Move water away from wet spots, foundations and patios with a gravel and pipe drain sized for your yard.
A French drain is a trench lined with fabric, filled with clean stone, and fitted with a perforated pipe. Water in the soil finds the stone and pipe more easily than it moves through clay, so it flows into the drain and is carried away to a place where it can be released. At Peters’ Patio and Landscape, we install French drains for homeowners in Rochester and across southern Minnesota.
They are a good fix for a yard that stays soggy, water that seeps toward the foundation, wet beds, and the back of a retaining wall. They are less useful for heavy surface runoff, which usually needs grading or a catch basin as well.
The details make it work: enough fall in the pipe, fabric that keeps soil out of the stone, and an outlet that does not just move the problem to another part of the yard or onto a neighbor's property.
French drains are one part of our yard drainage work, along with grading and catch basins.
French drains have pros and cons in Minnesota's heavy soils. Our post on the pros and cons of French drains explains when they work best.
We start by walking the yard, finding where the water comes from, and checking where it can be released. If a different fix will work better, we will tell you.
Get in touch today to schedule a consultation for your next project!
Are you looking to renovate your property but are not sure what to add? View our gallery to see the many attractive landscapes and outdoor living areas we have previously designed and built.
We look forward to discussing your dream outdoor space, get in touch today to schedule a consultation!