Can you put a French drain under a basement floor?
A French drain can either be installed in your home’s interior, under the basement floor, or outside the home, buried in the soil along the foundation footing. Both are very effective solutions for a wet basement. French drains don’t prevent water from getting into your basement.
What are the pros and cons of an interior French drain?
Con: An interior French drain will only remove groundwater from beneath the basement floor. It will not stop water from seeping through cracks in the basement walls. Con: Installing an interior French drain in an existing basement is a major project. Concrete must be broken out, which requires drilling through the floor and using a jackhammer.
What do you need to know about basement drains?
All You Need to Know About Basement Drains. 1 1. Exterior Drain Tile. Installed around the outside perimeter of a foundation, exterior drain tile is a highly effective way of collecting ... 2 2. Interior French Drains. 3 3. Floor Drains.
What does it mean to keep a basement dry?
To keep a basement or crawl space dry means keeping subterranean water (water table) and surface water off the foundation wall. Where I live we have a water table at about -24".
Will a French drain stop water in basement?
French drains don't prevent water from getting into your basement. Instead, they take water under and around your home and channel it away from the foundation before it has a chance to find its way inside.
Will a French drain stop rising damp?
French Drains are often recommended for heritage properties as a way to help control damp. They work by redirecting subsoil and surface water away from your property, with the help of gravity.
What is the purpose of a French drain in a basement?
Exterior French drains function to divert water around the exterior perimeter of your house. Interior French drains, on the other hand, function to divert and carry away water and moisture out from the interior of your basement. This is one of the most effective systems for treating severe damp problems in basements.
Will a French drain help with surface water?
French drain systems manage surface water and protect property. Ideal for retaining walls, foundation and footing perimeter drains, landscape drains and sports fields. Without proper drainage, landscapes and yards can quickly turn into ponds.
How far should a French drain be from the foundation?
We recommend installing the french drains between 2 and 5 feet away from the foundation. There are a few variables that impact the exact distance to dig the new drain lines to carry water away from your home.
When should a French drain be installed?
When You Need a French DrainWhen you have a problem with surface water, such as a soggy lawn or a driveway that washes out.If water is getting into your basement.If you're building a retaining wall on a hillside.
Do I need a sump pump if I have a French drain?
If you have an excess of water in your basement, you may want to consider both a sump pump and French drain to waterproof your home. The French drain channels the water to the sump pump pit, which pumps the water out of the home much quicker that a pipe alone would do.
How much does it cost to put a French drain in a basement?
Interior French Drain Cost Interior basement French drains cost $40 to $100 per linear foot or $5,000 to $13,500 on average. Most basements need 100 to 150 linear feet of drain. They require more work and materials since they'll need to go under the concrete and often need specialized membranes for drainage.
What is the best way to waterproof a basement?
0:092:24What is the Best Way to Waterproof a Basement? | Ask the ExpertYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAnd we design a system that will work for you we dig a trench or on the inside of the basement onMoreAnd we design a system that will work for you we dig a trench or on the inside of the basement on the perimeter of the basement. We put in our water guard system. And it controls the water.
What's better than a French drain?
A sump pump is one the the most popular and most effective alternatives to a french drain. A sump pump add lots of drainage but comes with a few downsides. A sump system requires electricity to function and can be expensive to install and maintain.
What is the difference between a French drain and a surface drain?
The primary difference between the two systems is that French drains are used for water that is gradually seeping below ground level while surface drains handle water that's collecting above the ground. Their installation methods and materials also vary.
Why do French drains fail?
Over time, a French drain may become clogged. Tiny soil and clay granules slip through the pores of the landscape fabric and gradually build up inside the pipe. Another common cause of French drain clogs is root intrusion from grass, shrubs, and trees.
What is a French drain?
A French drain is a popular basement waterproofing solution that involves laying either perforated pipe or flexible corrugated pipe in a shallow trench along with gravel. The perforated pipe channels any excess water in the soil under and around your home’s foundation into a collection pit. From there, it’s channeled away from ...
