Confused about foundation grading, water intrusion, etc.

[stryped1]

I am re doing my landscaping against the house. On one side during a hard r ain I have problems with water in my crawlspace. I decided to re grade by h and the area around my foundation. I know this sounds stupid, but I removed my river gravel mulch. I planed on regarding with crusher run, covering th at with 6 mil plastic and at the end of the slope install a French drain. I will wash my river rock and re install it on top of the black plastic. The idea being the slope would slope water into the French drain. The idea of using the crusher run is it would compact good with my hand tamper and woul d provide an extra weed barrier. (I hate pulling weeds).

I got to reading and am confused. Some sites say you should not add soil or anything against the house when regarding, that you should take away soil where you want the end of the slope. Why is that?

Then I went to a foundation repair site and it said a lot of times, foundat ion cracking and other problems are caused by the soil not being wet enough . It even recommended adding a soaker hose 18-24 inches from the foundation !

My lot slopes toward the house and my grading has never really been right. My intent was to correct this but I don't want to create a bigger problem.

Any help is appreciated!

[clare]

Remove the stone from the top at leat 18 inches from the foundation.Lay landscaping cloth over the drainage stone and cap with CLAY to keep (and direct) the water away from the foundation. Slope the clay away from the house towards the "french drain" Cover the clay with soil, or another layer of landscape cloth and your decorative stone.

Make sure your gutters are in good shape and adequate, and pipe the discharge at least 2 feet out from the foundation. Make sure the "ground level" at the foundation is at least 6 inched below the bottom of the siding or the first course of brick

[stryped1]

d rain I have problems with water in my crawlspace. I decided to re grade b y hand the area around my foundation. I know this sounds stupid, but I remo ved my river gravel mulch. I planed on regarding with crusher run, covering that with 6 mil plastic and at the end of the slope install a French drain . I will wash my river rock and re install it on top of the black plastic. The idea being the slope would slope water into the French drain. The idea of using the crusher run is it would compact good with my hand tamper and w ould provide an extra weed barrier. (I hate pulling weeds).

or anything against the house when regarding, that you should take away so il where you want the end of the slope. Why is that?

dation cracking and other problems are caused by the soil not being wet eno ugh. It even recommended adding a soaker hose 18-24 inches from the foundat ion!

t. My intent was to correct this but I don't want to create a bigger proble m.

Why does stone have to be at least 18 inches from the foundation? If I am t rying to direct the water to the French drain, is there any reason to not u se 6 mil plastic? I have used landscape fabric, and everything I have used has never lasted.

I know this is another problem, but I also have cats that paw at my river r ock/plastic to use the bathroom. I know it is gross but I cant really stop it. They are the kids cats and at least I have never had a mouse problem. O ne thought would be the 6 mil plastic under river rock mulch would last lon ger to this "pawing"....

[hrhofmann]

Just do everything reasonable to slope the water-stopping layer away from t he foundation at least 18" and 2+ feet is even better. One question is how the water gets into the crawl space, does it come horizontally thru the fo undation walls or does it come up thru cracks in the crawl space floor and between the floor and the perimeter walls. If it comes directly thru the w alls, solutions are different than if it soaks into the ground and then tra vels underground and then comes up thru floor craks or the perimeter break between the floor and the walls.

Please let us know what is the situation and we can give much more meaningf ul responses/.

[stryped1]

On Wednesday, June 17, 2015 at 8:28:18 PM UTC-5, [e-mail] wrot e:

the foundation at least 18" and 2+ feet is even better. One question is h ow the water gets into the crawl space, does it come horizontally thru the foundation walls or does it come up thru cracks in the crawl space floor an d between the floor and the perimeter walls. If it comes directly thru the walls, solutions are different than if it soaks into the ground and then t ravels underground and then comes up thru floor craks or the perimeter brea k between the floor and the walls.

gful responses/.

To be honest, I am not 100% sure. It is only on one side of the house. I su spect it is through where the pipe to my septic system goes through. The ho le for the pipe is a little bigger than the pipe itself but to be honest I do not know for sure if that is it or not.

[hrhofmann]

Then fill the space around the pipe with expanding foam as a starter.

[clare]

Personally, I'd use hydraulic cement to fill the gap, - from both sides if possible, and then apply waterproofing mastic over the joint on the outside.. If the outside is not a possibility, I'd still use hydraulic cement.