtor recommended them. I didn't go with them, because more important stuff came up. The owners name is Jordan (405-308-1900). I believe he and his crew are all local firefighters. Can't vouch for them, but they're who I first contacted way back when.
What about corrugated pipe with sock w/ plenty of rocks to cover pipe (top,bottom and sides without "burrito wrapping " but putting a fabric on top as you said in previous video?
Hello Apple drains, I was wanting to buy my corrugated pipe. Was waiting for response or video whither to buy with stocking or without...FYI dug my trenches just waiting for your advice (light clay soil ( st.louis mo)...and yes I went on Apple Drains web site 3 weeks ago.....
Hi Chuck, greetings from Malaysia. Thanks for your video. It answers my question why it take so much rainfall before I can see water flowing out from my perforated pipes.
Was there a follow up video about this? I'm looking through the videos uploaded since then and can't find anything. I'm in Southern Indiana and have 90% clay and trying to figure out proper steps before messing it up 🤦♂️
I live in Georgia and in my area it is ALL clay and the water takes forever to finally go away...we also have a septic tank which creates and even bigger nightmare.
The correct filter fabric does not become clogged. It only matches the porosity of the surrounding soil. So whether you use fabric or not, it doesn't matter about the flow. What the fabric does is, it keeps the stone in the drain clean so that it acts as a filter. And it prevents soil from entering the drainage system. Soil entering the pipe defeats the whole purpose of having a drain in the first place because the problem soil is intruding into filter system. You showed how the fabric was covered in silt, that means it did its job. And the reason your test showed poor flow is because it's a poorly engineered French drain.
Seems like clay soil is problematic. If the solution is to use catch basins without fabric with your French drain, then don’t you have two problems: 1) in effect only have catch basins to help move water and 2) your pipes will fill up with the clay?
Thats not how to construct a french drain. It should be all coarse rock over it and you remove the clay above when digging one. Then you either keep it as all surround rock or a light regular soil layer over top. Fabric within a year will disntegrate anyway...
Good morning, Chuck here with Apple Drains. This video is NOT discussing whether or not to wrap your French drain. It just shows the action of a French drain in Clay soil.
Be sure to watch the upcoming videos on our new channel that will show how a French drain works in all types of soil!
Do you suggest NDS EZdrain for clay soil? As long as catch basins are used.
@@hjc0706 I have that same question
@@hjc0706 did you ever find out?
@@Javii96 nds said to trench it wider and deeper and to backfill in with dirt not clay.
@@hjc0706 thanks for the reply. I kindof regret purchasing 70 foot of ez drain. I didn't realize clay was a problem for it. Now I'm just hoping the catch basins do a good job drying this all up.
This is such a great experiment that shows what happens in my yard every time it rains!
Thank you ! Share it with your friends!
More to come 👍
@@appledrains I did share! With the wifey as this is our next project we so desperately need to accomplish! Im in Houston, Tx where our soil is absolutely horrible clay clay clay. We will be watching your wonderful vids to educate ourselves so we do it right the first time! Yes, we can do it as you said!
Can’t wait to see more of these type of videos. Thanks for sharing
This definitely answered my question. Ty Chuck. I wish you could do my drainage system. None of these companies here understand this science.
lol. Golden boy rock star dude talks to me about French drains. Only in USA. His advice is actually very good!
Argh! I wish I would have seen this a few months ago. I've got the exact same thing happening in my yard. I was excited to see the first rainfall even of the season and how my new french drain would perform, and I got this exact same result but on a much bigger scale. I'm going over to French Drain science now. Thanks so much for posting Chuck!!!!
You get it fixed? What was the solution?
UK here looking for the best way to create multiple linked French drains 360 degrees around a house where the water table is in heavy clay under the subsoil. I can see the filter sock doesn't work directly around the pipe, but what about the woven membrane encapsulating the drain and clean stone inside it burrito wrapped? If I don't use a membrane what stops my stone and perforated flex pipe becoming blocked?
What if you filled the rock/gravel to the surface of the soil?
Another great video!
I haven’t read the comments but, here is what I see in your test that is different than most applications. Your test soil is totally broken up and very porous, so water drains all
The way down to the bottom vs lots of sub soils being compacted and not nearly as porous, forcing the water to the path of least resistance and flower much faster towards the drain area. Catch basins help to take in water for sure, but this test needs be done using a subsoil that’s not screened.
Well when u dig a trench and reuse the soil that's what happens
Ditto. Screened soil does not mimic real world conditions. Do a test with the same conditions as in real world applications
Isn’t the consensus especially with clay to not back fill with the dirt you pulled out of the trench? Rather fill with the correct stone and option to put some light screened top soil and sod over top?
Thank you for the video about clay soil. So how do you avoid getting the drain pipe clogged if you don't use fabric?
Hi John! That video is coming soon! Subscribe to French drain science to see how that system works. Thanks for the comment!
