Home Ownership (misc.consumers.house)

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js5895
 
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Default mulch and gravel around foundation?

Hi,

What can I put around my brick and concrete foundation to
hold water, marble chips maybe, because my basement is very
damp. Also What distance away from the foundation should I
put mulch. I also bought this fabric with holes in it to
stop weeds should I use it on everything I put down.

Thanks, for all your help.

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Don Phillipson
 
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"js5895" wrote in message
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What can I put around my brick and concrete foundation to
hold water, marble chips maybe, because my basement is very
damp. Also What distance away from the foundation should I
put mulch. I also bought this fabric with holes in it to
stop weeds should I use it on everything I put down.


The orthodox answer is that you do not want to hold
water (underground) around the foundation -- you want
to make it run downhill away from the house. This requires:
1. Appropriate (French) drains buried in gravel around
the foundation.
2. If the natural slope of the underground impermeable
strata does not lead water away from the house, you
have to dig a passage for it.

--
Don Phillipson
Carlsbad Springs
(Ottawa, Canada)


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Al Bundy
 
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You want to make sure the ground, not gravel or chips, slopes away from
your house at least 1" per linear foot. In specific problem areas you
can dig out a foot and run plastic against the foundation and out into
the yard. Then replace the dirt and grass. Water won't run down the
foundation wall and leak.

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js5895
 
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I only have about 6' of space around the house so, I
think it's probably hard to slope that much space or,
maybe not. I want gravel around the foundation then,
mulch, then, more gravel in that 6' of space. The
"French" drains, how does that work like, 4" PVC with
1/2" holes drilled every foot or half a foot in it?

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Al Bundy
 
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You have to lead the water away from the foundation. Putting gravel
around it will cause problems. The French drain is placed away from the
foundation.



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js5895
 
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The reason I want gravel is because, I've seen homes with gravel
around the foundation and it looks nice and I don't want anything
growing there, also, I wanted a draining element to help with all
the water in my basement. Also, the area around my house is level.

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