AAA Home Drainage

Always a controversy among confused homeowners with home drainage problems. Which to install, the sump pump or the hand excavated french drain. (more…)

1. Home values depend on good drainage, and environmentally sound water disposal practices.
2. Neighbors are affected by the good or bad drainage on your site.
3. The health of your family depends on a clean environment, free of mold and moisture.
4. The cosmetic appearance of the home you live in reflects on your personal image.
5. The structural aspects of your homes’ post-beam, and pad construction, sets the tone for overall home structural integrity. Drainage is either your friend or enemy in that regard.

Determine the real value of your home, and the air that you breathe. A huge amount of time is spent within the walls of a home. We raise our children from cradle upwards to aspiring adults within those walls most of the time.

We sit for hours endlessly watching entertainment and listening to the soothing sounds of music. Yet many homeowners refuse to fix home drainage problems that they know exist. (more…)

Protect your most expensive investment, your personal residence, with ” AAA Water Guard services” travel option package, brought to you by AAA Home Drainage. Don’t settle for less than the security that comes with owning hand excavated french drains.

No professional home drainage contractor in your corner of the world that you trust? (more…)

When you are planning the installation of french drains always excavate by hand. A utility locate is always required. Utility locates are required if you plan to hand or machine excavate and install french drains.

Call your utility locate service if you plan to excavate for french drain installation. In the Portland metro area the number is 503-246-6699. Do not call the utilities individually. The utility locate company will take around 3 days for the completion of their marking.
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I am presently installing hand excavated french drain groundwater removal systems on a historical home in Aurora, Oregon. Too bad that the home didn’t have hand excavated french drains installed from the time it was built.

The homeowner is restoring the home to its former glory and doesn’t want the worry of seasonal groundwater wetting his basement, in which he has a great wood shop. (more…)

Groundwater removal pays in a value added way with respect to your home. Hand excavated french drains are not easy to construct, and they are time intensive, but they pay much more than they cost. (more…)

I am asked this question almost every day by someone. What is a french drain and how does it work? A french drain is a hand excavated groundwater removal system that starts with the hand excavation of a gravity flow aquaduct with straight sides and a flat hard bottom. (more…)

1. Consult your state builders board for any information they may have on drainage contractors in your area. Ask neighbors, family and friends for a referral.
2. Ask other competent contractors for a referral. Most contractors do not do drainage work. Some try, but most will admit to not knowing enough, and will gladly refer you to someone that has done the work for them. As I said, most do not want the work. It requires specialized skills that are not used by them every day. (more…)

Hand excavated french drains are indeed ancient technology carried forward into the 21st century. What is a french drain? I get this question many times a week in my business. French drains do not need to be hard to understand. (more…)

Home groundwater problems are likely not even on the homeowners radar until they eigther sell the home and get a pest dryrot and structural inspection that indicates their problem, or when the rains come and the water starts pouring into the homes crawlspace or basement.

Don’t be the homeowner that thinks the problem will just go away. If you know you have a groundwater drainage issue now, it will only get worse and more expensive to deal with it in the future.

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Seems like human nature, with respect to home drainage, is not to worry about the long known, and long time existing, home drainage problems until seasonal heavy rains and driving snow sets in.

Homeowners should not be surprised that home drainage expenses increase during these times? Installers working under severe conditions require longer times for the installation of hand excavated french drains. This translates into higher prices for the consumer. Safety issues also come into play. (more…)

If you are experiencing groundwater in your basement or crawlspace, you likely will go through the process of educating yourself on various methods of dealing with groundwater problems and solutions.

The choice of methods is most often based on your objective. Keep pumping the water out, with a guarantee that the company will always keep a working sump pump in place, or prevent the groundwater from entering in the first place. (more…)

This home study course on groundwater removal and home drainage is free of charge. You may use it to your best advantage without anything invested except your time. The effort is well worth the knowledge gained.

A college level text book author, also a client, recently made a request to use some of this information in his newest book on environmental engineering.

Go to school on the subject of groundwater removal, and “green” home drainage solutions. You will be glad you did. (more…)

I hear it all the time. I call it “voo doo” drainage. The homeowner says, “I have recieved a couple of other bids from contractors for my french drain work. One of the drainage contractors suggested that I could just put the french drain into my rain drain discharges venting my gutters. What do you think of that”? Easy answer. Do not do that! (more…)

Study groundwater removal methods, and home drainage problems and solutions within this website course on home drainage to prevent groundwater intrusion below grade, and to prevent mold and bad air from fouling your living environment and ruining your respiratory health. (more…)

1. Foundation footings that are sinking in your crawlspace can be the cause of sloping floors and/or doors that close too tight at the top or bottom. Consider these important tips for the health of your foundation.

