Installing a french drain in an existing basement isn t a complicated project but it requires the use of power equipment including a concrete saw and a jackhammer to break out the basement floor.
French drain system basement.
A french drain removes water from a basement by collecting moisture in a shallow trench pulling it into a perforated pipe and expelling it to a basin and sump pump.
An interior french drain intercepts water as it enters your basement it s the surest method of keeping your basement dry and a better option than a footing drain.
An interior french drain system is much more complicated in the sense that it requires digging into the foundation that lines the basement walls.
A french drain is not a specific item per se but rather a name for the space between a basement wall and the concrete slab that allows water to drain outside of the home rather than pool on the floor.
To install an interior french drain a waterproofing contractor cuts a channel into your basement slab around its perimeter.
However if you have a finished basement you ll have to remove interior walls in order to install the system.
A french drain also called a weeping tile drain tile perimeter drain or sub surface drain is a common basement waterproofing solution.
Rather it catches water that seeps inside and channels it by gravity to a sump pump that sends the water back outside or into a drain line.
It s a trench containing a perforated pipe that redirects surface water and groundwater away from the foundation.
An interior french drain doesn t prevent water from entering your basement.
Problems with exterior french drains.