Weeping Tile

Weeping Tile Installation in Greater Portland

an ugly basement weeping tile drainage system that's clogged and not working in Portsmouth.

Installing a weeping tile system is an important investment in the value of your home.

Hiring the wrong contractor or choosing the wrong system can lead to a flooded basement and a major eyesore along the edge of your floor.

Choosing the right weeping tile system (also known as a "French drain") for your home can mean the difference between a clean, dry basement and one that's flooded.

Like most other technologies today, weeping tile has come a long way in the past few years. Modern installations install more quickly and have better results than ever before.

Which Weeping Tile Systems Are Best?

Waterproofers know that the best weeping tile systems depend on these five factors:

  • A Clog-Resistant Design
  • Can Drain Water Leaking From The Walls
  • Does Not Rely On Filter Fabric
  • Has A Large Outlet Draining To A Sump
  • Causes No Structural Damage To Your Home

At TC Hafford Basement Systems, we're proud to say that the drainage systems we provide meet all of these standards -- and we stand by our systems with a written warranty.

basement waterproofing quote

We offer expert weeping tile installation. For a free basement waterproofing quote, call or e-mail us today!

We serve Portland, Bangor, Rochester and many areas nearby in Maine.

The DOs and DON'Ts Of Weeping Tile

If you're planning on finishing your basement or using it as storage, you'll want to be able to rely on it to be a dry, usable space -- and stay that way. If you can't count on that, then you probably won't feel comfortable keeping valuable or irreplaceable items there, such as photographs, furniture, or winter clothing.

To help you decide which system is best for you, we've compiled a list of Weeping Tile "DO's and DON'Ts" that we've seen many other homeowners learn about the hard way.

Which Weeping Tile System Should You Choose?

It's important to remember that all basement water problems are different, and there are many challenges that a waterproofer faces when designing a system.

We have six different drain systems, many specialized to address a specific challenge that we encounter when waterproofing a basement. The chart below will give you some pointers on which of our weeping tile systems might be right for you. Click on the name of each system to see what it looks like and learn what it can do for you.

Weeping Tile Application Chart

  Generic Drain WaterGuard® DryTrak® TrenchDrain WaterGuard® IOS FlowGuard SmartPipe™
Directs Water
To Sump Pump
check check check check check check check
Installs From
The Interior
check check check check check check check
Installed Above The Mud Zone   check check check check check  
Installs With An Open Gap Along The Floor check            
Designed For Monolithic Floors     check        
Appropriate For Thin Basement Floors           check  
Collects Water From Hatchway Entrances       check      
Appropriate For Use In Basements With Iron Ochre Problems         check    
Collects Water From Hatchway Entrances             check

We Install Warranted, Proven Weeping Tile Systems!

TC Hafford Basement Systems is your experienced contractor for the installation of a weeping tile system that's perfect for you -- no matter what your water problem is!

If you live in the Maine area, we'd like to offer you a free weeping tile installation quote that's custom-designed for your basement. Each of our free quotes includes a personal inspection, cost quote, and a copy of our 88-page full-color waterproofing book. Contact us today to schedule your quote!

We proudly serve the Bangor, Portland, Rochester area, including Dover, Portsmouth, Lewiston, South Portland, Auburn, Biddeford, Waterville and many areas nearby.

Generic Weeping Tile

Generic weeping tile systems are typically made with round sections of PVC or plastic hose. They can be installed on along the perimeter of the foundation walls, from either the inside or the outside.

These types of weeping tile are much more likely to clog with mud and debris. And if it's been installed along the outside of the home, it will not be accessible without excavating the foundation. This type of drain is also inappropriate for unique problems, such as iron-ochre-laden water.

Generic weeping tile is also not designed for basement waterproofing, and its shape makes it more difficult and labor-intensive to install. The installation will create more waste, and additional concrete will be necessary to patch up your concrete slab floor.

Free Estimate Button
A generic photo of a weeping tile system for waterproofing wet basements.

WaterGuard®

Our most popular drainage system, WaterGuard® is our most versatile system, and should work in most waterproofing scenarios.

