Basement drain tiles provide water with a path of least resistance, making it less likely to seep into your basement through any small, unnoticed cracks in your foundation or slab. They use porous pipes connected by networks to redirect excess moisture away from your home – also referred to as weeping tile, French drains or perimeter drains; an integral component of any concrete crawlspace and basement waterproofing solution whether retrofitting or building new homes alike. Basement drainage must always be considered when designing structures of any kind – be it home building from scratch or retrofitting existing structures or retrofitting existing systems – drainage must always be an integral component.
Basement or crawl space water intrusion is often the result of hydrostatic pressure building up around the foundation, caused by too much soil absorbing more water than it can hold and then pushing against whatever stands in its way, such as your foundation. Over time, this pressure may create fissures in your foundation that let in water into the basement; drain tile systems work by funneling excess water through drain tiles into sump pits where it can then be pumped out of your house.
Building a new home requires installing an exterior drain tile system during the build phase for maximum flexibility with system design and to reduce costs as you go along. Although adding exterior drain tile systems to older properties is possible, doing so would likely prove more costly and invasive than anticipated.
An interior drain tile system can often be the best way to address basement or crawl space water issues in an existing home. Installation usually involves digging a trench around the interior foundation walls and then installing the pipe; after which it should be covered with washed gravel that will pass through any perforations but remain small enough that water can filter in through perforations in pipe and filter into pipe, and covered again with porous fabric which allows moisture in while blocking soil passing through, before final soil piling occurs to finish job.
Drain tile systems utilize either corrugated flexible PVC pipe or rigid PVC piping with perforations designed to let water enter it, typically yellow or black in colour and often perforated to allow water in. They are installed either directly in concrete footings, wood frame structures, or both before eventually leading to either an underground sump pit or daylight aboveground.
Installing a basement or crawl space drainage system can prevent costly water infiltration damage to your home. These systems work by collecting rainwater before it can enter, collecting it before draining to storm sewers or flowing directly to a sump pit with an electric sump pump to extract any unwanted fluids that find their way in.