Frozen French Drain

CAUSES OF FROZEN EXTERIOR DRAINS

With the onset of winter and temperatures dropping below freezing, pipes and water mains can freeze.
In the Greater Montreal area, due to the clayey nature of its soils, the movement of the soil, accentuated by freeze/thaw periods, can increase the risk of movement of your foundation and its installation (especially the French drain).

An important part of the drainage system, the exterior drain can freeze if

• The drain is not buried deep enough
• The slope of the drain is not well respected, causing water retention
• The drain passes through a cellar downspout or a driveway

HOW DO YOU KNOW IF YOUR FRENCH DRAIN IS FROZEN?

To make sure that your French drain is not frozen, you can do a test to run water in the access stacks.

If you still have doubts, you can call a Lesage Excavation specialist. He will come and inspect your installation to detect a possible problem (either with an infrared thermometer or a camera).

DEFROST AN EXTERIOR DRAIN

If your French drain is frozen, we will have to excavate it in order to gain access. Once the excavation is complete, we use a high-pressure jet of hot water to thaw it out. Once the drain is thawed, we can inspect it with a camera to determine the cause of the freezing. In order to get through the winter period without worrying if the cause cannot be remedied immediately, we can install a heating wire in the drain to maintain a constant water circulation in the drain.

REMEMBER TO CHECK YOUR INSTALLATION DURING A THAW

During a winter thaw or heavy rain, the French drain should be draining water into the catch basin and the submersible pump should be working. If no water is entering the pond and there is no sign of activity, the drainage system should be inspected immediately.

DO YOU HAVE A FROZEN DRAIN PROBLEM?

We are available 7 days a week and 24 hours a day to answer your questions.
You have 3 possibilities to contact us:

• Call us at (514) 219-0125
• Send an email to: info@lesageexcavation.com
• Submit your project online here

Lesage Excavation has been offering French drain inspection services for over 15 years.

Winner of the 2020 and 2021 Consumer’s Choice Award in the foundation repair category, our expertise and customer service are recognized throughout the Greater Montreal area. We mainly serve the Montérégie, the Greater Montreal, the South Shore, part of the North Shore as well as Ontario; and more specifically

Vaudreuil-Dorion – Montreal – Laval – Longueuil – Brossard – Candiac – Salaberry de Valleyfield – North Lancaster – South Glengarry – Alexandria – Hawkesbury – Rigaud – Hudson – Pincourt – Notre-Dame-De-L’ile-Perrot – Lachute – Montebello

We can also travel to more remote areas when the project is complex and the homeowner cannot find a certified contractor in their area.