Clogged French drain: the warning sign your foundation is sending you
By Antoine Côté / French drain
The French drain works out of sight: buried at the foot of the foundation, it collects groundwater and carries it away from the building. When it clogs, the problems rise up, literally.
The telltale signs
- Dampness or water seepage in the basement after rain or snowmelt
- Efflorescence (whitish deposits) on foundation walls
- A persistent musty smell
- Active cracks in the concrete
Why a drain clogs
Fine sediment, roots, localized sagging and, especially on the North Shore, iron ochre, the orange sludge that forms in certain iron-rich soils and clogs the drain's perforations.
What we do
- Camera inspection: we locate the blockage and assess the condition of the drain, with video proof to back it up.
- High-pressure cleaning: hydro-jetting dislodges sediment and deposits without damaging the pipe.
- Report and recommendations: periodic preventive cleaning (strongly recommended where iron ochre is present) or targeted repair if the drain is damaged.
The math is simple
Periodic maintenance costs a fraction of a full drain replacement, and infinitely less than a flooded basement and an insurance claim. We serve Montreal, Laval, Saint-Eustache and the entire North Shore.