If you own or are building a basement or slab foundation, chances are good that you have heard of — or had installed — drain tile. Drain tile is a subterranean drainage pipe system designed to manage water levels in basements while protecting from moisture intrusion and potential basement floods. But for proper functioning and effectiveness of drain tiles to work effectively they must be properly installed and maintained – failing which could cause costly repairs and foundational damage that needs addressing quickly and financially.
Exterior and interior basement drainage systems exist, generally installed during new home construction but also available as retrofit options in existing properties. Both types can help alleviate hydrostatic pressure – the force exerted on it by water which causes its walls to bow inward or crack and crumble – as it drains off.
Drain tile works most effectively when it provides water with the path of least resistance to flow downhill, rather than through foundation footers and foundation walls. Therefore, many homeowners seek out drain tile systems as an efficient way to mitigate hydrostatic pressure issues that cause costly and extensive repairs.
Exterior drain tile systems consist of an interconnected series of perforated pipes placed around a foundation footer and placed in an underground trench running alongside it. These perforated plastic (usually PVC) pipes may contain gravel in order to keep rocks or debris out, and often feature a sump pit or dry well so water can be diverted into a basement drain system when necessary.
Interior drain tile (commonly referred to as “weeping tile”) functions similarly to its exterior counterpart in that builders install it within basement footings, where it collects rainwater from either concrete floors or slab floors and channels it towards a sump pit before either pumping out through external drainage systems or being stored.
Both types of basement drain systems can fail if they’re installed and maintained improperly. Exterior weeping tiles may become blocked by dirt, roots or other debris entering their pipes from groundwater sources if left clogged for too long; interior drain tiles could experience blockages caused by groundwater carrying dirt into them from outside sources as well.
To help protect the gravel, apply a layer of washed, rounded gravel. This will enable water to find its way to the drain tile more easily while discouraging any attempt by sideways water flow to penetrate through foundation walls sideways. I once had a customer that wanted to ensure his room addition basement never experienced flooding issues by paying extra to have his high side foundation wall filled with this nice, round gravel fill.