Interior Drain Tile in Waterloo, Iowa

Interior drain tile is perforated pipe laid in washed stone just inside the foundation walls, below the basement floor. The crew cuts a strip of concrete along the walls, digs a shallow trench, sets the pipe so it falls toward a sump pit, and pours new concrete over it. Water that comes through the wall or pushes up at the joint drops into the pipe, runs to the pit, and the pump sends it outside.

Is interior drain tile right for my house?

It's the standard answer when water appears at the floor edge along more than one wall, when hollow block walls fill with water, or when groundwater rises under the slab after long wet spells. That last case is common on low ground near the Cedar River and its creeks, where the county soil survey describes a high water table. Interior tile handles water after it reaches the wall rather than keeping it off, but it doesn't require digging up driveways, decks or landscaping outside.

What happens during the job?

Inspection. The company traces where water enters and checks walls for cracks, bowing and loose block.
Making room. Shelving, storage and any finished walls along the perimeter are moved or opened up.
Trench and pipe. The floor is cut, the trench dug, and the pipe set in stone. Block walls often get small weep holes in the bottom course so the cores can drain.
Wall liner. Many systems add a dimpled plastic sheet on the wall so seepage runs down behind it into the drain.
Pit, pump and concrete. A lined sump pit goes in at a low point, the pump is tied to a discharge line, and the trench is patched.

What should I ask the contractor?

Which walls get drain tile, and why those walls?
How is the pipe protected from silt, and is there a cleanout?
Where will the pump discharge outdoors, and will it stay off the sidewalk and the neighbor's yard?
Does the job need a plumbing or electrical permit, and who pulls it?
What does the warranty cover, and does it transfer to a buyer?

What affects the price?

How many feet of wall need tile
Slab thickness, access and how much has to be moved
Finished walls or flooring that come out and go back
The pump, any battery backup and the length of the discharge line

We don't quote prices, and nobody should quote you over the phone. A waterproofing company sets its price after walking the basement, looking at the walls, the floor joint and the sump pit, and checking the gutters, downspouts and grading outside. Until then, any number is a guess.

Where we connect you with help

Common questions

Will interior drain tile dry out my walls?

Not completely. It collects water once it reaches or passes under the wall. A wall liner directs that water into the drain so it stays off the floor, but the wall behind the liner can still be damp.

Can drain tile go in under a finished basement?

Yes, but the bottom of the finished walls along the perimeter usually has to come out and be rebuilt. Make sure the quote says who handles that and what it includes.

Related services

More background: Waterloo, Iowa basement water guide.

Interior drain tile in Waterloo, Iowa