Weeping Tile System - The Essentials

What Does a Weeping Tile System Do?

A weeping tile system is a drainage system installed around the footing of a building at the base of the foundation walls. The purpose of this drainage system is to carry away ground water that tends to accumulate along the footing. Depicted below are graphical and pictorial views of installed weeping tile.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How a Weeping Tile System is Installed

The above illustration and picture clearly show that a weeping tile system follows the footing around the home and forms a circuit. The reason for installing the weeping tile in this location and at this depth is because it constitutes the lowest point at which water will pool around a foundation.

Note: This blog deals primarily with current weeping tile systems and not the terra cotta tile systems commonly in use until the late 1970's.

The first picture below shows how the weeping tile system follows the footing to the inside of the garage of a residential dwelling. The weeping tile is installed inside the garage because those garage walls are considered to be the exterior walls of the home and therefore are the foundation walls that require waterproofing. The image on the right shows the weeping tile system's connection to the leader line, which is a solid pipe that carries the water from the weeping tile system to the storm sewer underneath the street.

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

Clogged Weeping Tile Systems

A clogged weeping tile system does not automatically need to be replaced. Depending upon the particular circumstances, it may be possible to simply power flush the accumulated sediment out of the weeping tile system. The following image shows clay weeping tile, clogged by sediment to varying degrees; these clogged weeping tiles can be flushed clean.

 

Sometimes weeping tile systems get clogged by tree roots. The image on the left is that of terra cotta (or clay) weeping tile that is full of roots. It is possible to grind these roots and therefore avoid replacing the weeping tile system. The image on the right provides an example of the current generation of weeping tile. Because this plastic weeping tile system is not as robust as the older style clay weeping tile, grinding the roots will destroy the weeping tile itself.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For more information on weeping tile installation follow this hyperlink: Weeping Tile Installation

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