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Started By
Message
Drainage Help Along House
Posted on 8/30/24 at 7:00 pm
Posted on 8/30/24 at 7:00 pm
Hey guys, coming here to get some recommendations to fix the drainage in our back and side yard. The previous owner did not have gutters (we’ve since installed), so all along our house are low spots, 2-6" deep, that need to be filled and then regrading to drain away from our home. What's the best way to go about doing this? My thought was to just leave the grass that is there now and bring in fill dirt on top of it, regrade, and then sod (or seed?) on top.
A family member suggested just bringing in sand and letting the grass grow through - I like this idea and would do it if the issue was in the middle of the yard, but it makes me nervous to do that around the house.
It rained today and the gutters definitely help, but there is still water trapped.
Also, we have a brick house on a conventional foundation - how far up the brick can I bring the fill material? I’ve always heard until it’s level with the floor inside?
Open to any and all suggestions/tips.
Thanks!
A family member suggested just bringing in sand and letting the grass grow through - I like this idea and would do it if the issue was in the middle of the yard, but it makes me nervous to do that around the house.
It rained today and the gutters definitely help, but there is still water trapped.
Also, we have a brick house on a conventional foundation - how far up the brick can I bring the fill material? I’ve always heard until it’s level with the floor inside?
Open to any and all suggestions/tips.
Thanks!
5
Posted on 8/30/24 at 8:00 pm to TheJunction
quote:
Also, we have a brick house on a conventional foundation - how far up the brick can I bring the fill material? I’ve always heard until it’s level with the floor inside?
I’m on pier and beam, so I’m no house on slab expert, but I’ve always thought you need some exposed slab. You definitely don’t want the outside ground level with the floor - that would definitely put water at floor level on the outside.
And you want to leave some slab exposed to spot any termite trails from ground to house.
Posted on 8/30/24 at 8:28 pm to TheJunction
Posted on 8/30/24 at 11:09 pm to ChEgrad
If that’s the case than we may have some big time problems. The soil is up to the brick around the entire house.
Posted on 8/31/24 at 7:43 am to TheJunction
Did you buy that ol baws house that was complaining about the water backing up to his slab?
Posted on 8/31/24 at 8:47 am to GrizzlyAlloy
Haha I probably did…. Things are a lot better now (with gutters) than they were without. Still needs some work but not as desperate.
Posted on 8/31/24 at 11:35 am to TheJunction
Exterior grade should be below the weep holes in the brick. The further below , the better because your exterior grade will rise over time if it is grass or mulched beds
Posted on 8/31/24 at 11:56 am to TheJunction
quote:
brick house on a conventional foundation
I'm not sure everybody interprets "conventional" the same way. Do you have a slab and no crawl space? Or do you have a crawl space?
For a slab you must keep soil below the weep holes usually between the course of bricks directly on the slab. Note, new homes often have the soil much higher.
Discharge from gutters needs to drain away from house. Sometimes a flexible extension gets that done. On one side of my house, I added gutters with 3 downspouts discharging into 1' x1' grated basins connected to a buried 8" line running downhill to the curb. Some installers run downspouts directly into a drainpipe. I prefer having the basins to catch other water and allow cleanout.
If you have a termite contract that includes damage repair, landscaping in contact with your exterior wall may void the damage coverage. Retreatment may be needed. Better to ask now than have a claim denied in the future.
Posted on 8/31/24 at 7:39 pm to TheJunction
Post some pics of the home
Posted on 9/1/24 at 7:20 am to wickowick
Slab with no crawl space. Our house sits in the middle of a hill. So, the front yard slopes away from the house (no issues), but in the back we have a retaining wall that’s probably 15’ from the back of the house, so between the back side of the house and retaining wall we have a lot of water coming through. Our wall doesn’t have drainage at the bottom (or doesn’t appear too), so a lot of water either comes over the top of the wall, or through the wall itself - so the backside of the house sees a lot of water, from the roof and what comes down the hill.
There is somewhat of a “ditch” that runs between the house and wall and it drains relatively well. But it’s also pretty flat, so it holds a little water but it’s not a huge concern to me because it’s off the house.. My biggest need is providing a better slope between the house and this “ditch”.
I do think running a main trunk line along that ditch with a couple of inlets (and tying the downspouts to it) would be a big help and something I’ll plan on doing this winter.
I did go in and fill in the low spots yesterday with some fill dirt. Between that and gutters that’ll be a big help. Do still need some more dirt though to really get it away (or maybe even French drains along the back side of the house that ties into the trunk line that’s installed along the “ditch”
There is somewhat of a “ditch” that runs between the house and wall and it drains relatively well. But it’s also pretty flat, so it holds a little water but it’s not a huge concern to me because it’s off the house.. My biggest need is providing a better slope between the house and this “ditch”.
I do think running a main trunk line along that ditch with a couple of inlets (and tying the downspouts to it) would be a big help and something I’ll plan on doing this winter.
I did go in and fill in the low spots yesterday with some fill dirt. Between that and gutters that’ll be a big help. Do still need some more dirt though to really get it away (or maybe even French drains along the back side of the house that ties into the trunk line that’s installed along the “ditch”
Posted on 9/1/24 at 1:04 pm to TheJunction
You might consider adding a patio at the back that runs out from the wall and incorporating drainage in that. I did that on my two wettest areas. After excavation the patio surface left about 4" of slab exposed. Wetness has never been a problem since (6 years).
I have solid drainpipe with a pop-up exit at the curb. Here in very flat Baton Rouge a lot of people have no slope at all. Some add French drains and then wonder why the yard stays wet. You're in a much better situation.
Another note on termite contract. I was quite lucky and had a Terminix inspection by chance on the day excavation for the drain and brick path started. That inspector warned me about warranty voiding. In the end Terminix completely retreated the entire exterior and noted the modifications in the contract... for free! I was told that retreatment policies are highly local, but maybe you'll be lucky too.
I have solid drainpipe with a pop-up exit at the curb. Here in very flat Baton Rouge a lot of people have no slope at all. Some add French drains and then wonder why the yard stays wet. You're in a much better situation.
Another note on termite contract. I was quite lucky and had a Terminix inspection by chance on the day excavation for the drain and brick path started. That inspector warned me about warranty voiding. In the end Terminix completely retreated the entire exterior and noted the modifications in the contract... for free! I was told that retreatment policies are highly local, but maybe you'll be lucky too.
Posted on 9/1/24 at 1:56 pm to Tree_Fall
When you’re saying slab exposed - in our case, with a brick exterior, there would 4” of exposed concrete beneath that?
Posted on 9/1/24 at 8:15 pm to Tree_Fall
Wow, yeah we definitely do not have that.
Posted on 9/2/24 at 4:26 pm to TheJunction
quote:
Wow, yeah we definitely do not have that.
Never put your beds or other dirt as high as your brick. Always leave about 4” on your concrete slab exposed.
Posted on 9/2/24 at 7:10 pm to doubleb
So we should have 4” from the top of slab (floor level inside) to top of ground?
Posted on 9/3/24 at 9:37 pm to TheJunction
quote:
So we should have 4” from the top of slab (floor level inside) to top of ground?
About 4” of exposed concrete. 3” is ok but 4” will give you some room as the grass, mulch whatever builds up around your slab.
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