Water Management

French Drain versus Full Water Management Systems

Water in your basement is a problem. Any time you have standing water, toxic mold and mildew can form. This can destroy the wood in your home on its own and because of its ability to attract termites. To avoid thousands of dollars of damage, you have to look at being able to remove water from your basement – which means you have to decide between a French drain and a full water management system, such as a sump pump.

A French drain is a drainage and water management system found underground. A trench is dug about 2-4 inches deep along the interior of your foundation. A perforated pipe is then installed and surrounded with gravel. When water collects, it is channeled into the drain and then through the pipes.

If there is any kind of clog in the French drain, it can lead to flooring in your basement. Additionally, you don’t want to dry and install the French drain on your own because of how it requires digging along your foundation.

With a sump pump, you won’t have to worry about picking up sediment and dirt that can clog a drain. The sump pump or full water management system is going to pump the water out, which means you have electricity running the pump. If for any reason there is no power or the mechanical parts fail, flooding can still occur. The pump is placed in the lowest part of the basement and takes care of water when it reaches a certain level.

Both the French drain and the full water management system are considerations. The focus needs to be on having a way to get water out of your basement, otherwise you run into all sorts of problems. At Jersey Dry in New Jersey, you can talk to professionals about the advantages and disadvantages of a French drain versus a full water management system to determine which one is going to work best for your home.