What happens when water builds up in basement?
When water builds up in the soil outside your basement walls or under the basement floor and doesn’t have a way to drain off, hydrostatic pressure will build up and push against the walls and/or the floor. If this goes on long enough, the walls will start to bow inward and may even crack.
Why do basements have drain tile?
Because basements are below grade (i.e., underground), they’re more susceptible to water intrusion, which can damage valuables and create an unhealthy, mold-filled environment. Today, almost all new homes are built with a drain tile system.
What is an electric sump pump?
An electric sump pump takes the water in the collection pit and pumps it to the surface, away from the foundation. There are two types of sump pumps: submersible and pedestal. Submersible sump pumps go into the collection pit under the basement floor.
How does a French drain work?
French drains relieve hydrostatic pressure. French drains relieve hydrostatic pressure against your foundation wall or floor by making sure the soil under and around your foundation never gets over-saturated with water.
What happens if you don't use a jackhammer?
If you don’t do it properly, you could cause considerable damage, and then you’ll need to hire a professional to come in and fix everything. If that happens, you’ll end up paying twice.
Is French drain waterproofing good?
While a French drain basement waterproofing solution is more expensive than other waterproofing methods, it’s highly effective. In fact, it may be the most effective basement waterproofing method around because it doesn’t just stop water from getting in; it channels water away from the foundation.
Encourages Shearing
To install any type of water drainage system in a basement, you have to break up the perimeter of the concrete floor. The drainage is installed below the floor either on top of (or next to) the foundation’s footer.
French Drains Can and Will Clog
A french drain uses a perforated pipe to filter and collect water. Water flows into your basement through the wall, from the join between wall and floor, then moves over to the french drain trench. Some water may come up from under the floor, seeping into the gravel and then making its way into the pipe.
What Should You Do Next?
Do you want to learn more about waterproofing, hydrostatic pressure, and the benefits of a dehumidifier? Check out our Basement Waterproofing Guide, a free and in-depth review of everything homeowners need to know about waterproofing.
How high does a pedestal sump pump sit?
A pedestal sump pump attaches to a pole and sits an average of four to eight inches above the collection pit. A float—much like the one in a toilet tank—rises with the level of the water and then, when it reaches a certain height, activates the sump pump to push the water to the surface.
How does a sump pump work?
When the water in the collection pit reaches a certain level (usually a few inches), the sump pump kicks on and pumps the water through a pipe or hose to the surface of your yard, where it drains away naturally. Submersible sump pumps are the more powerful of the two options, and their price reflects that.
How deep should a sump pump be?
A submersible sump pump is placed in a collection pit located below floor level. Most pits are approximately two feet wide and one-and-a-half feet deep , although pits up to three feet deep can be installed if groundwater is a problem in your area. A small pit will fill up more quickly, causing the pump to cycle on more frequently, but a deeper pit is more difficult to clean out and maintain. When the water in the collection pit reaches a certain level (usually a few inches), the sump pump kicks on and pumps the water through a pipe or hose to the surface of your yard, where it drains away naturally.
How much does it cost to break out concrete?
Concrete must be broken out, which requires drilling through the floor and using a jackhammer. Plan to spend $7,000 to $15,000, or more, depending on the size of your basement and the thickness of the existing concrete.
What is the purpose of floor drains?
3. Floor Drains. Floor drains are most often installed during original construction, often in the utility area, to drain away excess water in the basement. The concrete floor around the drain gently slopes towards it, encouraging water to collect there and drain out.
How deep should a trench be for a basement drain?
A trench approximately 1-foot-wide and 1-foot deep is necessary to contain the drainage pipe and the gravel. While some drains are covered with a grate, which can be removed for future maintenance, others are left uncovered if the basement is used only for storage.
What is an interior French drain?
2. Interior French Drains. Interior French drains are often installed when existing homes start to have basement water problems. But, if you live in an area that gets a lot of rain, it doesn’t hurt to install one when you build your home, too. Similar to exterior drain tile, an interior French drain features a perforated pipe ...
