There are many ways to protect your foundation and home from water intrusions. Corrective grading and repairing cracked foundation walls are just some of the solutions. One of the best prevention tactics in the event water does reach your home: installing drain tiles. They’re a staple in most modern homes, but they still require repairs over time and sometimes an upgrade.

What is a drain tile system?

These systems are installed into a home to divert water away from the basement if flooding occurs. Most homes have them already installed, but they may be outdated or need repair depending on the age.

How does a it benefit your home?

If water intrusions do happen in your home, getting that water out in a safe and efficient way minimizes the damage. As it’s guided out of the home through the drain tile system, it’s less likely to spread to the entire basement. It’s easier to dry out affected areas and avoid too much resulting water damage.

What does the drain tile installation process look like?

We typically break interior drain tile installation up into 5 steps:

  1. Remove about 12” of the concrete floor so we have access to the foundation’s base footings.
  2. Install PVC drain tubing in the trench and lay washed rock around it to act as a sediment filtration system.
  3. Drill holes into the block walls to help water evacuation. Install Vent-Mat edging to direct water into the drainage trench, which will then go to the PVC basin with the sump pump. Following the building code in your area, the sump pump’s evacuation pipe is installed.
  4. The trenches are covered with heavy vinyl sheet to form a final moisture barrier.
  5. Replace the concrete floor that was removed.

What happens if it needs repair?

To get the full picture, we will often have to dig up the trench. Parts of the system may be damaged, such as leaky pipes, and will need to be replaced. If you notice standing water in your basement or the sump pump is making more noise than normal, it’s time for expert help.

If you have been dealing with flooding in your home, our experts can help with waterproofing your basement. Concrete & Foundation Solutions serves the Twin Cities metro, and we offer free consultations so we can properly assess your foundation and give an accurate estimate