How long do weeping tiles last

For water to penetrate a foundation wall there must be some water pressure on the foundation wall referred to as hydrostatic pressure. The role of weeping tile is to transport water that has accumulated next to the footing to a drainage point. In theory there should be little hydrostatic pressure against a foundation if the weeping tile is working properly.

In the absence of hydrostatic pressure, the foundation could not possibly leak. This is the logic which leads many to conclude that a home with a leaky basement is a home that needs new weeping tile installed.

There are many soil types and subtypes throughout the GTA. With the exception of neighbourhoods on the periphery of Lake Ontario, the majority of homes are built upon and surrounded by clay soils. Clay soil is composed of extremely fine particles and is therefore very dense; as a result, clay soils drain very poorly.

The poorly draining clay soils hold a significant amount of ground water and apply a considerable amount of hydrostatic pressure on foundation walls. The poor drainage properties of clay prevent much of the ground water from reaching the weeping tile; therefore, much of the ground water cannot be efficiently drained away.

Consequently, installing new weeping tile will not improve the drainage properties of the soil around a home. Hence our predicament — we have poorly draining clay soils and weeping tile systems which are unable to collect enough of the groundwater around the foundation to sufficiently reduce hydrostatic pressure on the foundation walls the reason behind basement leaks in new homes.

The answer is actually quite simple — prevent the water from penetrating the foundation walls; this is achieved by installing an impermeable barrier around the foundation or by filling those cracks or holes which allow water to penetrate the foundation. Our basement professionals have been specialists in the field for more than twenty years.

We'd like to offer you a free, no-obligation weeping tile installation estimate , customized for your unique problem. Each free estimate includes a personal on-site consultation, written estimate, and a copy of our full-color waterproofing book.

To schedule your estimate, call or e-mail us today! Generic weeping tile is usually designed from round sections of PVC or plastic hose. They are installed on either the inside of the basement or along the outside perimeter. This type of weeping tile is highly prone to clogging, and once it does, it's not accessible.

It is not appropriate in unique conditions, such as when iron ochre is present in the water. Generic weeping tile is difficult and labor-intensive to install. Installation creates more waste, and more concrete will be needed to patch up the floor.

A unique wall flange collects water from the walls, and can be integrated with our line of basement wall products. Installation of this system is fast, effective, and is provided with a lifetime written transferable warranty against groundwater seepage. If your home has monolithic floors, or the floors are extremely thick, this is the idea system for you.

At Basement Systems, we know that with monolithic foundations, the floor and footing are poured together, and these floors require special care. Jackhammering a floor like this is labor intensive, and it generates a great deal of concrete dust. This way, there is no jackhammering required. Often, a homeowner will experience issues with moisture entering through home through leaky hatchway stairs. While this flooding is not always severe, it's certainly something our customers would like to address.

Our customized TrenchDrain system is the ideal solution for this kind of problem. Designed with a grated top that installs flush with the floor, it collects leaking water before it can flood into your basement, directing it to your sump pump. In some unusual cases, homeowners who have high iron or manganese levels in their groundwater will see a thick, rust-colored substance oozing on to their basement floor.

This material, known as iron ochre , is caused by iron bacteria, and is present across the globe. It presents no known health issues, but it has a foul smell, and it stains anything it touches. This weeping tile system is specifically designed with wide openings and a completely removable lid that allows for service access and helps your system to avoid clogging.

At Basement Systems, we recommend installing a perimeter drain system on the interior of your foundation walls. However, if your basement floor is extremely thin, it can be challenging to "hide" your drain below the concrete floor slab. It then directs it to a drain that's placed in front of your foundation footer and underneath the floor.

It's the best of both worlds for this uncommon scenario. Many crawl spaces have dirt floors, making it challenging to avoid the "mud zone" when installing a perimeter drain system. Designed to be installed within a drainage swale along the crawl space perimeter, this system includes five perforated rows of drainage holes, as well as a clog-resistant filter fabric to keep dirt clogging to a minimum.

Still, there are a few telltale outward signs: water stains or cracks in your basement wall, mould, mildew or musty smells in your basement, and pooling water around basement windows and the exterior of the home. A professional plumber will often check the weeping tile using a camera, so make sure there is an access point.

If you live in an older home you may not have any weeping tile. Regardless, a lot will depend on the size of your home. The larger the area, the more digging and the more pipe need to be used and so it costs more. The accessibility of the weeping tile area is one factor. For instance, if it requires breaking up concrete vs. Concrete and manual digging and your costs will go up.

The cost could start in the hundreds for a relatively simple replacement, or run into the thousands once you get into significant waterproofing renovations. The bottom of the spout is usually bent at an angle. It may be fitted with a downspout extension to carry water even further away from the house. When a downspout is connected to a weeping tile, substantial rainfall funnelled into one underground location can overwhelm the drainage system and result in backups, basement flooding and foundation damage.

In some towns and cities, the downspout cannot be connected to the municipal sewer system by law. That policy may include coverage for water damage or flooding with endorsements such as overland water or a sewer backup. A wealth of knowledge delivered right to your inbox. As with any drain, a French drain does have the possibility of getting clogged.

Sediment and other types of debris can build up in the line, and this can cause the water to backup. You can also find problems where a tree root grew into the line to form an obstruction. When this occurs, it can cause the water to backup, and this can cause flooding to the area that you were trying to protect.

A French drain should be installed with cleanouts. These are points that provide access to the pipe, and allow you to clear any clogs. You should have one at the highest point in the French drain, and you may need others depending on the length of the drain and changes of elevation to the drain. Once you have access to a cleanout point for the French drain, it can then be cleaned in much the same way that you would clear any other drain. A drain snake can be used to clear a French drain or you could use water jetting to clear the line.

If you are having problems with your French drain, it might help to hire a professional. Some of these clogs can be very tough to clear, and in some cases, there is a risk of damaging the pipe. A professional will know how to clear the line and prevent damage, and they might even be able to use a drain camera to inspect for damage. As an additional point, some problems can occur when a section of the line collapses. This is likely to result in the system backing up, and it will require drain repairs.

A French drain can be the ideal solution for a range of different problems connected to groundwater and surface water. A good French drain can protect the foundation of your home, and it can also protect the value of your property. If you need a French drain installed, it is important that the work is done right. If installed improperly, it will not perform in the way that it needs to, and it could end up costing you more in repairs, replacement and water damage.

The most critical item for french or trench drain is the quality of gravel and perforated pipe. Never compromise on quality of these items and this will last for ages. Weeping tiles prevent surface water to damage building. Now, the foundations of my house are safe. If you care about the foundation of your house, never overlook cleaning of French drain.

With my own experience, I recommend French drain to every property which has water drainage problems. Since I installed this drainage system, I got rid of excess water from my home.

It is safe and works great for most of the drainage issues. Call us for a free consultation.