Home / Drainage / Interior French Drains
Interior French Drains and Basement Drainage in Indianapolis
When water is already inside, an interior French drain catches it at the edge of the basement floor and carries it to a sump pump that sends it out of the house.
- Fully insured
- Free quotes and on-site visits
- Fascia checked on every job
Signs of basement water in Indianapolis homes
Clay soil around many central Indiana basements stays wet after heavy rain. That water builds up against the walls and under the floor, and it looks for the easiest way in.
Water at the wall-to-floor joint
The seam where the basement wall meets the slab is the most common entry point. Water seeps through it and spreads across the floor.
Damp walls and a musty smell
Even without puddles, a basement that always feels damp is often taking on water from the soil outside.
Puddles after every big storm
If the same spots flood each time it rains hard, groundwater is pushing in faster than the floor can hold it back.
Stains, efflorescence and peeling paint
White crusty deposits and lifting paint near the base of the wall show where water has been coming through and drying.
The Celtic Way: follow the water
We start outside, because roof water dumping at the foundation makes any basement worse. Then we deal with the water that still reaches the inside.
- Check the outside first. We look at downspouts, grading and gutters. Sometimes fixing the roof water cuts the basement problem down a lot.
- Find where water enters. We trace the wet areas to the wall-floor joint, cracks or low spots in the slab.
- Run the drain to a sump. An interior drain along the perimeter collects water at the joint and leads it to a sump basin.
- Pump it well away. The sump pump discharges outside, to a line that carries the water off rather than back to the wall.
Basement drainage and waterproofing options
Full-perimeter interior drain
A drain around the whole basement for homes where water comes in along most of the walls.
Partial interior drain
A drain along just the walls that leak, when water only enters in one area.
Sump basin and pump
The drain needs somewhere to go. We install the sump and pump, or tie into the one you have if it’s in good shape. See sump pumps.
Exterior fixes that help
Buried downspout lines keep roof water away from the walls, so less reaches the basement. See downspout drainage.
Interior and exterior drains do different jobs. An exterior French drain handles water in the yard and outside the wall. An interior French drain handles the water that gets past the wall anyway. Some houses need one, some need both.
The drain is only half of it. Collected water has to leave the house. That’s why every interior drain we install is tied to a sump pump with a discharge line that sends the water away from the foundation, not around in a circle.
Free on-site visits. We look at the basement and the outside of the house, and give you a written quote. We’re fully insured.
Recent basement drainage work
Basement drainage across Indianapolis and nearby counties
From our base on Castleton Road, we install interior French drains across Marion, Hamilton, Hendricks, Johnson and Hancock counties, plus Zionsville.
Interior French drain and basement drainage questions
What is an interior French drain?
It’s a drain installed inside the basement along the base of the walls. It catches water coming through the wall-floor joint and carries it to a sump, where a pump sends it outside.
Do I need an interior or exterior French drain?
If the water is already inside the basement, an interior drain is usually the direct fix. If the problem is wet ground outside the wall, an exterior drain may be enough. We check both on the visit.
Does an interior drain need a sump pump?
Yes. The drain collects water, and the sump pump is what removes it from the house. If you already have a working sump, we may be able to tie into it.
Will fixing my downspouts stop the basement water?
Sometimes it helps a lot, because roof water at the wall adds to what soaks in. But if groundwater is still coming in after that, an interior drain is what handles it.
Is there a mess inside the house?
The work happens along the edge of the basement floor, so that area needs to be cleared. We’ll go over the layout and what to move with your written quote.
Fix the water problem once.
Tell us what the water is doing. We’ll come out, look at the whole path and give you a written quote. Free.