What is a French drain, and how does it work? From the outside, a French drain looks like a rock drainage ditch, and when done well, like a nice hardscaping element.

How Does a French Drain Work? To move water away from one area to another, a French drain system consists of a ditch lined with gravel and a perforated pipe that drains the water.

French drain systems are a simple and aesthetically pleasing way to redirect water away from your home’s foundation to prevent damage over time.

A French drain will help with a wet basement, but other measures will be needed to supplement it.

When You Might Need a French Drain (and How to Build One Yourself) Redirect water away from your house, garage, or patio with this effective method.

Finding this drain opening may be difficult if it has become covered with plants or dirt. If it is clogged, then opening it up may allow the French drain to work correctly and solve your problem.

Another piece of advice: never connect other drains into the French drain, including downspouts from the roof or surface drains that may contain debris.

Need a landscaping drainage system but not sure about the average costs? Here’s the cost of drainage systems for your home.

The Reddit user was frustrated. Their neighbor had installed a French drain around the perimeter of their property, which drained to the lowest point of their yard. Coincidentally, that happened ...

You can identify a French drain on your property by finding the exposed end of pipe or a grate covering a pipe at the top of a downward slope. How do French drains work? Photo: Serdynska/Depositphotos ...

How do French drains work? The elements of a French drain are all designed to allow water to pass through easily, preventing it from pooling; the drain is angled in such a way as to draw water ...