FROST LINE

[hdmundt]

How do I find out the depths of frost lines in different cities/ states? Is there a free internet source for this information? Thanks.

[jJim McLaughlin]

At least try on your own to do some basic research. Google is your friend.

[hdmundt]

I did that. I got a lot of redundant posts regarding heaving, but nothing like a table of frost lines by city. Thanks a lot, Jim. At least try not to assume that you're the Google guru and no one else is capable of doing some basic research. I'll wait for a more helpful response. I won't assume you're the best this group has to offer.

[bq340]

Google found this as the first hit searching for: frost line map

MikeB

[aemeijers]

The local building permit/inspection office in each city will know the depth, based on how far down they require footings to be. Local ag extension office will probably know, too. NOAA web site has a map, but it covers whole country, so minor variations are probably not accounted for.

aem sends...

[hdmundt]

map

Thank you. I'm not a contractor, I don't know the lingo. I'm just a feller considering digging some post holes for a small deck, (precisely why I came to this group looking for help). My queries didn't include the word "map". Thank you, again, for a helpful reply to my post.

[Tony Hwang]

I wonder why you have to know about all the places. All I know is of our area. 6 Feet!

[Toller]

I wonder what magic holds the frostline in the California Mountains to 2".

[jJim McLaughlin]

SNIP HAPPENS

So, rather than an academic interest in frost line depths generally, you were actually looking for data for a specific locating in which you were planting posts for a deck?

You really are a jerk.

Ask your local building permit folks, and stop wasting the time and energy of the folks who regularly post here who give decent responses.

I'm not the google guru.

You, however, looking for frost line data for a specific location for a specific deck application should have enough sense to ask the local building permit / code folks.

Maroon.

You go straight to the bit bucket.

[tnom]

It doesn't. California is state # 2

[EXT]

[RickH]

map

Ask the inspector that needs to measure your holes before you pour the footings. Just because a map says something, does not mean your municipality has a different depth they mandate for post holes.

[franz frippl]

It would seem that your local county extension agent would have that info. Frost lines vary depending on severity of winter. Another way to find out is to call a local cemetery. Gravediggers deal with frost all the time.

[tony]

[David Starr]

The map shows 27" for my area. I called the County Extension service & they said it was 42".

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[DerbyDad03]

-- re: Don't believe the map

Do believe the map. It shows the official frost line, as determined by the U.S. Department of Commerce Weather Bureau, for the areas outlined.

The map does not purport to tell us how deep to place our foundations or fence posts. That depth, as many have mentioned in this thread, is determined by whatever agency is responsible for the building codes in our area. There are many more factors, besides the frost line, that go into how deep to place a foundation or fence post in any given area.

So go ahead and believe the map - but only for what it is telling us.

[DerbyDad03]

map

- Ask the inspector that needs to measure your holes before you pour the

- footings. Just because a map says something, does not mean your

- municipality has a different depth they mandate for post holes

I dug ten 48" deep holes for my deck in very sandy soil. Between the time I dug them and the time the inspector was due to come to the house, it was expected to rain. I covered each hole with a scrap of wood to keep the rain out so they wouldn't collapse.

The inspector came out on a drizzly day and as my wife stuck her head out of the window, he slid one of the covers off with his foot and asked my wife "Is that a 48" hole?"

Wife: "Yes it is." Inspector: "And I'll bet there's a 48" hole under every one of those pieces of wood, right?" Wife: "Yes, there is." Inspector, sliding the cover back over the hole, "OK, you're all set."

[clot]

I wholly agree, but what do you expect from a GoogleGrouper?