Foundation King installs a variety of water drainage systems to help you solve your water problems. A drain tile system, also sometimes called a French Drain, is designed to collect and redirect water away from the house or foundation.
Drain tiles can be installed either on the interior perimeter of the foundation or along the exterior of the foundation. They can also be installed along the surface of the yard to redirect water away from the house.
Surface drainage systems basically consist of a perforated pipe (typically a PVC pipe with weep holes along one side) set in a trench and covered with gravel. The pipe can also be covered with a nylon filter sock to prevent the pipe from filling with debris. Water that enters the pipe is then redirected away from the house.
Interior drain tile systems are typically placed below the concrete slab; a portion of the basement floor is removed (approximately 12-24 inches), then, a trench is dug and a perforated pipe is set on top the footing and covered with washed gravel. The concrete is then replaced. The pipe is directed to a sump pump and discharged to the exterior. This will catch water entering between basement floor and the wall.
Exterior drain tile systems are essentially the same as an interior system, but located on the outside of the foundation wall. This type of drain tiles systems are usually installed during construction. Installing an exterior drainage system at an existing building is typically the most costly, but also the most effective water control approach. This requires digging up the area around the foundation and rebuilding it similar to a new house installation. It also requires digging up shrubs and other obstacles around the house.