Basement Waterproofing in MA, including Cambridge, Lynn & Boston.
Basement Waterproofing

Exterior Drain Tile Systems in Massachusetts

Illustration of an exterior French drain system installed around the perimeter of a home

Cutaway of a French drain system installed on the outside of the concrete footing of a home foundation. A discharge line would also be included to send the water away from your home.

Shown in this photo are the French drain itself (filled with water), a fill of stone, and the backfilled soil.

One way of basement waterproofing that many contractors will suggest for waterproofing a basement is to install a french drain system along the outside perimeter of your home.

To install an exterior French drain, the contractor will take the following steps:

  1. First, the entire perimeter of your home must be cleared. Gardens, steps, porches, etc., must be removed before the work can begin.
  2. Next, the contractor will dig out the perimeter of your home. Excavated dirt will be heaped around the house.
  3. The drain will be laid in a bed of stone along the bottom. The stone, and possibly a layer of filter fabric, are there to protect the drain from clogging.
  4. The excavated soil will be "backfilled" on top of the system. In a year, this soil will settle, and the contractor will need to return to fill in more soil.

At Basement Systems, we do not recommend this type of drainage system installed in your home. Instead, we suggest installing an interior basement drain along the inside perimeter of your basement or crawl space. For a free waterproofing quote in the Massachusetts area, call or e-mail us today!

Getting Ready To Install an Exterior French Drain

A home before a french drain installation
You Will Need to Remove:
  • Trees
  • Shrubberies
  • Gardens
  • Porches
  • Steps
  • Sidewalks
  • Patios
  • Driveways
  • ..And More

You can expect the contractors to create huge heaps of excavated soil all around your home, creating a mess.

On top of that, the process is extremely expensive, costing $15,000 to $20,000 per installation.

The installation time is twice as long or more than if you choose to have an interior system put in.

Failing French Drains in Massachusetts

clogged french drain found in Melrose, Massachusetts

A clogged French drain system found installed around a home in Melrose, MA.

French drain systems have been installed on the outside of homes since the 1920s, and if they were the best way to dry a basement, Basement Systems would be installing them, too.

Unfortunately, placing a French drain or exterior footing drain along the outside is a recipe for failure. When you put a drainage system several feet under the earth, even in a bed of gravel, it will eventually clog with dirt, roots, and debris.

Sometimes, a contractor will try to stop this by laying down a layer of filter fabric around the drain. In this case, instead of the drain clogging, the filter fabric does and won't let water into the pipe.

Other problems such as freezing pipes and improperly sloped lines are also common. This type of exterior drainage commonly will not handle water that collects under your basement floor, in which case you'll still need a sump pump inside your basement.

Some contractors even connect the exterior drains to the sump pump inside. Now that's sure to clog! And what happens when your drainage system clogs? It will need to be excavated and you'll have to start over. Who wants to do that again?

At Basement Systems, we can help you find a permanent waterproofing solution for your home -- one that includes a written, transferable warranty! For a FREE waterproofing quote, call or e-mail us today!

We service the Massachusetts area, including Peabody, Medford, Methuen, Revere, Salem, Beverly, Arlington and nearby.

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

Serving MA including the Greater Boston area
Cities in Essex County, MA
Amesbury
Andover
Beverly
Boxford
Byfield
Danvers
Essex
Georgetown
Gloucester
Groveland
Hamilton
Hathorne
Haverhill
Ipswich
Lawrence
Lynn
Lynnfield
Manchester
Marblehead
Merrimac
Methuen
Middleton
Nahant
Newbury
Newburyport
North Andover
Peabody
Prides Crossing
Rockport
Rowley
Salem
Salisbury
Saugus
South Hamilton
Swampscott
Topsfield
Wenham
West Boxford

Cities in Middlesex County, MA
Acton
Arlington
Arlington Heights
Ashby
Ashland
Auburndale
Ayer
Bedford
Belmont
Billerica
Boxborough
Burlington
Cambridge
Carlisle
Chelmsford
Chestnut Hill
Concord
Devens
Dracut
Dunstable
Everett
Framingham
Groton
Hanscom AFB
Holliston
Hopkinton
Hudson
Lexington
Lincoln
Littleton
Lowell
Malden
Marlborough
Maynard
Medford
Melrose
Natick
New Town
Newton
Newton Center
Newton Highlands
Newton Lower Falls
Newton Upper Falls
Newtonville
Nonantum
North Billerica
North Chelmsford
North Reading
North Waltham
Nutting Lake
Pepperell
Pinehurst
Reading
Sherborn
Shirley
Somerville
Stoneham
Stow
Sudbury
Tewksbury
Townsend
Tyngsboro
Waban
Wakefield
Waltham
Watertown
Waverley
Wayland
West Groton
West Medford
West Newton
West Townsend
Westford
Weston
Wilmington
Winchester
Woburn
Woodville

Cities in Suffolk County, MA
Boston
Charlestown
Chelsea
East Boston
Revere
South Boston
Winthrop

Our Locations: