Interior French Drain Installation in Massachusetts and Rhode Island

Control Groundwater with a Proven Interior Drain System

If water is seeping into your basement or collecting along the walls, it may be caused by hydrostatic pressure around your foundation. At Drycrete, we install interior French drain systems designed to relieve that pressure and redirect water safely away from your home.

Our system works by capturing groundwater before it reaches the surface and channeling it to a sump pump or discharge line. With thousands of successful installations across Massachusetts and Rhode Island, we offer proven protection against basement leaks and long-term moisture damage.

Groundwater and Your Basement:

When it rains or snow melts, water doesn’t just disappear; it moves through the soil and builds up around your foundation. That’s groundwater. And once the soil is saturated, the water has nowhere to go but against and under your basement walls.

Think of your foundation like a bowl set in the earth. Groundwater collects in the bottom of that bowl, especially after heavy weather. With no natural way to drain, pressure builds underneath your slab. This is called hydrostatic pressure. Eventually, that pressure forces water through cracks, seams, or porous concrete, leading to seepage, flooding, or slab damage.

Drycrete’s interior French drain system is designed to intercept that pressure and control where the water goes, before it reaches your basement.

The Benefits of a French Drain System:

You can never hope to stop groundwater from collecting near your foundation so it’s important to put systems in place to control where it goes. One such system is a French drain. There are various benefits to having a French drain installed:

1. French drains relieve hydrostatic pressure

Think of this like a pressure release valve. Groundwater will take the path of least resistance. When it’s trapped underneath your slab with pressure building, it’s forced to push through the porous concrete, the cracks in your slab, and the joints near your foundation walls. However, when you have a 4” perforated pipe and a 12” by 12” trench filled with crushed stone, the water has plenty of space to travel away from your slab.

2. French drains help manage water

You can’t install a French drain system without a sump pump. If your French drain is the highway that directs the water where you want it to go, then your sump pump is the motor that drives it away from your home. When Drycrete Waterproofing installs a French drain system in your basement we use 10’ lengths of 4” perforated pipe, which allows us to put the proper pitch on each section. This ensures that the water is always flowing towards your sump pit, where your pump is waiting to get that water as far away from your foundation as possible.

3. French drains act as a catch basin

This is one of the often overlooked benefits of having a French drain system installed in your home. After installing a French drain it is not uncommon to hear, “It rained for the past two days, and our sump pump hasn’t turned on once. We’re usually ankle deep in water. What’s going on?” When Drycrete installs a French drain system we dig a 12” to 15” deep and 12” wide trench, then fill it with crushed stone and a 4” perforated pipe. This extra capacity allows water to collect in your French drain but never rise high enough to turn on your pump. After the rain stops the water will simply recede back into the ground.

Drycrete’s French Drain System is Built to Last:

For every French drain system we install, Drycrete Waterproofing offers a lifetime transferrable warranty (sump pump annual maintenance is highly recommended). The reason why we feel so confident in offering a lifetime warranty on these drain systems is because we don’t cut any corners on quality. From the preparation process, to installation, to the products we use, we aim to be the best in the industry.

Trenches

When preparing to install a French drain system the first thing we do is break apart the concrete and dig trenches around the perimeter of your basement. We dig our trenches anywhere from 12” to 15” deep. The reason we do this is because when we concrete over the trenches, we use 2” to 3” of 4000psi concrete as opposed to 1/2” to 1-1/2”. This additional depth gives you the freedom to build walls right over the top of your French drain with no worries of damaging the system.

Pipe

Drycrete uses 4” perforated pipe in 10’ lengths. This allows us to put a pitch on each section, ensuring the correct flow of water. You’ll often see French drains installed using corrugated pipe or rectangular gutter type systems. They both suffer from the same issue. Proper pitch is very difficult to establish and maintain.

Corrugated pipe is flexible, allowing for ultimate adjustability, but lacks the rigid structure needed to ensure consistent pitch throughout the system. The corrugations in the pipe also create sticking points for sediment and debris to get trapped and build up over time.

