Foundation Waterproofing Basics and Interior Drain Tile

When it comes to keeping your home and basement dry, drain tile systems are one of the most effective tools in the waterproofing arsenal. Drain tile, also known as drain tile drain or French drain, is an underground pipe system that prevents water from entering a home?s foundation by redirecting it away from the foundation walls.

In most drain tile systems, the drain is installed along the perimeter of a home?s foundation. This drain collects groundwater and directs it to an area away from the home. The drain also has a sock-like material covering it that prevents dirt and sediment from entering the pipes.

Drain tile systems are not only used in basement waterproofing but can also be used to drain surface water around a home?s foundation and in other landscaping applications. For example, drain tiles can be useful for draining water from flower beds or garden areas that are at a lower elevation than the rest of the yard.

Installing drain tile around your home is an effective way to keep your home?s foundation dry and free from water damage. However, drain tile systems can be expensive and require professional installation to ensure they are properly installed. It?s important to work with experienced professionals who understand the complexities of drain tile installation.

When it comes to basement waterproofing and keeping your foundation dry, drain tile is one of the best options available. Professionally installed drain tile systems can be an effective and long-lasting solution to your basement waterproofing needs. With the right drain tile system, you can keep your home?s foundation dry and prevent costly water damage in the future.

Of course, drain tile should not be considered a catch-all solution for basement waterproofing. It’s just one tool in the waterproofing arsenal that should be used in conjunction with other foundation drain systems and waterproofing products to ensure your home is well-protected from water damage.

If you think drain tile may be a good option for your home’s foundation, contact a professional

What Is an Interior Drain Tile

Interior drain tile is a pipe system installed around a home’s foundation to drain ground and surface water away from the home. The drain pipe is typically buried underground, with a sock-like material surrounding it that prevents dirt and sediment from entering the pipes. This pipe system collects groundwater and directs it away from the home’s foundation, preventing water damage that can occur when the foundation is exposed to moisture.

While installing drain tile in your home can be expensive, it is an effective way to waterproof your basement and keep its foundation dry. However, you should not consider drain tile to be a cure-all solution for every possible basement waterproofing issue.

People often refer to “tile” when they talk about foundation drainage systems, but this term actually dates back to when clay roofing tiles were used. Today’s interior drain tile is a plastic pipe that is perforated and then buried next to the footings of a home’s foundation so that it can carry ground water away before it enters the basement.

The waterproofing company will first remove a 12-inch strip of concrete from the basement floor, then dig a trench down to the foundation footings. If needed, we will install a new sump pump.

The flexible pipe will be connected to the basin, with a sump, and then placed in the trench along the basement walls. It should be noted that the pipe is wrapped in a filtration fabric “sock” for extra precaution. Once it has been laid out in said trench, more clean will be added on top before concrete is poured overtop to repair any damage done to the flooring.

After you install a sump pump, remember to extend the discharge piping out of your house. The point should be placed at least twelve feet away from the foundation. If possible, try to place it directly into a storm sewer.

Why is Interior Drain Tile an Ideal Basement Waterproofing Solution?

The interior drain tile is beneficial because it prevents groundwater from seeping into the basement by carrying it to the sump pump through perforations.

The drain tile’s position adjacent to the footings on the inside of the foundation makes it ideal for solving various water infiltration issues:

Hydrostatic Pressure – Water build-up underground often puts pressure on a basement floor, causing water to seep through cracks. Interior drain tile lessens the chance of this by instead guiding water into a pipe.

Cove Seepage – Water from various sources, like hydrostatic and lateral pressure as well as seepage down exterior basement walls, enters the basement through the cove joint. The cove joint is where foundation walls meet footings.

Window Wells – Excess rainwater can quickly fill window wells, causing seepage through windows that are either poorly installed or otherwise damaged. If there is no other available source of the discharge, window well drains can be tapped into the interior drain tile to get rid of this problem.

Therefore, it’s understandable why interior drain tile is an excellent solution for homeowners. In an unfinished basement, the installation process is much quicker than exterior drain tile and doesn’t require any excavation outside of the home.

Interior drain tile prevents basement flooding by carrying water from the groundwater table to the sump pump for removal. The drain tile’s position next to the footings on the inside of the foundation makes it ideal for stopping many causes of water infiltration:

To make sure your basement stays dry, keep water from getting in with an interior drain tile system. The pipes act like a net, collecting the built-up underground pressure and moving it away before any seepage can occur – even through the tiniest of cracks!