What Is Weeping Tile? Is It Important for My Home?

By:    |   Published January 10, 2019
Cabin house with rain-soaked lawn and driveway

How your property handles water drainage is one thing you can’t overlook. If you’ve had concerns about waterproofing your home, you may have heard about an option called weeping tile. What is weeping tile? It’s an effective system for capturing and moving water away from your home that goes back centuries!

Read on to learn more about weeping tile and why your home could be left vulnerable without it!

Weeping Tiles Keep Water Away from Your Home

Water near your foundation is a constant risk. This could be heavy rainwater, snow melt or flooding from nearby water sources. Pressure builds underground and pushes against the construction of your home, causing cracks that can eventually lead to breaches. Once these breaches happen, they can mean thousands in repairs and lost property due to water damage.

Weeping tiles, also known as drain tiles, are a type of pipe system used to collect and discharge underground water safely away from your foundation. Originally named when similar systems were designed with terracotta tiles, modern drain systems use plastic.

When used for basement foundation protection, they are typically referred to as French drains. But weeping tile setups can be used for farm fields too!

How Weeping Tiles Work for Basement Waterproofing

The great thing about weeping tile is how simple and effective it is! Modern weeping tile pipes are placed with small holes lining the top of the pipe. They’re installed underground in a trench that slopes away from your home.

When groundwater amasses and rises over the pipe, it filters in through the holes and is discharged away from your foundation.

You can also have interior drain tile installed. Typically, this is a second step, when an exterior drain tile system won’t work properly. They function very similarly to an exterior drain system, with the addition of using a sump pump to help push drain water out to a storm sewer.

What to Expect from Exterior Weeping Tile Installation

The installation process for a French drain system is definitely not DIY! It involves a massive amount of work and involves a thorough digging and pipe laying effort.

There are only a few primary steps to installing weeping tile, though each step is incredibly physically-demanding:

  1. Digging a Trench
  2. Pouring Gravel
  3. Installing the Drain Pipe
  4. Filling the Trench

Is Your Weeping Tile Clogged?

Like any pipe systems that run around homes, weeping tile is susceptible to issues with roots or soil. Excessive build-up of soil inside the pipes can lead to a clog that prevents the water from being fully discharged away from the home.

Over time, the water will build in the pipe until it allows the same type of pressure typical flooded groundwater can cause. If left alone, a major clog can lead to severe cracks or damage to your home’s foundation too!

If you suspect an issue with your weeping tile, look for these signs:

The best way to know if your drain tile is having an issue is to contact a professional for an inspection. They can look for signs of water invasion or pressure and then track it back to the source.

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Schedule Your FREE Annual Foundation Inspection

The best way to keep your basement dry is with professional waterproofing. EverDry Toledo can help with a FREE 20-point basement inspection! We’ll help you find out if your home is at risk for water damage and which solutions will best serve you.

Contact us online to schedule an appointment or give us a call at (419) 469-5833 and schedule your inspection today!

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