WaterGuard® is the ideal solution for most basements, providing a below-floor system that is located outside of the "mud zone". Once the system is installed and the floor has been restored, the system is nearly invisible. A unique wall flange extends from the system, collecting water from the walls. This wall flange can be integrated with any of our line of basement wall products.

WaterGuard® installs quickly, effectively, and includes a written warranty with each full-perimeter system.

Free Estimate Button
WaterGuard® weeping tile system for problems with flooded basements.

DryTrak®

If your home has been built with monolithic foundations, or the floors are exceptionally thick, this weeping tile system has been designed for you.

At TC Hafford Basement Systems, we know that monolithic foundations are designed with the floor and foundation footing poured in one piece, and that these floors require special treatment. Jackhammering a monolithic floor is extremely labor intensive, and it creates a log of noise and dust.

For monolithic floors, we recommend installing our DryTrak® Perimeter Weeping Tile System. This drain attaches to the perimeter of your basement above the floor, collecting water from the wall-floor joint. This way, no jackhammering (or the dust that would come with it) is necessary.

Free Estimate Button
Baseboard weeping tile system for homes with monolithic foundations and thick floors

TrenchDrain

In our business, we often hear from homeowners who have moisture entering their basement through leaky hatchway openings. While this flooding is often a minor concern, it's certainly something that the customer would like fixed.

Our custom-designed TrenchDrain system is ideal for this kind of situation. With a grated-top design, it installs flush with the floor and collects leaking water before it can flood into your home. The drain is tied in with your perimeter weeping tile system, directing all flooded water to your sump pump.

Free Estimate Button
A grated basement drain weeping tile system for use with flooded hatchway doors

WaterGuard® IOS

In some less common cases, a home with high iron or manganese levels in the groundwater around the foundation will have iron bacteria growing in high concentrations in the water. Iron bacteria crates iron ochre, which is a thick, rust-colored substance that oozes onto the basement floor.

Iron bacteria is present across the globe. It presents no known health issues, but it is know to have a foul smell, and it can stain anything it touches.

Iron ochre is infamous for clogging up plumbing and drainage systems. That's where the WaterGuard® IOS weeping tile system comes in. This drain includes wide openings and a completely removable lid. Should your system clog with iron ochre, the lid may be removed and the ochre cleaned out to restore your system to working order.

Free Estimate Button
Our IOS system address iron bacteria and iron ochre clogging for weeping tile systems

FlowGuard

At TC Hafford Basement Systems, we recommend installing a weeping tile system along the interior perimeter of your foundation walls, underneath the concrete floor. However, if your basement's floor slab is extremely thin, it may be difficult to "hide" your drain beneath the concrete slab.

In these cases, our dealers with recommend our FlowGuard Thin Floor Weeping Tile System.

FlowGuard collects water entering your home through the walls and the wall/floor joint, directing it to a sump pump system. However, its unique, thin design allows it to be placed in front of your foundation footing and underneath the floor. The surface can now be covered by concrete, for the best of both worlds!

Free Estimate Button
A basement weeping tile system installed on an extremely thin concrete slab floor

SmartPipe™

Most crawl spaces have dirt floors, making the "mud zone" the only zone for your perimeter weeping tile system to be installed in. In these cases, the most effective choice for your home is the SmartPipe™ Crawl Space Weeping Tile System.

This system is the ONLY system of its type that's custom-designed for crawl spaces. It's installed within a drainage swale along the crawl space perimeter, with five rows of perforated drainage holes collecting floodwaters. A clog-resistant fabric filter prevents clogged drain issues for maximum drainage.

The SmartPipe™ is a efficient and cost-effective approach to keeping your crawl space dry all the time!

Free Estimate Button
A weeping tile system for dirt crawl space floors with groundwater infiltration

Looking for a price? Get a no cost, no obligation free estimate.

We serve the following areas

Our Locations:

TC Hafford Basement Systems
12 Homestead Dr
Wells, ME 04090
1-207-509-3015
Our service area
Service Area
Free Quote