Replies

1. 
   davidmeiland | May 11, 2004 07:07am | #1

   You absolutely need to keep the dirt and landscaping off of the siding. You should be looking at 6" or more of foundation exposed, everywhere. Do not let grade build up over your siding.

   Sounds like you might need to remove some dirt from the front area. Take it down so that 6" of concrete shows and so that grade is sloped away from the house. If that makes the yard too steep then you might want to install a small retaining wall a short distance from the house and leave most of the slope as is.

   Next time you see the landscaper--hit him with a shovel.

1. 
   DougU | May 11, 2004 01:50pm | #2

   david

   I just read your reply, I'm looking at a brick house, slab on grade. The landscape is covering the bottom row of brick, shouldnt the brick be completly exposed? I have a feeling that this yard probably has a water problem so they sloped the yard up to the house as much as possible to eliminate the posibility of water in the house.

   Just looking for some other opinions on this, it had me a little concerned.

   Thanks

   Doug

1. 
   davidmeiland | May 13, 2004 11:13pm | #8

   Doug, it depends a little bit on how the brick is supported--it may be sitting on a concrete 'brick ledge' that's a part of the foundation. If so then the bottom course of brick is not against the framing.... but it's still a good idea to keep dirt off of the house. Brick, stucco, stone veneer, etc. are all porous and water in the dirt will wick into them.

   I formed our foundation with 2x6s and I make sure I can see the first 'joint' in the concrete (the little ridge in the stemwall) all around the house. If that's not visible then I get a hoe out and undo a little but of my wife's landscaping. Gardeners have this way of piling dirt against the house. Give 'em twenty years and the house will be a foot below grade everywhere.

2. 
   IronHelix | May 11, 2004 02:01pm | #3

   Someplace between 4" and 8" below the siding is the minimum.

   Secondly, and even more important, is that in the 10 feet from the house there should be a drop of a minimum of 6 more inches.  This keeps the water away from the foundation and siding.

   .................Iron Helix

1. 
   mitch | May 11, 2004 02:46pm | #4

   ummm,  i'm guessing you mean 'termites', not 'terminates'?  both being useful words but hardly interchangeable...

   m

1. 
   WingNut | May 11, 2004 03:28pm | #5

   Thank you all for the advice.  I’ll try and lower the finished grade some more and look into Dave’s retaining wall idea.  Good catch Mitch, I think I need more than just a spell check, but maybe a stupid check also. 

1. 
   Wylcoyote | May 11, 2004 06:04pm | #6

   It sounds like you need to build a french drain in that part of your house.

   A french drain (perhaps given current events re: the French we could consider renaming this a "freedom drain"?) is a well perforated 6" diameter pipe, historically terra cotta currently pvc or black abs plastic buried in a gravel filled trench 2-3 feet off the foundation wall.  The pipe should be canted as to drain to daylight somewhere away from the house.  I used to install 100+ yard french drains to drain low spots in vineyards back in my restless youth.  The idea is the french drain will intercept the water coming down the grade to your house, and also help dry out any moisture next to the foundation.  The gravel filled ditch should be about as deep as the foundation wall or bedrock, which ever comes first.  This is a ton of work (I would recommend renting a trencher) but should help keep your foundation and IMHO is the right way to address the issue

1. 
   WingNut | May 13, 2004 10:33pm | #7

   Thanks Wylie, this is a good suggestion since most of my home does not have any landscaping.  The only landscaping is in the front of house so this seems to be a good time to consider your advice.  Thanks again.  Ryan