Weeping tile not draining tends to show up after heavy rain or a thaw. The pipe runs around the base of the house and carries groundwater away, to a sump pit or the storm sewer. It can clog. A camera check can often show where.
Our page on weeping tile repair explains when people fix a section and when they replace it.
Quick Summary
Weeping tile takes pressure off your basement walls by moving water away. Older clay or concrete tile can break down, fill with dirt, or let roots in. A camera check is the usual first look. In Winnipeg, a full replacement brings permit and sump pit rules.
What Does Weeping Tile Do?
Weeping tile is a pipe with holes in it, laid beside the footing. The Government of Canada says it collects groundwater and moves it away from the house, which lowers water pressure on the foundation.
It sits deep. The same page puts it 1.8 to 2.5 m (6 to 8 ft) down, and it drains to a sump pump or the storm sewer.
In a Winnipeg home with a sump pit, the City says that pit collects the water from the weeping tile.
What Are the Signs of Weeping Tile Failure?
Timing is the first clue. CAA Quebec says drain problems show up most after heavy rain and during a thaw, so note the date each time water appears.
A floor drain that backs up can be a clue too. The City says that with a backwater valve and no sump pit, tile tied to the sewer cannot drain while the valve is shut. Water can then come up the floor drain.
Watch the floor. A home inspector article from the United States says a heaved, cracked floor can point to water pressure from tile that is not working.
A wet basement is not always the tile, though. The article says seepage often comes from surface water reaching the outside of the walls, so check grading and downspouts before you blame the pipe.
Why Does Weeping Tile Clog?
Soil gets in. Over time, the Government of Canada says, soil can clog weeping tile until it stops doing its job.
Square One, a Canadian home insurer, says older clay or concrete tile can break down and collapse. Roots get in too.
Age matters as well. CAA Quebec puts the life of a drain at about 40 years, so tile laid more than 40 years ago has already passed that mark.
How Is Blocked Weeping Tile Checked?
Most checks start with a camera. CAA Quebec says the camera enters through a cleanout, floor drain or sump pit, and small trenches are dug if none of those work.
What the camera finds shapes the fix. CAA Quebec lists three paths: a high pressure flush, a repair to one section, or a full replacement.
Square One adds that flushing works through access points, and that tile which cannot be flushed clear may need to be replaced. It also suggests a cleanout port.
Get more than one opinion. CAA Quebec suggests getting 2 or 3 quotes.
What Does Winnipeg Ask For If the Tile Is Replaced?
Winnipeg has rules for this. The City says a building permit is needed for a sump pit that drains weeping tile.
Replacing the full perimeter system, or all the leads, means a sump pit is required, says the City notice, while fixing one section does not.
The pit is not the only permit. The City also lists a plumbing permit for the backwater valve and an electrical permit for the pump's outlet.
Newer homes may have these parts already. The City says homes built after 1979 must have a backwater valve, and homes built since 1990 must have a sump pit system.
FAQ
Does Every House Have Weeping Tile?
No. The Government of Canada says almost all homes built in the last 50 years have it. Look for a sump pump or buried downspouts. A Quebec guide adds that houses built before 1950 may have no drain at all.
Can Better Grading Help a Weak Weeping Tile?
It helps. The City says sloping soil away from the house, which it calls perching, cuts the water that reaches the weeping tile.
Good grading also keeps surface water away from the home and its weeping tile, and a settled patio or driveway can undo that.
Snow counts as well. The City suggests clearing it back from the foundation so melt water does not seep in through the walls.
Can Weeping Tile Go Inside the House?
It can be put in beneath the basement floor. The Government of Canada says managing water outside the house is the most effective option, though.
Do Downspouts Matter?
Yes. The City says each downspout needs an elbow and an extension or a splash pad, long enough to keep water away from the walls.
Ready to Look Into Your Weeping Tile?
Write down when the water shows up and where it comes in, then read our weeping tile guide before anyone looks at the pipe.
If you are already comparing quotes, our post on what changes weeping tile replacement cost covers what to ask.