Drain tiles...what is this? (home, contractors, tile)

[BlueBelles]

We are in the process of installing a check valve and/or an ejector pit. Our plumber brought our drain tile system to our attention. The drain tiles do not drain to pvc pipe or plastic tubing, but instead to something different. We'd like to know if anyone knows what this is and if it's effective in a drain tile system. Our plumber says he's never seen anything like it.

[chet everett]

Photo is just not very good. I cannot tell what it is showing other than something muddy.

If this is a newer home it is possible that the contractor used some kind of "non woven geo textile" instead of a traditional perforated plastic pipe or old fashioned clay pipe but without adequate support trench or improper layering of backfill a geo-textile will collapse and not be effective...

[BlueBelles]

Thanks, Chet. Your comments helped me figure out that the contractor used strip drain when they installed the drain tiles. I've tried to upload a different picture, but not having much luck.

So, I guess my question is if strip drain is an appropriate choice since it's been difficult to find any examples of contractors using this material for that purpose. The standard options seem to be pvc or corrugated. Or did the contractor take a shortcut to save time and money? And do we need to redo the drain tiles?

[chet everett]

If the excavation has found ONLY a geo-textile based strip drain, without any kind of traditional perforated pipe or internally supports to ensure that the strip drain can function as intened, or at least an appropriately laid up bed of well draining gravel, then I would suggest that you plan to improve the situation.

If you can get a qualified contractor to do this work at a fair price it should go a long way to keeping your basement dry.

Without knowing what sort of other problems you may have or the overall topography of your site I don't feel comfortable recommending that the existing setup be trashed...

[pvande55]

I would want to visit the site before making a guess.