If you are suffering from moisture problems on your lot or in your home, one of the most effective strategies to address the issue can be to prevent the water from reaching the area in question. According to builder and columnist Tim Carter, "[n]egative slope causes a majority of basement or crawlspace drainage problems," meaning that efforts to remediate moisture problems through stormwater management is vital to the health and physical integrity of your home. But depending on your region and local construction practices, it can be difficult to understand variations in terminology when planning your drainage project.
The informed property owner should expect terminology usage which will seem idiosyncratic at best and confusing at worst. While I will outline some general definitions below, the best approach is to understand the techniques which are available for building drainage systems in order to establish a common vocabulary with consultants, contractors, and regulators who may be involved in your project. Clear communication will improve the planning process and help ensure that the project is constructed to function as intended.
French Drain, Drain Tile, Linear Trench Drain?
Though farmers, engineers, and tradesmen are continually improving and diversifying the options for mitigating stormwater, the name Henry French is most closely associated with modern approaches to stormwater control than any other individual's. Most concepts for dealing with stormwater around the home are derived from the French drain as popularized in the mid-nineteenth century.
This approach is based on trenches which are either filled with well-draining media like gravel or employs a pipe or tile (often in conjunction with fill media) to carry stormwater down a slope. When there is very little slope across a parcel of land to be drained, systems of trenches may be interconnected to distribute stormwater to the lowest point of the parcel or into a dry well.
Dry Well
A dry well is a pit which is excavated and reinforced in order to receive and dispose of stormwater. As a rule, dry wells take a cylindrical or rectangular shape and receive stormwater through buried tiles or pipes. Dry wells may be filled with a quick draining medium like gravel to aid in the water dispersal. Dry wells are often the key component in a larger drainage system.
Reference material is also available which go into detail about methods for designing, building, and maintaining french drains, linear trench drains, drain tiles and dry wells. Look for books which include detailed plans and illustrations but remember that any effective drainage system must be designed and built to accommodate local conditions like precipitation levels or soil composition and depth.
Consult an experienced local contractor if you have any unanswered questions about best management practices (BMPs) for stormwater control in your area. In some localities extension offices, soil and water conservation districts or USDA field offices may also be able to provide technical assistance (including information on tax incentives for implementing best management practices, where applicable).
Mark W. Kidd - Mark is a writer, hiker, avid reader and community radio host who lives in Kentucky. Mark graduated with a bachelor's degree from the ...