The rectangular gutter system has the same pitch issues, and the reason is the rectangular design. A pipe that is meant to carry water in any capacity is usually round because it allows you to rotate the fitting to maintain proper pitch around corners. Flat rectangular pipes will not allow you to do this.

Stone

Drycrete Waterproofing uses ¾” crushed stone to surround the drainpipe providing various benefits:

Allows us to create the proper pitch on the pipe with ease.
Acts as a filtration system to prevent large sediment or debris from getting into the drain and clogging it up.
Allows the area around the French drain to act as a catch basin, greatly increasing the capacity of your interior drain system.
Keeps moist subgrade material from encountering your porous concrete, preventing wicking.

Dimple Board

With every French drain system, we install what’s called PolyCove. This dimple board acts as a flashing material, diverting any water that makes its way through your porous concrete walls or through a leaking crack or tie rod, into your French drain system. If you have plans to finish your basement you can also tuck your vapor barrier behind the PolyCove, preventing water from ever coming in contact with the inside of your finished space.

French Drain Installation Process:

Step 1:

The first step is to break the concrete around the perimeter of your basement (about 12” wide), then dig down and excavate the material (12” to 15” deep). We’ll need about 5 feet of clearance around the perimeter of your basement.

Step 2:

Then we’ll start lying a bed of ¾” crushed stone in the trench.

Step 3:

We’ll install 4” perforated drain pipe, starting at the lowest point of your basement, which is where your sump pump will be located. We’ll make sure each 10’ length of pipe is properly pitched towards your sump pump.

Step 4:

Next, we’ll install our PolyCove dimple board along the pipe.

Step 5:

Then add in the rest of the ¾” crushed stone and pour 2” to 3” of 4000 psi concrete over the top of the trench and blend it with your existing concrete.

Step 6:

Give the cement 72 hours to cure and you can move your belongings back to their original locations.

Get a Trusted Interior French Drain System That Lasts

If water is finding its way into your basement, Drycrete can help. Our interior French drain systems are built to control groundwater before it becomes a problem, protecting your foundation and keeping your home dry year-round.

We’ve helped over 11,000 homeowners across Massachusetts and Rhode Island protect their homes from water damage. Schedule your free inspection today and get a system that’s built for the conditions beneath your home.

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youchao 1 year ago

Drycrete did a great job fixing the leak, the technician came in time and explained things very clear and easy to understand. Answered all my questions after job is done. Highly recommended and their price is very reasonable as well compare to other quotes I got.

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Debbie Medvinsky 1 year ago

My husband and I will be Drycrete customers for life. Can’t say enough how much we appreciate Drycrete and specifically the owner, Jason. It’s not often that you find someone who takes such personal care in their clients’ experience and repeatedly goes the extra mile to see that a job is done right and to the client’s satisfaction, and that is exactly what Jason has done for us.

Our house happens to be situated on a very high water table which means that we have a very active sump pump. Jason and his team helped ensure that we have the most effective pump configuration to ensure that we’re keeping the finished basement dry.

The team at Drycrete has been fantastic to work with and as we all know, it always starts at the top. Jason was personally involved in every step of the process, from the initial installation to follow up visits to adjust the float levels as necessary to find the right pumping frequency and has been incredibly responsive and helpful the entire time.

We thank Jason and the entire Drycrete team for their help in giving us the peace of mind that we have a dry basement thanks to the best pumping solution possible for our home.

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Tess 1 year ago

Drycrete installed a complete waterproofing system in my basement, replaced the bulkhead and installed new window wells. HIGHLY professional and SUPERIOR work!! I am very impressed with their professionalism and work ethic. Thank you VERY MUCH Alex, Carlos, Sean, Mario, Mike and Brian. Forever grateful!

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Felicia Captain 1 year ago

Great experience with Drycrete! Super knowledgeable and were able to help me with a very unique situation. Strongly recommend!

