Weeping Tiles

The pipes that makes up your weeping tile system can become clogged especially if they were old clay weeping tiles of the 80s and 90s. If this happens, water doesn’t drain away fast enough from the surrounding area of your home and squeezes against the foundation. These immense pressures can lead to cracks, leaks, and worse even structural failure. A keen inspection of your home and area can help alert you to plugged weeping tiles before it ripples into a major issue.

• Search for cracks in your basement walls. This is the first sign that external pressure from the surrounding soil is pressing against and straining the walls.
• Search for puddles of water or persistently moist areas under the basement windows or the floor.
  Pay close attention to a strong, musty odor – a clear sign of molds and mildew that results from exposure to moisture for log periods. Look for stains, bubbling, or peeling in the basement wall as well because this means water is already seeping through.
• Keep water running through a garden hose near your outside foundation wall. Watch your sump pump pit. If your weeping tile is functional, the pit should fill with water. If not, it’s likely clogged or broken.

Causes of clogged weeping tiles

Weeping tiles are porous 4-inch pipes used to expel underground water into your storm drain. They were originally made of terracotta. Today’s products are PVC pipes with weep holes or small slits designed to absorb water, and wrapped in fabric to ensure soil doesn’t get in there. The most common cause for leaks and clogs is age, and mother nature. This is especially true if you have old clay weeping tiles that are prone to breakage and leaking.

Tree or plant roots can cause this by penetrating the pipes and clogging them.

If the fabric covering the weeping tile fails, soil will seep through the gaps in the pipe.

Earthquakes can also cause the pipes to break, so if you have experienced one recently its time you gave your plumbing an overhaul.

Weeping tiles repair

There is no practical way to permanently DIY fix these because it is a labor intensive task that even pros find challenging. And through time, nature will always have her way. But with today’s technology that could mean a lifetime if we do it right. Drain Rooter has the experience and training to repair and install new weeping tiles at the same time, and we are able to put an impermeable barrier to prevent water from seeping into the walls, and direct it to the weeping tile.

But since your weeping tile can only take so much, maintenance is key and here’s how you can do it:

Firmly use a large plunger head to block the sewer floor drain in your basement. Using soap and water, fill the catch basin and weeping tile up. Be careful not to allow the water to overflow. Then leave it for 30 minutes to take care of the odor. Pull the plunger out to allow the water to drain out.

• Clean out leaves and debris from gutters, and window wells and face downspouts away from the house. This prevents water from directly going to your weep tile and not being absorbed properly.
• Always check if your sump pump is operating properly or add a back-up power source such as a battery or gas generator.
• Fix clogged sinks, drains, etc as soon as the problem arises since this can be an additional factor by clogging up the weeping tile outlet when a clog finds it way there.
• Take a walk around your property to check for spongy soil or puddles of water in your yard right where your basement wall meets the ground.

Benefits of installing new weeping tiles

I can’t stress enough the importance of installing a new weeping tile. Old clay tiles will clog up more than the new PVC based ones, not to mention how fragile the clay pipes are. One more improvement is the sturdier fabric pipe covering available nowadays to filter out soil. These innovations will ensure that your new weeping tile will be incredibly resistant to the elements.

A good, brand new weeping tile will prevent water from seeping through your basement. This will ensure your foundation is safe and sound, that you avoid water backing up, and this also prevents the growth of molds and mildew, a serious health risk in your basement.

New weeping tiles are also compliant to today’s building codes so its best to get yours up to date to avoid any hassle.

When to call the experts?

When it comes to weeping tiles always err on the side of caution and don’t DIY this since this is located in a very delicate area of your house. The Drain Rooter Plumbing team is highly skilled and experienced in different interior and exterior methods to fix your weeping tile depending on the situation. We also always root out the problem properly to fit your budget, and avoid costly mistakes. As soon as you see the telltale signs your weeping tile is broken call our professional plumbers at DrainRooter Plumbing and we will solve this for you!