Foundation Draintile 101 : What every homeowner should know about their home's first line of defence against flooding

 Understanding Your Foundation Drain Tile and Tips to Avoid Flooding 

 With all the recent flooding in the town I grew up in and currently reside, combined with all the fly by night contractors that started showing up in local facebook groups trying to capitilize on other peoples misfortunes, I felt compelled to document my knowledge in regards to keeping your basement dry. I can extend a thank you directly to Mr Summa, the vocational masonry teacher at Abington Heights, for introducing me to the world of masonry and concrete construction. Sharing this knowledge can possibly help a local resident figure out their next move now that the dust has settled - but dust was never the issue.

How about the moisture remains? Moisture, on many levels, is the enemy. Mold is a dangerous thing and can happen fast.

1) What is a Foundation Drain Tile? 

~ A perforated pipe laid around the perimeter of the concrete footings that of which a homes foundation rests upon. In new construction, this perforated pipe is typically 4" in diameter, that will be fully buried in gravel. Ideally, a permeable geotextile fabric will be used as a "burrito" to segregate the gravel from the surrounding dirt. Its main function is to collect and divert water away from the foundation.

2. How Does It Work?

~Water that accumulates around the foundation is collected in the drain tile. There is typically only 1 of 3 scenarios that will decide the collected water's future. 1) The draintile is trenched away from the house and exits the trench at "Daylight". This "daylight" location need to be at a deeper elevation than the draintile at the foundation  2) If the foundation is too deep to find a suitable daylight location, then the draintile must go from the exterior perimeter, through or under the concrete footings, then piped directly into a sump crock, in which a sump is installed and will pump the water vertically to grade, then back through the wall to the exterior. 3) "B Dry System" or interior draintile. Excavating around your entire home is not a cheap experience. High risk with high probability of failure if your not up on your building sciences. This type of system is designed in a manor to control the water after it penetrated your foundaiton walls. Essentially creating unrestricted capillaries to allow the water to pass the foundation wall, into a drainage system, then pumped via sump pump.

3) Common Issues with Foundation Drain Tiles:

A. Clogging: Over time, silt, debris, and roots can clog the drain tile.

B. Breakage: Physical damage due to tree roots, heavy machinery, or the natural settling of the house.

C. Improper Installation: Not having the correct slope or not installed at the right depth.

4)Tips to Maintain and Prevent Flooding:

A. Regular Inspection: Make it a routine to inspect your drainage system, especially before heavy rainy seasons.

B. Clean Gutters and Downspouts: Ensure they're free of debris so that they channel water away efficiently. C. Landscaping: Slope the land around your house away from the foundation to aid in water runoff. "Negative grade" meaning a yard thats pitched towards the foundation, will almost always result in water intrustion

D. Protective Barriers: Consider installing a waterproof membrane on the exterior of your foundation. E. Sump Pump Maintenance: Ensure your sump pump is in working condition. Install a battery backup in case of power outages.

F. Avoid Planting Trees Close to the Foundation: Tree roots can invade and damage the drain tiles.

G. Professional Cleaning: Consider professional cleaning every few years to clear out potential blockages. One could also use an industry specific camera to map out your pipes simultaneously ---

5) Moving Forward From the Recent Flooding

Unfortunately, the event that occurred a few weeks ago was unprecedented and possibly a once in a lifetime occurance. Quite literally homes that have never had water issues, now do, thanks to the storm.

Step 1) Hopefully by now all the standing water has been removed

Step 2) remove all saturated sheetrock, carpet etc. Please properly dispose of by using a dumpster.

Step 3) Dehumidifiers will be your new best friend. Run them day and night from this point on.

In conclusion, these types of situations need to be dealt with before it happens again. Sometimes, there are easy and obvious fixes. Other times, not so easy or obvious. It is best to call an expert. 

Please reach out if you dont know what to do next. We will help assess your foundations health, and what might need to take place in regards to preventing this flooding from happening again. 

You can swing by our website www.E3builders.com , and fill out a project inquiry form. We perform all our excavation and masonry services in house, with people you can trust. We also offer dumpster rentals if needed. We will do our best to apply discounts for Clarks Summit residents that experienced flooding. You can also email me at [email protected].

Best of Luck!