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Julie C 1 year ago

Steve very cleverly diagnosed a dehumidifier that wasn't working (fan running so it seemed to be working) versus quoting us a very expensive solution as another company had done. Very much appreciated!! Max did a quick, clean, efficient, friendly install of a new dehumidifier two days later.

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ted janas 1 year ago

Drycrete is fantastic!!
They did exactly what they said they would do in a professional and timely manner. What more could you ask for?
The guys were great and they did a fantastic job waterproofing our 12,000 sq ft basement. They sealed cracks and installed dehumidifiers.
This is a great company from the first phone call all the way through. Don't hesitate to contact them.

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Ellyn Penn 1 year ago

I couldn’t be more satisfied with Drycrete! In March of 2020, 2 days before the world stopped, Drycrete came to my house to fix the water problem that I have had in my home for the last 20 years! Every large storm, I would have water in my basement, leaving me in knee high boots and wet vacs cleaning up the disaster , replacing carpets and repairing walls. After the most recent storm, I reached out to make sure that my pump was still good because I smelled an odor that I couldn’t identify. They sent someone right out, checked the entire system and put me on an annual check from now on! I could not be more pleased with DRYCRETE . Instead of being terrified of rainstorms, I am confident that my house will be safe and dry.

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Lisa DiPaola 1 year ago

Gian and Max were a pleasure! Great service and super sweet people!!

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Katie McLean 1 year ago

From start to finish, Drycrete was amazing! Their customer service is fantastic. The team of 7 that did our basement could not have been nicer or worked harder. They finished in one day instead of 2, and the final outcome was amazing! We couldn’t recommend Drycrete more!

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Lisa Hall 1 year ago

Great customer service! They were very efficient and did a great job installing the pump.

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Evan Schwartz 1 year ago

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Lee Simonds 1 year ago

Great service and product.

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Owen Mael 1 year ago

Great company and work. I used them a few years ago and when it was time to expand my system, I immediately called them. Team was efficient and clean.

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Susannah Hatch 1 year ago

They did a great job! Very professional and a delight to work with.

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Leandra Eich 1 year ago

My review isn't much different from anyone else's - these people are consummate professionals who are very, very good at what they do. They did an entire basement dig-out for my customers - we gained 18" of ceiling height and it transformed the space. For such a large, seemingly complex job, they made it look easy (even though I KNOW it was not!) and with so few hiccups. I would use them again in a heartbeat.

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Kevin Cimo 1 year ago

Fantastic experience. They're extremely knowledgeable and confident in their work. I got a handful of quotes from other companies large and small, they were the best at assessing and explaining everything, and pricing was actually the most reasonable as well. Would use them again in a heartbeat.

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Joe Morocco 1 year ago

it was a very positive rewarding experience working with this company. I would recommend anybody to use them

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Marie Lindholm 1 year ago

Gian arrived promptly. Very knowledgeable and courteous. Explained what he was going to be doing & promptly went to work. Upon finishing, he showed me the work he performed and explained the operation of the pumps and set me up with the application. Very happy with his work and he answered whatever questions I had. I would be happy to recommend Drycrete to anyone who should need water mitigation. Gian is a great asset to your company.

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Laura Zollner 2 year ago

I was very pleased with the project we had completed by Drycrete Waterproofing! Everything from the estimate, to the professionalism of the workers, to the meticulous cleaning they did after they installed our sump pump exceeded my high expectations. I would definitely recommend!

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J Long 2 year ago

Technicians arrived ahead of time. They were done replacing both sump pumps under an hour. Quality workmanship by a great company. I have been using Jason @ Drycrete since 2015. They are the go to people to keep your basement dry.

J.Long 5/24

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Jeremy Ashcraft 2 year ago

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R Cotter 2 year ago

The Drycrete Team worked very quickly and did a very professional job on the french drain and sump pump installation along with a drain off in our yard. They cleaned up afterwards and left the yard and cellar clean. I’m unable to comment on functionality until we experience unusual rainfall, though my assumption is that it should work fine!

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Marie Lindholm 2 year ago

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Donna Oka 2 year ago

Very impressed with the quality of work! Would highly recommend !!

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