What Is Drain Tile?
History of Drain Tile
The usage of drain tile began in agriculture more than 2 millennia ago. It was during the time of Egyptians and Babylonians employed drainage methods to eliminate excess water from the soil to enhance the growth of crops.
In their original design, the systems were constructed out of pieces of clay tile. Despite decades of usage, drainage systems for fields weren’t widely used for a long time in America until Scottish immigrants John Johnston installed clay tiles on his farm in New York in 1838.
The amount of wheat he produced and the profit per acre were so far higher than the neighbor’s that he became the target of ridicule by a lot of. Johnston did not hide his method, nevertheless, in 1859, Henry French wrote a book that had such a profound influence that the drainage systems were later renamed French drains.
Drain tile is the that is most frequently used However, in certain areas of the United States, these drainage systems for agriculture are known as French drains. Other terms that you may see are footing tiles, weeping tiles perforated drain, perimeter drain, and foundation drain.
What Is Drain Tile?
In contemporary times the drain tile isn’t the same thing as tile it’s a system made of porous plastic PVC pipe or flexible pipe placed beneath the ground around the foundation of a house. It’s intended to hold the water prior to allowing it to get into a crawl space.
It then redirects the water downwards away from the foundation of the house by using gravity or redirects it to a pit for collection in which an electric sump pump can drain it away from the dwelling. In certain systems, the piping could lead to a distant drainage pit, which is buried underground however in other systems, the sump pump or the piping releases the water to an open surface where it can be discharged into storm sewers or drain into the soil.
A drain tile installation can be put in place on the exterior of the home’s foundation, or on the interior of the foundation underneath the slab of flooring. When it’s constructed as part of the initial construction the drain tile pipe is usually placed within the soil near the exterior of the foundation. Sometimes, it is placed within the interior of the foundation too.
How Drain Tile Works
In spite of its name, drain tile isn’t actually tile in any way. When it is used in construction, it is a reference towards the pipe for drainage. The drain tile refers to a type of subterranean drainage that is laid over the foundations of buildings.
Water always follows the path with the least resistance thus drain tile provides the most simple route. The pipe used for drainage tile has a porous surface and water flows through the pipe system, not your home. The water is then directed away from your house using the combination of gravity and the sump pump.
After the pipe is installed, the system redirects the water towards an empty well or discharges it into the ground, where it will flow into an acquisition drainage system or the sewage system.
Drain Tile in the Construction
The goal of drain tiles for construction is to protect damage from groundwater to a structure. Drain tile collects water from the surrounding area of a building and then removes it.
There are two types of drain tile designs: external and internal.
An internal system occurs where the drain pipe is set within the foundation of a building underneath flooring slabs. This is the preferred option for retro-fitting drain tiles. It is also utilized in new construction together with drain tiles for external use.
A drain tile system for external use is where the drain tile pipe is set up on the outside of the building beneath the level of the slab of flooring. This is the most preferred option for all new builds whether with or without inside drain tiles. Additionally, you can retrofit external drain tiles.
If you are living in a newly constructed home, there is a chance that you already have drain tiles installed. National building codes now require that drain tiles when a house has a basement or crawl space. The one exception is if the building is constructed on well-draining soil, such as sand gravel.
The soil’s ability to drain properly lowers the likelihood of damage from water, but it doesn’t stop it. The installation of drain tiles is advised. The benefits outweigh any initial cost of installation and could be a way to make future resales easier.
Additionally, when buying your next property, especially one that is older, you should inquire whether the home has an installation of drain tiles.
Types of Drain Tile Pipe
There are two kinds of drain pipes tile.
The first pipe is a rigid PVC pipe. It initially appears like a normal drain pipe, but one side is a bit smaller, allowing water to flow through. When the pipe is laid out, the holes are positioned in a downward direction so that the rising water can enter the pipe. Similar to any pipes that are rigid PVC pipes, they need corner fittings that can change the direction of the pipe. The rigid pipe is available in 10-foot lengths and is priced at $8.95 for each length.