   Spot footings support the post beam structure of your home. (more…)

If you are one of the unlucky homeowners living in an area of the world that is presently receiving flooding, you need hand excavated french drains working for you to protect your land and your home.

It would have been better if they were installed prior to the floods, but better late than never. Even if you are forced to get right in the middle of the heavy rain to install them. Tough it out. Get it done. Dress warm and stay dry. (more…)

When groundwater really becomes a problem, you will likely know it. A home drainage condition will usually be evidenced by one of the following factors that becomes apparent. Sometimes the same old events keep happening, and the homeowner says to themselves, “there isn’t much water, and it only comes when it rains, so why consider it a problem”. (more…)

Exterior sump pump installations can be the answer for homes that need to move lots of groundwater quickly. The premise of necessity in this case is to pump the groundwater because the amount of groundwater to deal with exceeds the ability of a conventional hand excavated drywell to perk the groundwater into the ground. (more…)

You remember those Lennon-McCartney lyrics. You must focus on solving home drainage problems before they become the stuff nightmares are made of. I wonder if John or Paul ever had a home drainage problem in those days. Just wondering. (more…)

Yeh, I know. Who likes to spend money on home drainage, right? In some homeowners minds, hand excavated french drains are way down the list of home improvements, as compared to new patio furniture, or a fish pond. Not very romantic, right? (more…)

When groundwater from heavy rain runs across your driveway and pools along the edge of your driveway, consider a silt collection box installation. This type of groundwater removal installation can provide a way to gravity flow groundwater using a silt collection box with 3″-4″ abs pipe and 3″ ads solid flexible pipe, venting the groundwater to a hand excavated drywell or daylighted vent, rather than the groundwater flooding your driveway, lawn, or garage. (more…)

The outlook for Oregon homeowners is wet, wet, wet. Rain and more rain. It makes us wonder if we will ever see summer again. As one of my customers said of his garden efforts so far this year, “I should have planted rice or cranberries”. Oregonians are not happy with high gas prices, dismal summer barbeques, and inflation setting in with respect to food, oil, and other services. The rain has not been much of a motivating factor for many Oregonians so far this year. The prospect of having to deal with home drainage problems makes them even more cranky. (more…)

Knowledge of sound home drainage principles is good. The inspiration of a homeowner to learn about home drainage and hand excavated french drains is great. But nothing matters unless your intuition tells you that the information on home drainage makes sense to you. Seek, study, evaluate and reflect on home drainage information, always deferring to common sense in the end. (more…)

AAA Home Drainage will consult with you anywhere in the world, concerning your home groundwater problems by phone.

See the Pay Pal consultation option on the home page of this website. Consider getting a skype internet phone line, and make telephone calls from anywhere in the world without paying long distance charges.

Call to arrange a private consultation. Fees are based on private consultations, in one hour increments. Follow the instructions for the Pay Pal consulting option on this website. (more…)

There is much to know about groundwater removal systems and home drainage solutions. Specifically solving groundwater problems with hand excavated french drains. For a great overview of what is contained in this site, scan the titles of the posts only. A time consuming an educational task in its own right. For articles specific to your home drainage needs, use the categories section of the site. (more…)

AAA Home Drainage currently offers 315 posts on groundwater removal filled with information on the what to do, and the what not to do, of home drainage and groundwater removal.

Hand excavated french drains are not only the past, but the present and the future of home drainage and groundwater removal science. (more…)

Home irrigation systems are really cool. They allow hands off enjoyment of summer plants and keep everything looking so nice. While this is really cool stuff, and seems like the best part of the landscape at times, too much watering from pvc sprinkler lines can produce lots of excess groundwater and cause both you and your below grade neighbor lots of headaches in the long run. (more…)

I received an e-mail from a reader in the midwest of the United States. This homeowner has groundwater leaking along the basement footing and under his basement floor. He asked for my opinion with respect to his perceived need for a sump pump installed to pump out the groundwater. (more…)

If you live around the Portland, Oregon USA area, you are probably aware that our climate presents challenges with respect to home drainage and subsequently, groundwater problems caused by heavy rain fall. Count on AAA Home Drainage to help you solve your groundwater problems. (more…)

Just another home drainage story in the big city. I must share this one with everyone.

A call came in yesterday from a homeowner in the metro Portland area. The homeowner explained that my website was informative to him, and that he appreciated my information. He asked me if I would look at his home, to help him solve a professionally disclosed groundwater problem that was preventing him from selling his home. One buyer had just backed out. (more…)

The subject of stormwater discharge and the sanitary sewers is an old story among Portland, Oregon residents. It needs repeating again however, as current motivations for not putting roof water into the storm sewers have changed. (more…)

We seem to love the old homes, with their craftsman style and old world charm. When buying one of these older homes, look for a bear behind every tree, so to speak. Problems may be lurking under the cosmetics.

