How French Drain Systems Fit into Your Waterproofing Solution

One important feature of a basement waterproofing system is it must have an opening to accept water that leaks from the walls.  These leaks could come from wall cracks, pipe penetrations, flooding window wells, condensation, or other various sources.  Sealing a wall crack is a temporary fix, but it does not account for water that may leak through future wall cracks.  This is why having a gap at the edge of the floor to catch any leaks is so crucial.  Otherwise, the floor could become wet and lead to even more damages.

The gap that catches the leaks is called a “French drain.”  Typically, this gap is created by laying a piece of wood up against the wall before the concrete is poured, and then removing the wood.  However, this makes the gap extremely susceptible to dirt and debris from the floor.

A better solution is to have spacers along the backside of a flange that sticks up slightly above the floor, such those on the WaterGuard system.  The optimal size for the gap is 3/8 inch.  That way it still serves it’s function of accepting water and keeping out debris, but still looks nice and neat—as if it’s supposed to be there.