Drainage Correction
One of the most common reasons that foundations move in North Texas is due to the expansive clay soils in the area. As the clay based soils get wet (excess moisture) they expand & when they dry out (lack of moisture) they shrink causing your home to move up & down thus maintaining the moisture content around your home should lessen the shrink & swell movement.
Drainage correction systems are installed to provide moisture control at the supporting soil around your home. They are used to: move surface water away from a foundation, trap & remove underground water, and to prevent soil from eroding away at your foundation. Proper drainage around your home will minimize foundation movement.
Longhorn installs the following Drainage Correction Systems:
Swales – are gently sloping trenches regraded in the surrounding soil used to drain off large quantities of surface water. When a property has sufficient slope for gravity discharge, swales are simpler and a less expensive alternative to Area or French drains.
Area Drains – are used to drain specific low areas where water collects. A drain catch basin is placed at the lowest points in the area with the standing water &the surrounding soil graded down to the basin. After the catch basin collects the ponding water an underground PVC pipe system will then carry the water away.
French Drains – are "invisible" trenches in which a perforated PVC pipe system is installed. Trenches are dug to varying depths, a PVC pipe with perforations & wrapped in a Geotech cloth (to filter the water and prevent soil and debris from clogging the holes) is installed, & then filled with gravel. The PVC pipe system will then carry the water away.
Sumps with pumps – are underground tanks or containers that will collect water from an Area Drain or French Drain. They are installed at times when there is not sufficient grade for gravity discharge therefore the sump will collect the water and the electric pump will pump the water away.
