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It’s called a FASP – French Angled Slotted Pipe – and it’s a better way to remove water from around the foundations of residences and office buildings. Traditional pipes need filter cloths, which get clogged with dirt and need frequent cleaning – and that means digging up areas around buildings. But a FASP pipe’s unique design is self-cleaning and is good for the life of the structure.

FASP pipe doesn’t just protect the foundations of buildings from water damage. It’s also been the foundation for Dallas Drain Company’s rise to success as one of the few drainage-only companies in the country; Dallas Drain doesn’t do irrigation or landscaping. Since it was founded in 1984, the company has focused on providing the protective envelope around structures and other areas through drainage systems that come with 10-year warranties.

That focus is prompting Dallas Drain Company president/CEO Kevin Travis to ask architects and engineers to bring his company into the construction process at an early stage. “Usually what happens is, when we get the call to look at the plans, we see immediately ways that we can better the design upfront,” Travis said “If they got us in on the design process, we can make it easier on them, we can make it easier on all the (construction) trades because it all interrelates, of course. And once we work with an engineer, they usually jump on board because they see the value of what we do.”

That value is a result of Dallas Drain’s business model, an interesting mix of old-school craftsmanship – something Travis calls an “artisanal” approach – and a laser-like focus on technology and engineering. Travis, a former engineer himself, is constantly looking for innovative ways to not only protect homes and commercial buildings, but larger areas like sports complexes, golf courses and roadways. Travis doesn’t outsource tech development; all research and development is done in house. This strategy has resulted in patents and patents pending for Dallas Drain Company products like a downspout-cleaning system and a basement sump monitor.

The best example of this? The golf course sand trap that’s in the backyard of Dallas Drain’s office. Travis had it placed in order to test new ways of draining sand traps. A nearby sprinkler simulates a sudden, soaking rainfall. But Travis’ system can drain the water from that soaking in less than nine minutes.

“This is more dewatering,” Travis said. “No one wants to play out of a trap that has six inches of water. No one wants to putt on a green that’s sending out water trails. We can take out the water off of greens, sand traps, even the fairway. We’ve gone through a baseball field and cleaned it up where they could go out and play within a day after a rain instead of six days. We’re looking into getting into road structure, you know. Everybody sees – we get potholes in the roads, the streets. We can help with that.”

Such technological advances are pushing drainage techniques to new heights of effectiveness, Travis said. “Drainage today is where irrigation was in the Fifties, you know. So now we are doing it for more of the larger homes, although we do smaller homes as well, but it’s going to be more accessible – good drainage to protect foundations, crawlspaces, basements.”

Also on display at Dallas Drain Company’s offices: a test facility showing off the drainage properties of FASP. The U.S. Department of the Interior uses FASP systems to protect buildings such as historic landmarks, and has added Dallas Drain Company to its list of vendors.

For more information on Dallas Drain Company and FASP pipe, go to www.dallasdrain.com.