Throughout our career, we’ve whittled down the various waterproofing materials and methods to one uncomplicated, reliable system. This system is based solely on the core aspects of what all warranty-able Basement Waterproofing Systems have in common. No bells and whistles, just a solid, reliable system using materials chosen for durability and practicality. For these reasons and the fact that we specialize exclusively in Interior Drain tile installation, we are able to offer a very competitively priced system while still being confident enough to offer a lifetime warranty against leakage from anywhere our system is installed.
An Interior Drain Tile System should consist of:
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Drain Tile — Typically a 4-inch perforated drainage pipe installed along the foundation footing. This is referred to as “drain tile” because clay tile pipe sections were originally used for this application. The Drain Tile is designed to intercept rising ground water and collect foundation seepage.
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Sweat Gap — This is a gap provided along the foundation wall between the foundation wall and the floor. The Sweat Gap is designed to intercept foundation seepage and channel it down to be collected by the drain tile.
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Sump Basin — The sump basin is a low holding area to collect the water accumulated in the drain tile.
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Sump Pump — Installed in the sump basin is a float-activated pump that expels water when the sump basin is filled.
System Installation:
The first step in installing the drain tile system is cutting and removing the concrete in the installation areas. In most cases we would use an electric jackhammer with a chisel bit for our cutting. We find that it creates less dust than other methods and leaves a rough edge for the later concrete patch to adhere to. The cut will be wide enough to expose the footing plus about six inches with a total width of around 12 inches.
We then excavate a trench to the base of the footing. The resulting dirt and concrete debris will be hauled out and disposed of.
Drain Tile
A four-inch corrugated drain tile pipe, perforated with drainage slits is then placed in the trench. This is a very versatile and durable material used in field drainage, landscaping, and highway construction. The drain tile is covered with an aggregate filter bed that allows water into the pipe, while filtering out ground material.
Sweat Gap
We then install a drainage panel made from the same material as the drain tile, against the foundation wall. Raised knobs on one side of the panel provide the sweat gap between the wall and the basement floor. The gap extends from just above the floor line, down into the aggregate filter bed. Any water seeping through the foundation is channeled down through the aggregate and into the drain tile.
Sump Basin
Many times there is an existing sump basin and pump. If the existing sump is well installed, we may be able to utilize it and/or the existing discharge plumbing. However, we would always recommend a new sump pump at the time of installation. Anytime we install new discharge plumbing, we must plumb it to expel the water outdoors. As a contractor we are forbidden to plumb the discharge into a city sewer system.