How to Build a Perimeter Drain

How well your property drains water directly affects the likelihood of a wet basement. The perimeter drain around your house is installed along the foundation's footings and directs the water into a sump pit installed in the basement. Any water that collects next to the foundation is quickly moved to the sump pit and pumped to a safe location. The proper installation of the perimeter drain is important because it is costly to repair once the foundation has been back filled.

Back hoe
Gravel
Gravel rake
Four inch perforated corrugated pipe with sock.
Corrugated pipe connectors
Corrugated pipe T-connectors
Utility knife
Hand shovel

Instructions

- 1
  Spread 2 to 3 inches of gravel around the foundation's footings with a backhoe. Hand-rake the gravel level around the foundation. This gravel is used to bed the drainage pipe.
- 2
  Lay the 4-inch perforated pipe around the foundation. Connect two sections of pipe with a four inch connector. These work by pushing them into the end of the pipe with your hands. The teeth on the connectors grab the corrugated pipe.
- 3
  Cut the pipe in the location of the sump pit with a utility knife. Install a T-connector between the two sections by pushing them together.
- 4
  Dig a hole under the foundation with a hand shovel until there is enough space to run the drain pipe into the basement in the location of the sump pit.
- 5
  Cut a section of corrugated pipe to go from the T-connection to the sump pit with a utility knife.
- 6
  Push the correlated pipe into the end of the T-connection and push the other side under the foundation. Insert the other end of the pipe through the access hole in the side of the sump pit.
- 7
  Back fill the foundation with one to two feet of gravel. Be careful not to damage the pipe when pouring the gravel on top of it.

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