Another alternative to the stiff pipe would be a flexible corrugated pipe. The pipe is fitted with tiny slits along the entire length of the pipe. This permits water to flow through any direction, but the grit, dirt particles, and sand are generally blocked.
A suggestion to further shield the pipe from possible blockage is to have a fabric sleeve be put on top of the pipe. We wouldn’t suggest it. The filters are made to be replaced. They will eventually become blocked. Then you won’t be able to clean the filter until you clean up the drain system.
The pipe is priced at $0.89/foot. It’s less expensive than the rigid pipe and doesn’t require corner fittings due to its being flexible. The polyvinyl component of the pipe is extremely durable even in high temperatures and in cold temperatures. It won’t crack like PVC pipe when an automobile weighing 2800+ pounds passes over it.
No matter what kind of pipe is being used, it will typically be four inches across. This is the standard for residential drainage, however, other diameters are offered with a maximum diameter of 18 inches.
Residential Drain Tile
The basic principles behind field drainage systems are comparable to those that apply when using drain tiles for residential buildings. The function of drain tiles surrounding your home is to gather water in the area around your basement foundation and direct it to one of two locations.
If you reside in an area that does not have a steep slope, then the water is channeled to a sump pit located in the basement. It is then pumped away of the base. In the alternative, if you reside on a property that has a slope that is steep enough that the water is pumped downhill from the foundation until it reaches a daylight exit point.
The pipe must be sloping at an average pitch that is 1/4 inches per foot, but the steeper the slope, the better. The entire system operates easily and effectively by making a path of the lowest obstacles for the flow of water. This means that water is less likely to get into your basement through tiny cracks that are not noticed in the slab or foundation.
There are two main kinds of drain pipes. One is one that is a rigid PVC pipe that has a hole on one end. The holes are set in the downward direction and water finds its way through the pipe from beneath. PVC pipe is available in 10-foot lengths, and since it is a rigid material it requires corner fittings to maneuver around the home. PVC pipe can withstand crushing up to 3000 pounds, and it costs approximately $0.65 per foot.
The second kind of drainage pipe that is available is a flexible corrugated plastic pipe that has perforations (small slits) that allow water to enter the pipe, yet prevent dirt particles of large size from getting in.
Flexible plastic pipe is sold with a cover made of fabric that blocks soil particles of small size from getting into the pipe. With no fabric covering the pipe is priced at $0.40 for each foot. It’s cheaper than PVC pipe, but it has the chance of being crushed in the backfilling in the trench. The diameter is four inches, which is the most popular dimension for the foundation drain systems although diameters range between 2 and 18 inches.
Drain tile should be installed right following the footer for the foundation of a new home has been laid, and before construction has started. The pipe is generally placed in a 5 or 6-inch trench that runs along the footer.
Drain Tile Cost
The price of installing drain tiles can differ greatly. There are many variables that affect the price. DIY or professional installation retro-fit or new construction the installation, whether external or internal and flexible or rigid pipe, etc.
The most costly option is to engage an expert. This isn’t cheap, but you’re paying for their knowledge and knowledge. Professional installers is quicker and are less likely to experience any future issues.
If you want to install outside drain tiles in the Construction Phase, you can expect to pay between $50-$80 per foot. The bigger the drain’s diameter is, the more expensive it is. The best estimate to the budget of $70/foot.
This is at the upper end but will give you an achievable figure to base your budget on. This means you’ll need to set aside $3,500 for 50 feet of drain tiles. The price will go up from $25,000 to $50,000 in order to retrofit an existing drain tile exterior system to an older house.
DIY is usually a less expensive alternative, as you can get substantial savings on the expense of labor. However, there will be the costs of materials and equipment. The cost of hiring a trencher is about $400 per day and a compacter around half the price. DIY will likely require more time, but you will be able to finish the job in segments.
If you’ve exhausted all options and are retrofitting internal drain tiles, the cost is much more affordable. It is recommended to budget at least $4500 when you use this “pitched” method and a sump pump. Access to basements, the size of the basement, and the project’s difficulty all influence the price of the installation.
Suggest Read:
