A functional drainage system is key to having a dry basement or crawlspace. A drainage system is commonly referred to as Drain Tile (which is not like a floor tile!) and is an important water management tool. Drain Tile is simply a perforated drainage pipe sometimes called a French Drain. At the time a home is typically constructed, a Drain Tile System is installed on the exterior of the foundation at the deepest part of the excavation next to the footing (the widened concrete base the foundation walls rest on). The Drain Tile is typically connected to a sump pump located in the interior of the home which collects and discharges the water harmlessly away from the building.
Over time Exterior Drain Tile Systems fail due to the elements. Small particles mixed in with the soil (fines or silt) can find their way into the system and cause recurring clogging issues. Also tree roots can infiltrate making the system ineffective.
What is an Interior Drain Tile System?
An Interior Drain Tile system serves the same purpose as an exterior system except it is less impacted by the elements. Installed on the inside of the home next to the foundation’s footing and beneath the basement floor. This system provides a much longer life expectancy at a lower installed cost.
This system addresses seepage by collecting water that comes up from beneath the basement floor and through foundation walls.
How is an Interior Drain Tile System installed?
U.S. Waterproofing’s Forever Flow Drain Tile System provides a dual filtration process which makes it a permanent maintenance free solution for keeping your basement or crawlspace dry.
The system is installed by removing the edge of the concrete floor (about a foot from the foundation wall). Once the floor is removed, a trench is dug alongside the footing and a layer of washed stone is placed at the base of the trench. A 4‑inch perforated pipe (Drain Tile), protected by a filter sock, is laid in the trench and then surrounded with more washed stone.
Our system is then connected to a sump basin where a sump pump discharges the water to a suitable location.
While many homes are equipped with a sump pump that can handle this additional water, some are not. U.S. Waterproofing offers a full line of both primary sump pumps and battery backup sump pumps as well as basins that we can size to your needs.
Unique to the waterproofing industry our exclusive Hollow Cove Molding (an L — shaped vinyl baseboard) is installed atop the footing against the foundation wall. Any seepage from the foundation wall will drain down behind the cove molding and into the Forever Flow Drain Tile System.
The floor is then patched with concrete to complete the installation.
Why choose U.S. Waterproofing?
Total peace of mind. We start with a free in-home consultation where one of our highly trained Advisors will provide you with a proper diagnosis, detailed repair plan, and cost of repair.
Next, we assign a Field Supervisor to visit your home and review the project. Your Field Supervisor can answer all your questions prior to scheduling the work.
We know home improvement projects can be overwhelming, especially if your basement is finished. To lessen your stress we also offer a full line of job prep services to help you through the completion of your project.
Our Forever Flow Drain Tile System comes with a lifetime transferrable warranty (for residential homeowners). Since 1957, U.S Waterproofing has been committed to unmatched customer service and getting the job done right the first time. We stand by our work and have over 500,000 satisfied customers to our name. To find out if Interior Drain Tile is the right solution for your home, schedule your free consultation online today!