Basement Drain Tile and French Drains Explained

Footing drains, perimeter drains, drain tile and French drains are all names for the drainage system that surrounds your home’s foundation.

Traditionally, drain tile or French drains consist of a trench that’s dug around the foundation footing. The drain tile can also be installed under the basement floor. Interior French drains are typically installed after the home is built and experiences a basement waterproofing problem.

After the trench is dug, a layer of gravel is laid at the bottom of the trench. A pipe is then laid on top of the gravel. Furthermore, holes are drilled into the pipe so that it can accept water.

Gravel is then laid on top of the pipe, followed by a fabric. To clarify, the fabric acts as a filter to prevent debris and other items from clogging the French Drain.

However, this method doesn’t always work or sometimes the gravel isn’t laid correctly. Consequently, you’ll end up with a clogged footing drain, which can lead to a basement water problem.

If the footing drain clogs, then you could have wet basement floors, leaky basement walls, or a musty basement. In order to prevent these problems, an internal drain tile system is installed. In general, the system is usually connected to a sump pump to remove the water from your basement.

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