Drain tile is a subterranean drainage system designed to keep water away from home foundations and prevent groundwater infiltration. While its effectiveness is greatest when installed during construction, it can also be retrofitted as a solution for existing homes if water problems exist in their basements. Also referred to as French drain, weeping tile, perimeter drain or just “tile”, it refers to an older orange clay material which channelled water away into soil around foundation footings while today’s modern systems use crush-resistant plastic such as PVC which does just that job effectively.
Basement drain tile systems can help protect your home against water intrusion issues. Installed either outside the foundation or inside, under the basement floor/slab, they work by creating an unimpeded path for water to follow so it does not enter through cracks in either walls or floors.
Homeowners usually experience basement water infiltration due to insufficient groundwater absorption. As more water collects in the soil, excess volume pushes against anything it encounters such as walls and foundations causing pressure that eventually leads to leakage or flooding.
Interior drain tile systems (also referred to as French drains) are one of the most effective and popular forms of basement waterproofing systems we install. This process involves creating a channel in your interior floor slab before placing perforated pipes that redirect any collected water towards a sump pit where it can then be collected using a sump pump and safely removed from the home.
If your basement is experiencing any of these water issues, an interior drain tile system could be just what is necessary:
Water won’t infiltrate a waterproofed basement when using an exterior drain tile system; water cannot infiltrate into concrete walls or floors through these leaky areas. Installing this type of system either on top of or underneath existing concrete works equally effectively. This option is especially popular with newly built homes as it can be installed before the concrete sets. But it can be an excellent solution for older properties as well. Installation is relatively straightforward; all it requires is using a jackhammer to break up the floor and dig trenches along its interior perimeter. Once this process is completed, pipe is laid in each trench while sump pits are ready for receiving water ingress. Sump pumps must be used to pump out collected water, before replacing the floor. If you are interested in installing either an interior or exterior drain tile system into your home, contact Reliable Basement Services for more information – our team of experts are always on hand to assist with any waterproofing requirements!