How Drain Tile Systems Keep Water Out of a Basement
There are a number of ways to keep water out of a basement. You can apply an exterior waterproofing membrane to the outside of the foundation walls. You can fix cracks in the wall, either from the interior or the exterior. You can fix problems with yard drainage to keep water away from the foundation.
One other way to keep water out of a basement would win the waterproofing award for versatility – if there were such a thing. Drain tile, sometimes known as foundation drain or weeping tile, can be installed on either the interior of the foundation footings or the exterior. It can drain to a sump pump, to a storm sewer or directly to daylight. It can relieve underground water pressure, either the hydrostatic kind under the foundation or the lateral kind around it.
In short, drain tile keeps water out of a basement in a lot of different ways and it can be installed either during construction or in a finished home. But, how does it work?
In the brief video below, basement waterproofing expert Barry Schilling explains drain tile – its purpose, its different forms, even how it got its curious name. It won’t make you an expert but it will help make you an educated homeowner who can make better-informed decisions when your home needs basement waterproofing.
At U.S. Waterproofing, we’ve been keeping water out of basements around Chicago for nearly 60 years and we have installed miles of drain tile, both interior and exterior. Please ask for our free advice.