Install weeping tiles for your home to avoid a flood of tears

The weeping tile drainage system is a key asset for homeowners to avoid water leakage damage to their basement and property foundation.

What is a weeping tile drainage system?

The weeping tile drainage system, also called a French drain or a perimeter drain, was developed in the 1800s by American lawyer and agriculturalist Henry Flagg French.

The system involves a perforated pipe in a dug out trench that runs around the perimeter of the foundation of a house. The pipe is placed over gravel and has holes on the bottom to collect water from the ground. It is slanted at an angle, so water collected can move to either a central sewer system or a sump pump.

When it rains or snows, water can soak into the soil around the house and build pressure against the foundation or walls, eventually working its way through small cracks. That can lead to damp basement walls or leaks, eventually weakening the structure of a house, according to Lydia Roy, Vice President General Insurance, TD Insurance.

A weeping tile system collects ground water and directs it away from the home making it less likely to seep into the foundation or basement window wells, Roy said in an email.

Should you install a weeping tile drainage system?

According to Glenn McGillivray, managing director of the Institute for Catastrophic Loss Reduction, weeping tile drainage systems have been standard features in home construction since the early 1960s. Most homeowners need not worry about installing one themselves. 

For older homes that do not have weeping tiles, it could be a worthwhile investment to prevent water damage to the property foundation or flooding into a basement, he said. Homes located on a high-water table are at greater risk since there is more water in the ground that can seep into basements.

McGillivray estimates installations for older homes could cost tens of thousands of dollars. “You have to excavate right around the entire perimeter of your home. If you have a front porch and a back deck, they’re going to have to rip those out. It’s really intrusive and costly.”

Does a weeping tile drainage system impact home insurance?

The weeping tile drainage system is not a consideration for home insurance because it only prevents water leakage and seepage. These water drainage problems arise almost always from maintenance issues not covered by home insurance, according to Jesica Ryzynski, a claims specialist with broker Mitch Insurance.

Home insurance usually only covers issues that are sudden and accidental, such as damage from a flood. Even if there is a flood and your basement gets damaged, a weeping tile drainage system won’t factor into the conversation because its main function is for leakages, not major and sudden water damage.

For massive, catastrophic flood events, “that weeping tile, being fully functional, is not going to save you,” Ryzynski says. “It’s just too much water.”

Both McGillivray and Ryzynski believe that weeping tiles are not a consideration for insurers, and they won’t ask whether you have one. McGillivray compared the system to having walls – it is that commonplace.

Check if your old weeping tiles need repairs

Even if your home does have weeping tiles, they could be old and deteriorated, resulting in water seeping into your basement. Ryzynski was surprised to learn her house from the 1940s had weeping tiles, but they had to be replaced.

Ryzynski views these drainage systems to be different from other commonplace house protections like your roof. Insurers ask about roof protections that could play a role in the damage your house receives in big storms. However, weeping tiles are not crucial in preventing immediate large damage to your home.

“It’s definitely more of a maintenance thing, something that a homeowner would want to do to protect their property,” she said. It’s an “extra layer of protection”, in addition to home insurance for larger damage.