Drain tiles are an important part of your home’s plumbing system that protects it against flooding and water seepage. Drain tiles are installed either in your basement or around your home’s outer perimeter. In modern uses, drain tiles are not made from tile at all. They consist of a length of pipe with holes in it that have been buried in a gravel trench. This allows water to collect and be redirected either away from the foundation of your home or toward a sump pump.
There are two main types of drain tile piping, each with its own advantages. First, there is a stiff PVC pipe that has holes on one side of it. The holes are placed face down, and the rising water moves into the pipe from underneath. The second type of drain tile is a flexible pipe. This type has small slits instead of holes that allow the water into the pipe.
Drain tile systems have been used for more than 2,000 years. The ancient Egyptians and Babylonians discovered that by using pieces of clay tile, they could remove excess water from their agricultural fields and produce better crops. In the 1830s, a New York farmer named John Johnston was using this same technique, which he shared with his neighbors. In the 1860s, a man named Henry French wrote a book about it.
French's book became very popular and is the reason for us knowing drain tiles as we do today. It is also the reason that drain tiles are referred to as French drains in some parts of the country.
Modern drain tiles use the same principle but work a little differently. Piping is installed underground, surrounding a house's foundation. The piping collects any water that might have drained into the home's basement or crawlspace and directs it to go elsewhere, where it will not cause harm to the house.
