Hey folks,
We just bought an all brick house built some 4 or 5 years ago with a crawl space. Due to poor site work and construction of the house we have a problem with shedding water away from the house. Removing more earth at the boundary to create the slope is not the solution. The only solution I can envision (other than french drains) is to add dirt to slope the yard away from the house but here lies the problem…
<!—-><!—-> <!—->
Weep holes are just about at ground level right now in the area we need to build up (we need to elevate probably 2 feet). I know the weeps are for ventilation and drainage and need to remain so here is the question I would like to ask.
<!—-> <!—->
Is it possible to build up the elevation around the house without compromising the weep holes?
Regards, Lee
Replies
I'll reply, just to get things started! Perhaps you could waterproof the wall as far up as you are going to add dirt and then lay drain pipe along the foundation or wherever these weep holes are and then run it away from the house--maybe like a big "U" with the legs leading away from the house at each end. The part against the house should be perforated. Give the legs as much slope away from the house as you can and cover the pipe and the wall at the weep holes (and up a couple feet)with landscape fabric to keep the holes and the drain from clogging with silt. Cover the whole thing with gravel as deep as the pipe. Add the dirt and slope it away from the house, ending it before the ends of the drain pipe. I guess that would make a French drain, but one that you wouldn't have to dig into the ground.
This is just a quick, off the cuff idea until you get better responses.
Danno, I really like your idea but not sure its legal or practical. I worry about the weeps being below grade due to ants and termites. This is how I would like to approach it but really doubt that I should... Thanks for the push, Lee
Yeah, good points that you and CapnMac made. Anyway, glad others got you some good answers!
Hmmm. Where is your floor level with respect to your intended new grade line? I'd think you would want to keep the soil lower than the floor, i.e., no higher than the masonry foundation & at least a few inches lower than the sill. That said, I'd still be worried about covering the weepholes. I think the french drain route is the best under the circumstances. But if you decide to go ahead and add dirt (clay is best), I'd still put in at least a shallow (below current grade line) french drain to daylight, constructed properly with respect to sealing the masonry, drainage, etc.
Mike Hennessy
Pittsburgh, PA
I have a similar problem along one long side of a building.
I'm curious why you can't remove some earth a few to several feet away from the building, sloped from the building to it, to create a shallow swale type feature that would then carry the water elsewhere.
"Let's get crack-a-lackin" --- Adam Carolla
Phil, see attached pic below...
I have solved many House/Foundation/Drainage problems. I assume that the problem is the adjacent grade is too high next to the house. Most problems are cause by not building the house high enough or landscaping grade built up higher.
I start by digging a level trench from the lowest part of the lot. The trench level is found by filling with water and digging out the high spots. By the time it reaches the house, it should be 6"-12" deep enough to drain anything around the house.
I install schedule 40 PVC or ABS sewer pipes with glued joint in the trench from house to street to prevent roots from getting into it later. A level pipe will not drain as well as a level one, but most situation do not allow the luxury of sloping.
Adjacent to the house, another trench is dug next to the foundation, the dirt is held back from the foundation by 12"X12" stepping stones or block wall caps, depending on the situation. Pieces of bricks are wedged between them to keep it from collapsing and held high enough to let water drain. Sometimes slabs have to be saw cut 6" to continue the drainage trench around the house.
Most guys install splash walls or curb walls next to the house, they are useless and create more problems, I rip them out all the time.
Here are some visuals to help...
<!----><!----> <!---->
Sungod, I have to say that you pretty much hit it on the head... House seems to be about 2 foot lower than it should be. Like you idea alot and trying to work it out on paper... Thanks, Lee
I would place the trench againt the house. It would expose the bottom bricks and footings to dry them out more. Dirt next to the brick and footing tends to attract and hold moisture against the house.
build up the elevation around the house without compromising the weep holes?
Probably not. Mostly. [insert some more qualifying statements here]
If the wall is built correctly, there's an airspace inside, to collect any moisture that condenses on the inside faces of hte brick. That space is filled (or is supposed to be) up to the level of the weep holes (otherwise, they would not "weep").
If you cover up the weep holes, that "interior" elevation (if it is built into the wall) remains, no matter what the exterior drage elevation becomes. Which is all moot if the building was not built that way.
Now, "4-5 years ago" and "all brick" is not a combination I'd expect, either. So, your house is likely wood-framed with brick veneer all the way around is what you mean. Would that be accurate? You mention a crawlspace, is the foundation wall concrete or block?
This can make a difference as sometimes with brick veneer, the brick is set on the edge of a wider foundation wall, and then up. That makes the bottom course of brick the whole thickness of the floor system lower than the floor elevation. This can cause some errors when the grading is started (or finished).
CapnMac, I attached a pic of the crawl which shows brick all the way down past grade and you can see the vapor barrier. I ran my hand along the vb and can feel brick above. Lee
Hmm, unless there's a slope not shown in the photos (so the foundation wall can step down)--that's an odd bricked-over sort-of-opening.
and you can see the vapor barrier
I'm wondering if that's the top edge of the waterproofing membrane that (should be ) on the foundation wall upto grade. "Normal" practice would be to solid fill the space between the block and the face brick right up to whatever the weep hole elevation is.
So, the question may be, "Are you getting a damp/wet crawlspace?"
If all you are getting is a "pond" up against the house after a rain, that's bad enough. Back to the previous suggestion of making a "swale" (split the distance available, slope down both sides to a "low enough" elevation; sod/landscape to make a shallow "V").
Now, if you are getting a pond in the crawlspace--that could be bad. Bad enough to spend the cash to do some exploratory work in and around the foundation.Occupational hazard of my occupation not being around (sorry Bubba)