Where Does Drain Tile Go?

Drain tile systems can help your basement or crawl space remain watertight, helping prevent expensive water infiltration repairs and saving you from incurring unexpected repairs. Nowadays, most new homes constructed include drain tile systems as standard to stop groundwater from infiltrating through heavy rainfall or snowmelt into their living spaces and creating damage. Read on to gain more understanding about where drain tile goes in the home, its function, and why installing one should be prioritized over waiting until later to do it yourself.

Drain tile, contrary to its name, is not composed of physical tiles at all; rather it consists of subterranean drainage pipes installed beneath a foundation to collect groundwater that may then flow either downhill away from it or be directed into a collection pit and eventually out using an electric sump pump.

Drain tiles not only protect a building’s foundation from water infiltration, they can also assist with landscaping by reducing soil compaction and helping plants flourish more easily while keeping water flowing to lawns and gardens at an appropriate place. This allows lawns and gardens to receive all of the vital nutrients they require for healthy lawns and gardens.

Drain tile systems consist of perforated pipes made of plastic PVC that have perforations or slits to allow water to flow down while blocking out solid particles that might clog it up and render it ineffective. Finally, washed gravel is added at the base to block out solids while still allowing moisture through before being covered by dirt for the protection of the entire system.

Installing a drain tile system in either an older home or new construction is easy; the best time is during construction when more flexibility and lower costs can be realized when planning system design. Many building codes now mandate installing one in any new house built with a basement, crawl space, or poor soil that’s likely to flood and leakage issues.

If your home could benefit from having a drain tile system in place, or if you’re considering purchasing one with this feature already in place, contact Reid & Pederson Drainage’s basement and crawl space waterproofing experts to request an estimate! We are more than happy to answer any queries about our services, which include helping protect against costly groundwater infiltration damage. Reach out online or by phone now – we proudly serve homeowners across Crete, Illinois!