French Drain Pipe

If your home is under attack from groundwater or even sub-surface water, make a french drain your first line of defense. Here are some tips to assist you when choosing which pipe to install in your french drain (or as some call it, curtain drain).

Divert Water From Your Basement

Installing a french drain pipe in order to divert water from your basement is no easy task.  If you are going to invest in a french drain you want to make sure it is working for years to come by installing the right type of drain for your home and location.

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Types of Pipe for Installing a French Drain

There are several choices of pipe available today for french drains. Corrugated pipe is the black pipe available at many hardware stores. Corrugated pipe can be solid or perforated so make sure you grab the right one.

It can have a sock already installed and even come with aggregate attached. The aggregate is designed to eliminate more dirt from entering the pipe and also helps use less gravel. Another option is a sewer and drain pipe but we prefer installing the Hydraway Drain System. Hydraway moves more water and has geo-textile protection to greatly minimize clogging over time versus other products.

Hydraway French Drain Pipe

The Hydraway pipe is a great choice for a french drain. This corrugated perforated pipe comes with the sock and aggregate already installed. Hydraway pipe has a 100 year material life span. This pipe can be used with no gravel, gravel and sand depending on the install and soil types.Prioritize pipe comes in 10 foot sections in many different diameters to make french drains simple to install. The most common we use is 3 inch and 4 inch pipe diameter. The diameter with the aggregate is about 7 to 10 inches on the Hydraway 3 and 4 inch pipe.Poly-Rock aggregate features engineered flow channels that increase capacity. The result is a superior flow rate – 30% better than gravel and traditional pipe according to the manufacturer. The Poly Rock aggregate is made from 100% recycled materials.

Sewer and Drain (S&D) French Drain Pipe

Sewer and drain pipe is another common pipe we use in basement waterproofing, crawl spaces and french drains. S&D pipe can be a little more difficult to install during a DIY french drain project simply because it requires more time to add 90s, 45s and couplings. Hydraway pipe can bend making it quicker to install.

Perforated sewer and drain pipe needs a sediment sock and a lot more gravel than Hydraway corrugated pipe. S&D pipe can be more durable therefore less likely to crush in a french drain. Both products are great. Application, time and budget may determine which you would prefer to install.

Installation Tip – Never run downspouts into perforated french drain pipes. It’s OK to use the same ditch as the perforated pipe. Always run gutter water into a solid pipe that exits to daylight or a pop-up valve.