That would be a huge job. I think it would probably pay off more if the ground was flat and standing water was a greater risk. Around here it’s very hilly and the soil is not that absorbent.
Water runs down hill. It’s just a question of making sure it runs away from the house which it now does 99% of the time.
Part of the challenge is that most of the rainwater doesn’t originate from the exterior in the area where I’m working.
When they poured the front porch (which is actually towards the rear of the house from the street since the house sits sideways on the lot), they didn’t backfill it correctly. As a result, there’s a nice little spot next to the foundation, under the front walkway, where water that gets through cracks in the walkway gets funneled downhill under the walkway and front porch, through the exterior wall, and into the corner where I’m digging.
There’s a small hole in the wall on the other side of this crawlspace (see photo). When I first discovered it I looked in and could see the front porch slab above it. It’s big enough inside that if the hole were bigger I could probably crawl into it.
Long term, the whole walkway needs to be ripped out, backfilled, and replaced. But that’s going to be $$$ so it will be a few years before I can do that.
jubilationtcornpone@sh.itjust.works 3 weeks ago
That would be a huge job. I think it would probably pay off more if the ground was flat and standing water was a greater risk. Around here it’s very hilly and the soil is not that absorbent.
Water runs down hill. It’s just a question of making sure it runs away from the house which it now does 99% of the time.
Brkdncr@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
Yeah I had a house on a huge hill and did both a French drain and sump pump.
jubilationtcornpone@sh.itjust.works 3 weeks ago
Part of the challenge is that most of the rainwater doesn’t originate from the exterior in the area where I’m working.
When they poured the front porch (which is actually towards the rear of the house from the street since the house sits sideways on the lot), they didn’t backfill it correctly. As a result, there’s a nice little spot next to the foundation, under the front walkway, where water that gets through cracks in the walkway gets funneled downhill under the walkway and front porch, through the exterior wall, and into the corner where I’m digging.
Image
There’s a small hole in the wall on the other side of this crawlspace (see photo). When I first discovered it I looked in and could see the front porch slab above it. It’s big enough inside that if the hole were bigger I could probably crawl into it.
Long term, the whole walkway needs to be ripped out, backfilled, and replaced. But that’s going to be $$$ so it will be a few years before I can do that.