That was such a useful video. Thank you
Chuck,
I have heavy clay soil. How do I make a french drain that works fast and reliably over time? (besides the catch basin). What other steps can I take?
Use sharp sand instead of blue stone or rock
How did you set up your test rig? Fabric wrapped? Where was the rock? There wasn't much!
My water table is at 20" I'm trying to do vertical drainage holes.but the hole is filling up, what can I do.??
The slope is about 2' from fence in backyard to the back of the house ,I did a vertical hole about 12' from home foundation, as soon as I hit about 18" water started to bubble up ,.I continued a couple more inches,but then started fill hole what too do.??
Hey buddy, I watch all your videos!
I'm building a small cottage in Hays Nc and have clay on my hill.i want to do my own French drain installation but am confused about rather to use fabric or not?
Also have a large slope of land above my build site in the back of home .
Do I need a standard French drain with holes at bottom and another drain with a surface drain and what pipe.
Thank you for answers
I have an solid corrugated pipe from my downspout that comes out a pop up emitter. But water stays inside for days after a storm is that normal? I do have a slotted hole in the elbow of the emitter
Chuck, do you recommend anyone near Oklahoma City? The east and west sides of my house are so flat and non grassy, they just hold water for a long time.
Hi Sean! I don’t know anyone in your area, there is a guy in the Midwest,
B&B drainage.I don’t know where he’s located, and he may have retired. He understands rain water drainage fairly well. But you can search for him on UA-cam. Thanks, Chuck
Im in OKC too. Did you find anyone? The west side of my house I have no idea how to fix the water issues.
@@fortpatches About a year or so ago, I got a quote from Crutcho Creek Unlimited. My realtor recommended them. I didn't go with them, because more important stuff came up. The owners name is Jordan (405-308-1900). I believe he and his crew are all local firefighters. Can't vouch for them, but they're who I first contacted way back when.
What about corrugated pipe with sock w/ plenty of rocks to cover pipe (top,bottom and sides without "burrito wrapping " but putting a fabric on top as you said in previous video?
Watch for Video Coming Soon!
Hello Apple drains, I was wanting to buy my corrugated pipe. Was waiting for response or video whither to buy with stocking or without...FYI dug my trenches just waiting for your advice (light clay soil ( st.louis mo)...and yes I went on Apple Drains web site 3 weeks ago.....
Need help with my yard. You guys come to palm coast FL?
Hi Chuck, greetings from Malaysia. Thanks for your video. It answers my question why it take so much rainfall before I can see water flowing out from my perforated pipes.
I do appreciate if you can show us how and when will the system (aggregate) clogged with mud.
@@tabahometabahome6920 coming soon French Drain Science Channel 😊
Hi Chuck. Need help in Northern NJ. Do you know of anyone?
Was there a follow up video about this? I'm looking through the videos uploaded since then and can't find anything. I'm in Southern Indiana and have 90% clay and trying to figure out proper steps before messing it up 🤦♂️
Absolutely great explanation.
Thanks, but I watched your drain science channel too. You did not answer... Clay Soil, Wrap in fabric or not???
Hey Chuck, can you use a French drain on seriously swampy land with standing water?
I live in Georgia and in my area it is ALL clay and the water takes forever to finally go away...we also have a septic tank which creates and even bigger nightmare.
The correct filter fabric does not become clogged. It only matches the porosity of the surrounding soil. So whether you use fabric or not, it doesn't matter about the flow. What the fabric does is, it keeps the stone in the drain clean so that it acts as a filter. And it prevents soil from entering the drainage system. Soil entering the pipe defeats the whole purpose of having a drain in the first place because the problem soil is intruding into filter system. You showed how the fabric was covered in silt, that means it did its job. And the reason your test showed poor flow is because it's a poorly engineered French drain.
What could he have done better? I like to educate myself on this
You da man 👍
You need more larger rock back fill, and need a better fabric.
Be sure to see the n cut video with larger stone
I think an open French drain is best for clay.
I have only ever put in a french drain with gravel around it, not fabric
Your cool chuck.
If you don’t have fabric tho threat silty gravel will clog up the stone !
👍👍😎✌️🤟
Or use gravel and get rid of the soil.
Need more gravel
At the 4 minute mark my lawn is already 3 inches under water
Seems like clay soil is problematic. If the solution is to use catch basins without fabric with your French drain, then don’t you have two problems: 1) in effect only have catch basins to help move water and 2) your pipes will fill up with the clay?
I think you're supposed to clean the drains to prevent buildup.
I hate clay - we have it down side of house , nightmare stuff
Thats not how to construct a french drain. It should be all coarse rock over it and you remove the clay above when digging one. Then you either keep it as all surround rock or a light regular soil layer over top. Fabric within a year will disntegrate anyway...
Your method will clog the pipe up with Clay and silt, within no time and be totally useless
Thanks
I don’t think the point of this video was to make an actual drain. I think it was just to show how soil reacts.