Ez-Drain French Drain System


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Old 07-10-12, 10:29 AM
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Ez-Drain French Drain System

At Lowes as well as my local hardware store (McLendon's), they are selling Ez-Drain, a french drain system that basically seems like styrofoam peanuts surrounding a corrugated plastic drainage pipe encased in mesh sock. It's then buried under the soil - no need for gravel. My questions are:

Anyone have any experience with this or recommend this?
Also, seems like a simple concept - can I simply make this myself rather than buying it retail? (i.e. just buy some peanuts and use some landscape fabric as a sock around a corrugated pipe?)

Thanks!
 
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Old 07-10-12, 11:09 AM
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Similar systems are used quite often for drainage and septic leach fields. I have many septic systems in my rental houses with the Ez-Flow brand which is quite similar but approved for septic use. It works and it is much easier to install than gravel.

Yes, you can make almost anything yourself. It's not rocket science. You do want to make sure you use the correct peanuts and I'm sure it will be fun (not) trying to assemble the thing. I can imagine myself cursing as peanuts spill all over the garage floor...
 
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Old 07-10-12, 11:16 AM
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Yeah, at least you can store a pile of gravel outside, I can't see a pile of styrofoam peanuts standing up to much wind.
 
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Old 07-10-12, 11:20 AM
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Thanks. A portion of it will be behind a retaining wall. The instructions say to put AGGREGATE-ONLY BUNDLES on top of it. Is that basically sock-filled peanuts?

Also - have you calculated the cost-savings per 10 ft length (not including the labor)?

Thanks!!
 
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Old 07-10-12, 11:21 AM
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I'd bet once you price out the pipe, fabric, and peanuts...the pre-made stuff won't look that pricey considering the time and effort required to make something similar.

The price for the heavy fabric isn't cheap. And have your looked for a source of the peanuts and how much they cost? You'd also need to make sure they aren't the biodegradable ones.

Plus...how will you secure the fabric around the pipe? How much waste will you have?
 
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Old 07-10-12, 11:25 AM
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No, haven't priced it out yet...but there is an incentive to just buy it since there's a $30 rebate via the NDS website if you buy at least 30 feet.
 
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Old 07-11-12, 06:48 AM
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Link....

Here's the interesting link: EZ-Drain French Drain
 
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Old 07-18-12, 06:27 PM
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These are about $40 bucks at Menards in MN. If you've got multiples of 10' to drain it is a no-brainer IMHO.

I had some drainage to do last week and decided against this product because I had a couple ten footers of perf 4" PVC that was already paid for. What a mistake. Several hours and 15 bags of gravel later I could have tossed the 4" perf at $7/ea and still been in the black on time AND money.
 
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Old 07-18-12, 10:37 PM
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EZ-Flow

If you find someone like HD Fowler, they can sell you the 7" EZ-Flow with a 3" pipe for much cheaper too....I'm going to use it!
 
 

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