In areas prone to flooding, or even those like Vancouver that frequently experience periods of heavy rain, a drain tile system is crucial to protecting your home from water infiltration. Without a means to divert water from your foundation, your property is left open to the risk of basement leaks, mould growth, or worse, serious structural damage.
If you are thinking of adding a drain tile system or replacing your current one, here’s everything you need to know about systems like internal and external drain tile systems so you can choose the right option for your property and budget.
What Is Drain Tile, Anyway?
Drain tile is a type of waterproofing system designed to channel water away from your home’s foundation, preventing pooling or potential flooding in your basement or crawl space. The systems are installed beneath the home’s foundation, either inside or around the perimeter. In both cases, they work the same way: water collects in a perforated pipe surrounded by gravel and is diverted away from the property to storm drains, either by gravity or with the help of an electric sump pump.
Both interior and exterior drain tile systems are highly effective; however, when it comes to installation or replacement, each has its pros and cons.
External Drain Tile Systems
More commonly referred to as French drains, exterior drain tile systems are installed around the outside perimeter of your home’s foundation to direct water away before it has a chance to enter your basement. This type of system acts as your first line of defence against surface water and groundwater buildup and is designed to prevent water from ever entering your home.
Most newly or recently constructed homes in the Vancouver region are built with this type of exterior system. Because installation of a drain tile system requires extensive excavation, it simply makes sense for builders and homeowners to have these systems put into place during the initial construction phase rather than worry about it later. This is especially true of homes in areas of North Vancouver, Coquitlam, and Richmond, where higher water tables and groundwater seepage are a major concern.
Internal Drain Tile Systems
Interior drain tile systems, sometimes called weeping systems, do the same job as exterior systems, but they are installed along the inside perimeter of your basement. Rather than preventing water from entering your home, they manage and redirect it after it’s already made its way through the foundation walls, with the help of a sump pump. But don’t worry, that doesn’t mean water will be regularly pooling in your nicely finished basement; these systems are designed to collect water discreetly beneath the floor and move it away quickly.
Because the installation of an interior drain tile system is less disruptive and less costly than installation or replacement of an exterior system, internal systems are generally the go-to option in homes dealing with water infiltration and not currently equipped with external drainage.
Key Differences Between Interior and Exterior Drain Tile Systems
So, between the two, is there a better drain tile system? It all depends on your home’s layout, existing drainage, and whether you’re building new or retrofitting an older property.
Exterior drain tile systems are great at preventing water from ever reaching the inside of your home; however, they require enough space around the foundation and a sufficient slope for gravity to do its job redirecting water away from your foundation.
As far as maintenance goes, French drain systems are more prone to clogs and structural issues than interior systems, especially if they weren’t properly installed or have been in place for decades. If your exterior drain tile system does collapse, replacement costs can be high and require extensive digging and disruption of your property and landscaping.
Interior drain tile systems are generally thought to be the lower maintenance system, but that also depends on how well the system is maintained and where water is entering the foundation. Like exterior systems, interior systems can be impacted by debris clogs and root intrusion; however, with less piping and easier access, repairs or replacement is often less expensive.
Interior systems also rely on a sump pump to actively move water away from the foundation, so regular maintenance and monitoring of the pump are key to keeping the system working properly.
Both internal and exterior drain tile systems perform a crucial role in protecting your property from water infiltration. If you have concerns about your current system needing drain tile replacement, or questions about installing a new one, a professional is the best person to ask.
