Water can erode concrete foundations quickly when in contact with it, so a drain system must be put into place for all residential foundations – be it beneath the basement floor/slab or outside its perimeter to divert groundwater away from them and help channel away from their foundations. Drain tiles provide such protection.
Drain tile can provide an ideal solution to address foundation cracking or pooled water around the home, helping you prevent basement and crawl space flooding. It’s essential to understand all of the different types of drain tile to select one suitable for your home environment.
Drain tile may be misunderstood as being made out of tile; rather it refers to a system of perforated PVC pipes buried underneath your home that collects and directs any excess water away from entering your basement or crawlspace, either out the front of your home or into a sump pit for pumping purposes and then elsewhere in your yard.
Installing a drain tile system during the building phase is ideal; this way you can select where pipes will go while keeping costs down. But retrofitting with either an interior or exterior system may also be possible; experts such as University of Minnesota recommend an exterior system as it provides greater waterproofing benefits.
Installing an exterior drain tile system involves digging a trench around the perimeter of your house. A layer of washed stone will be placed in this trench to help avoid blockages before installing a rigid PVC drain pipe with holes on one side for proper drainage, connected by corner fittings to prevent any potential clogs.
Corrugated flexible pipe is the best type of drain pipe to use for your basement since it is more durable than rigid PVC pipes and features an advantageous serpentine pattern that works better in this instance than multiple straight pipes. Lower costs than rigid pipes since no expensive specialized tools such as jackhammers need to be purchased for this task, yet still requiring professional assistance for optimal results. Prepare all necessary materials in advance so as to not run out of supplies, saving both time and frustration. When starting, wear safety gear such as safety glasses and dust mask to shield yourself from jackhammer noise as well as dirt that is kicked up during this process; additionally, be sure to secure an adequate trash bag to dispose of debris once completed.