Protect your home from a heavy rainfall flood: Check your perimeter drain now

Heavy rain, melting snow, and rising groundwater can be disastrous for your home. When your perimeter drainage system clogs, the pressure from water buildup can lead to basement flooding or even a crack in the foundation. The health of your perimeter drain is easy to ignore—it’s located outside your home, it’s underground, and you’ve probably never even seen it. Typically, homeowners forget this critical drainage system until it fails and causes flooding and damage. A video camera inspection by a professional plumber will protect your home from the inconvenience and costly repairs that result from water ingress.

What is a Perimeter Drain?

A perimeter drainage system is an integral barricade between your home and the elements. Installed underground, the perimeter drain is a plastic or PVC pipe perforated with thousands of tiny slits. These holes permit water to come into the pipe and drain away from the basement or crawl space. A permeable mesh covers the pipe and then layers of gravel slope away from the home. This prevents soil and detritus from clogging the pipe while water flows toward the main sewer system. Without a proper working perimeter drain, your basement walls could crack from water buildup after heavy rainfall, rising groundwater, or melting snow.

A perimeter drain is sometimes referred to as “weeping tile” named for clay tiles that were used before modern pipes. Older homes may have original clay or concrete weeping tiles. Check this system for deterioration—breaking, blockage, and even collapse is possible.

A properly installed perimeter drain can last for decades. However, pipes can get clogged with dirt, tree roots, and debris. Perimeter drains need cleaning every three or four years.

What are the Results When My Perimeter Drain is Clogged?

A clogged perimeter drain can be catastrophic for homeowners. A working drainage system directs water flow into the sewer and not your home. When pipes clog, excessive water pressure on your foundation causes serious problems like cracking or water seepage.

Water stains, mold, mildew, and wood rot are all indicators of a potential perimeter drain backup. Get your system checked before these warning signs become a flood.

With so many homes featuring walk-out basements, a flood means prime living space and property are at risk. Increasingly severe weather in Canada has led to escalating basement flooding and water damage from rain, groundwater, and melting snow.

In order to defend your home from flooding, get your perimeter drain examined by a professional plumber using a specialized video camera.

What is a Camera Inspection?

Whether you’re a snowbird heading south for the winter or a retiree planning an extended vacation, a video camera inspection of your perimeter drain can provide peace of mind while away from home. A plumbing camera provides precise assessment and can pinpoint the exact location of a clog. The analysis can also detect minor repair issues before they become major problems.

When a perimeter drain backs up, servicing may require excavating both the soil around the foundation and any landscaping in the area. A professional plumber will troubleshoot the problem with an advanced camera inspection. This exploration can accurately discover if tree roots, broken pipes, or foreign objects are the issue and determine whether pipes need repair or replacement.

Protect Your Home

To safeguard your home from a heavy rainfall flood, schedule a video camera inspection of your perimeter drain. The team at Mr. Rooter® Plumbing has licensed technicians that use state-of-the-art tools for video camera inspection and guarantee workmanship.

Your local Mr. Rooter® Plumbing franchise is part of a nationally respected brand trusted by Canadians for over 50 years.