Sometimes a drainage problem is obvious the first time you notice it. Other times, it builds slowly until the pattern is too consistent to ignore.
You may need a French drain if parts of your yard stay wet for days after a storm, water keeps pooling near the foundation, or certain areas turn muddy every time it rains. Other common signs include mulch washing out, flower beds eroding, damp side yards, and downspouts that release too much water into one concentrated spot.
Some Fort Worth and Southlake homeowners also notice that grass starts thinning in the same wet areas, mosquitoes show up around damp patches, or runoff starts moving across walkways, patios, or fence lines. These are usually signs that the property needs a better way to move water out.