In places where there are immediate collections of water due to excess water being disbursed and the water is unable to be drained due to the soil being not suitable for drainage purposes, lack of sunlight to evaporate and dry the puddle away or any other similar reasons, people tend to build French drains to overcome the situation. With that being said, “How do French drains work?” They basically create a track or drain which automatically pulls the accumulated water away from the problem location. This method of distributing the water that has been accumulated in the area is accomplished by excavating a trench having a slope from the target area to another location which would easily permit the accumulated water to flow through. For easy flow access, the trench is normally constructed by using gravel and sand which will permit the water to flow rapidly and easily along the trench path.
It is common to find most of these French drains fitted with pipes which act as a storage area for surplus water as it flows down to the designated area. These pipes are normally constructed with perforation holes and surrounded by gravel and pebbles so that water in the area could creep in and flow down to the selected end or water storage area. The beauty of these types of drains is that once the construction is complete people are not able to view the drainage system which makes the location free from flooding and developing ponds of water in the area. In short the French drain that is named after a farmer who turned out to be a judge named Henry French, follows the principal of gravity where it is set to slope from one area to the next redirecting the flow of water.
Basically French drains which are considered to be one of the most economical and extensively used techniques for redirecting water are basically trenches or ditches installed perfectly below the ground level hidden away from sight that are lined with gravel, pebbles or rocks to create a smooth path for water to flow from one location to the other in a process of draining. Although the method has been improvised through the years people from around the world are using this method of draining away water in their properties to protect the house foundation along with other structures and in their gardens as well. In most countries around the world authority permission is required to place French drains along properties.