Repair, Protect, Prevent Crawl Space Damage

Installing an Interior Basement Drain in CT

Dry a Wet Basement by Placing a Perimeter Drainage System Inside Your Home


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

Basement drains come in many shapes and sizes, some which work better than others. Basement drains also have many names, including drain tile, weeping tile, French drain, drain pipe, and other names.

The best way to keep your basement dry all the time is to install a drainage system on the inside perimeter of your basement.

An interior system can bypass the expense, work, and damage to your yard that is caused by an exterior French drain system. Interior systems cost half as much, install in 1-2 days, and are installed with no need to excavate the outside of your home.

How Interior Basement Drains Work

To install a basement drain inside your home, the contractor will run a basement drain across all flooding walls and, ideally along the entire perimeter of the basement or crawl space.

Once the water is collected, it's directed to a sump pump, which discharges the water out and away from the house.

What Works With Interior Basement Drain Systems

All basement drains are not alike, and some work much better than others. Connecticut Basement Systems would like to share with you some of the features of the best basement drains -- and why our system is the one for you.

If you're interested in more information, Connecticut Basement Systems is ready to help you. We offer free basement waterproofing quotes to homeowners throughout CT. Our service area includes Hartford, New Haven, Danbury, Windham and many areas nearby.

A no-clog basement french drain system installed in New Haven

Drainage That Resists Clogging


Some drainage systems are installed with a 1" gap along the floor. These gaps can collect dirt and debris from the floor, clogging your system.

Other drains sit completely underneath the basement floor, laying in the mud underneath your home. These drains can easily clog with mud, causing the system to fail.

Features of Our System:

  • Sits on top of the footer, above the mud
  • A bed stone ensures that mud will nor clog the drain
  • 3/8" wall flange will not clog with floor debris

No-freeze basement drain discharge line in Hartford, CT

Discharge Lines That Do Not Freeze


Drains and discharge lines resting outside of the home are liable to freeze during the cold winter months.

If your discharge line is clogged with ice, your sump pump will be unable to work, and your basement will flood. To ensure that a basement does not flood, the water needs two ways out of your home.

Features of Our System:

  • A special grated opening outside your home allows water to escape
  • No valves to turn - IceGuard works automatically

Basement Drainage System wtih Wall Flange

Built-In Wall Drainage (No Open Gaps on the Floor)


Basement walls can leak in many ways, including through cracks, pipe penetrations, through windows, or simply by having water seep through the concrete.

In the case of block walls, the open cavities of the blocks can fill with water, creating damp walls and a humidity issue in the home.

Features of Our System:

  • A 3/8" wall flange collects water from the walls
  • Compatible with tucked-in wall vapor barriers
  • Creates a clean, neat edge along the basement perimeter with no ugly gaps in the floor

A draihn tile access port for services and maintenance

An Easily Accessible Access Port


Basement Systems' WaterGuard Ports are useful access ports to the system. They have a knockout hole so you can drain a dehumidifier hose into the system. They are also useful when inspecting the system.

Features of Our System:

  • Easy-access ports to the drainage system
  • Drain a dehumidifier that isn't located near the sump

Cutaway diagram of a baseboard basement drainage system

Installation Does Not Damage Your Foundation


Some homes are built with monolithic floors as part of their design. With monolithic foundations, the floor and footing are poured together as one piece. This means the edges of your basement floor are indeed your footing and are very thick at the edges.

Jackhammering a trench at the edges of a monolithic foundation may damage the footing. Therefore, a below-the-floor system is not advisable. The solution for a monolithic foundation is to install a baseboard drainage system on top of the floor. A special dove-tail design and 2-part epoxy ensures the DryTrak won't separate or be accidentally kicked or knocked loose from the floor. Other drainage may also be recommended through the center areas of the floor, especially if you have leaking floor cracks in a monolithic foundation.

Features of Our System:

  • Safe for monolithic foundations
  • Like our below-the-floor system, it installs in 1-2 days.
  • Permanently bonded to the floor
  • Dual system options available for monolithic foundations with leaking floors cracks