Choosing the Right Drainage System: Exterior vs. Interior Solutions for Your Home

Do you know the differences between exterior and interior drain tile systems, and which is right for your home?

Water can get into your basement in a variety of ways. Sometimes, it comes in naturally and seeps in through the walls; it can come in from cracks in your foundation or condensation if you have a humid basement. At first, you might not think that the little bit of water is too much till that little bit turns into puddles in some areas or, in more serious cases, flooding. The best way to stop the problem is to get ahead with a basement drain system. But how do you know which one will best fit your house?

Exterior Drain Tile System

An exterior drain tile system is when they dig around the house's perimeter. Then, the system is set up in a bed of stone along that dug-up perimeter. After that, more stone and maybe fabric are placed over the drain to hopefully avoid clogging. All of the soil is placed back and will need time to settle.

But what are the pros of having an exterior drainage system? They can be great because they could cause little to no disruption to the basement's interior. That means any items you keep in your basement or appliances, such as a boiler or laundry machines, don't need to be moved. But an even better pro of an exterior drainage system is that it typically helps drain moisture from the soil. What this does is to help to reduce pressure on the foundation's walls.

However, exterior drain tile systems also have their own issues. Putting the system in place can be an extremely disruptive excavation project. With the system being outside, it is also more prone to having soil, rocks, or other debris getting into the system and creating issues with drainage. Typically, new exterior drain tile systems are out to replace old or existing ones. If you're replacing an old one, that usually means that something has broken or stopped working. Is an internal drainage system a better choice than just replacing the system currently in place?

Interior Drain Tile System

Interior drainage systems can be installed fast with little to no description of the outside of your home. These drainage systems are typically installed by taking up the floor near the wall, and then the drainage system is laid in a stone bed. Once the whole system is laid out, it will be cemented over, so you’ll barely know that it even know that it’s installed. Also, since these drain systems are set up inside the home, they’re less likely to get blocked or clogged, making them minimal effort to maintain in the long term. 

But with this drainage system, there is more prep that you, as a homeowner, need to do before we can install it. Any items in the basement, including built-in cabinets, must be removed and moved away from the walls. And during the insulation process, you may not be able to use your full basement.

Different problems call for different tools to fix them. In the same way that we wouldn't use a hammer to pound in a screw, we wouldn't use generic piping to waterproof a basement. Each drainage system has its own advantages and disadvantages. At Frank's Basement Systems, we have the drainage solution to create dry, usable space in your basement or crawl space. We have specialized basement drain systems that we customize for your unique problem -- no matter what that problem may be. For a free basement waterproofing quote, call or e-mail us today!