Inspect the foundation, inside and out for evidence of foundation damage, or foundation repairs that are needed, or have been badly undertaken. (more…)

When you are looking for home drainage solutions to protect your home from groundwater damage to your foundation walls, to prevent water in your crawlspace or basement, prevention of mold and moisture in your home, stability of your spot footings that hold up your post and beam infrastructure, stability of your sloped home site and the foundation sitting on it, fixing soggy yards, and other common home drainage problems, you can rest assured that hand excavated french drains are your best source of value added insurance against these home drainage problems, when sited properly and installed correctly. (more…)

Schools in folks. Let’s take a look at the report card for the class, residential home drainage 101. How do you stack up with respect to the good, the bad and the ugly? Read em’ and weep, as they say in the poker game. (more…)

If you have groundwater entry below grade, into your crawlspace or basement, and you have concrete flat work that is poured against the foundation, with a flat or negative slope that runs rainwater turned into groundwater to the foundation, you may need to demolish the slab for at least 3 feet from the foundation after making a clean concrete saw cut. (more…)

Within this website, you will find important information on how to assess your home drainage problems.

You will learn how to design the correct placement of your home drainage system, estimate the labor required for installation, find the correct materials, filter out bad advice, hand excavate french drains in the proper manner, make a cosmetic appearance after work is completed, install materials correctly, and plumb hand excavated french drain groundwater removal systems that last for decades, as well as how to understand options for other home drainage solutions to groundwater problems.

Invest your time into knowledge of home drainage systems, and you will save thousands on the solutions for your own home drainage problems.

Many times I have inspected homes with groundwater entry into the crawlspace or basement that contained holes on the outside of the home. Sometimes the grade is bad as well. This would seem to be something that would not require a professional to ascertain, but many times it does. The homeowner at times just takes it for granted that the good natured household pet, usually a hole digging dog, is just having fun, and it is not a problem. (more…)

When studying home drainage and groundwater solutions, the subject of placing waterproof membranes on the outside, or inside of foundation walls, comes up at times. The science sounds good, and if pitched with vigor, may result in the homeowner believing that this method will prevent groundwater from entering below grade. Let’s examine the facts however, and you decide for yourself how the logic shakes out. (more…)

The gable ends of your home do not have gutters on them. They have a severe pitch. If your home is designed this way, the result will usually be much of the roofwater escaping the gutters, especially in hard rains, spilling over the end of the home where the roof pitch is most severe. Watch for the signs of groundwater entry on the outside of the homes foundation in these areas. (more…)

Looking for a home drainage silver bullet. The closest thing you are going to find to instant gratification with groundwater removal projects, is having a hand excavated french drain installed to solve your home drainage problem. (more…)

Growing neighborhood awareness of home drainage solutions benefits everyone. When neighbors solve their groundwater problems, the entire surrounding area benefits in many ways, both directly and indirectly. Home drainage with hand excavated french drains has become a hot topic in the Portland, Oregon metro area. (more…)

Some folks seem to act as though their home drainage problem is something that, if left alone long enough, will just disappear. The fact of the matter is that, groundwater problems not dealt with this year, become more expensive and worse next year, along with the damage created by the home drainage problem. (more…)

Hand excavated french drains are indeed the solution for home drainage problems. Don’t be fooled into thinking that the words ditch and drain describe the same structure, or provide the same benefits. A sloppy ditch will never work like a hand excavated french drain. (more…)

You can beat that sense of fear and loathing with respect to home drainage and groundwater problems by reading this website. (more…)

Success with home drainage problems does not come without logical analysis, and diligent study of historically sound engineering methods, with respect to groundwater removal.

As a homeowner, you stand an excellent chance of being contacted by numerous “would be” drainage contractors, who will attempt to fleece you of your money, and make a case for groundwater removal by means of sump pumps installed first, rather than collection of groundwater while it is on the surface levels with hand excavated french drains (more…)

Portland, Oregon is a leader in “green” technology and building methods. “Green” methods of groundwater removal are part of the success of our clean environment. For many years I was a commercial-investment real estate broker. My specialty was selling multi-family and single family residential parcels to developers.

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When it comes to home drainage and hand excavated french drains, only the people really focused on solving their groundwater problems will stay with it, and read this information extensively enough to actually become well informed.

There is an old saying that 10% of the fishermen get 95% of the fish. This is true with diligent students of hand excavated french drains as well. 10% of the readers get 95% of the benefits from reading this website. Go to the head of the class students. (more…)

When you need groundwater protection for your crawlspace or basement, call AAA Home Drainage for results. Contact the home drainage specialists that understand and install hand excavated french drain groundwater removal systems.

Hand excavated french drain science is thousands of years old, and quite misunderstood and misrepresented, by contractors who say they understand what is required, and represent themselves as a company that does quality work.

Work with the best, forget the rest. (more…)