Why Drain Tiles Are Sometimes Required For A Home

When you build a home, you will be at constant war with the weather. You'll have to make sure that water is removed from your roof and directed away from your foundation. You'll also have to worry about moisture seeping into your basement and causing damage. Luckily, there are many ways you can protect your home such as with the installation of exterior drain tile. It might also be required by building codes.

When to Install a Drain Tile

If not required by building codes, an exterior drain tile is something you'll want to consider installing after you have verified that there is nothing wrong with your gutters or downspouts and when you know that your soil has been graded properly. 

The Installation of a Drain Tile

The exterior drain tile, also known as a "French drain," is a series of perforated pipes along the exterior of your home. While called tiles, they are actually flexible tubes made out of plastic. The drain tile is meant to provide the water with a path through which it can drain. Once the drain tile has been installed, the contractors will lay gravel down on top of the tubes. 

For the drain tile to be effective, it must be placed in the right location. Some contractors will install the drain tile outside your home while others will place it underneath the slab or inside the foundation of your home. This is based on how your home is constructed. The contractor must put a waterproofing layer in place to prevent the water from seeping into your basement. 

How the Drain Tile Moves Water from Your Home

The pipe must be placed inside a trench that has a slope. Then, gravity will allow the water to flow through the pipe and away from your home. The pipe must also be flexible because the soil and water will put pressure on the pipe and it must deform to account for these pressures. A drain tile also uses a pump to move the water from one location to another. 

You Might Be Required to Install a Drain Tile

You will usually be required under building codes to install a drain tile if you have a masonry or concrete foundation that encloses a usable space that is below grade. For example, if you have a basement and intend to use it as an extra living room, you might need to have a drain tile installed if one didn't come with your home already.

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