I have a big brick planter, approximately 10 feet long by 2.5 feet
tall by 2.5 feet front to back, built up against the front of my
house. I have noted that it is tipping forward away from the house.
The back, left corner is about five inches away from the house at the
top of the planter. So, I can see behind the planter and am somewhat
alarmed that there is only what appears to be cement board between all
that wet dirt and the side of the house. The cement board is attached
to the house, and there is thick, black caulking along the vertical
edge of the board, apparently to seal it and keep out water. The
caulking has failed and cracked. The house was built in 1953 and sits
on a slab. No basement. I think the planter is a later addition, and
my guess is that it's at least 20 years old. So, I have some
questions.

1. How should this planter have been build? Should the back of it have
been brick also?
2. Is this big box of dirt acting like a funnel, channeling water down
to the the slab of my house? I'm trying to seal water out of the slab
because I have a problem with water getting into the furnace ducts
that are down in the slab.
3. Is this likely to allow water to get inside the wall and cause all
sorts of damage?

I'm thinking it would be best to demo the planter. I've found some
people who want the dirt. Is it safest to demo the thing? Here is a
link to a pic of my house. The planter is the big yellow thing on the
left side.

http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m...98Davis001.jpg

On Mar 27, 3:12*am, Cameron wrote:
I have a big brick planter, approximately 10 feet long by 2.5 feet
tall by 2.5 feet front to back, built up against the front of my
house. I have noted that it is tipping forward away from the house.
The back, left corner is about five inches away from the house at the
top of the planter. So, I can see behind the planter and am somewhat
alarmed that there is only what appears to be cement board between all
that wet dirt and the side of the house. The cement board is attached
to the house, and there is thick, black caulking along the vertical
edge of the board, apparently to seal it and keep out water. The
caulking has failed and cracked. The house was built in 1953 and sits
on a slab. No basement. *I think the planter is a later addition, and
my guess is that it's at least 20 years old. So, I have some
questions.

1. How should this planter have been build? Should the back of it have
been brick also?

I think you probably already know the answer to most of your
questions. IMO, the planter should not have been built at all.
Aside from the obvious issues you've identified, it doesn't even look
good. If it were to be built, IMO, it should have been built with an
airspace of several inches away from the house, not attaced to it.


2. Is this big box of dirt acting like a funnel, channeling water down
to the the slab of my house?

To some extent, yes.


I'm trying to seal water out of the slab
because I have a problem with water getting into the furnace ducts
that are down in the slab.

Doh!


3. Is this likely to allow water to get inside the wall and cause all
sorts of damage?

Yes



I'm thinking it would be best to demo the planter. I've found some
people who want the dirt. Is it safest to demo the thing?


Yes

Did you have a home inspection before you bought this place? Any
home inspector would have red flagged this in a minute.


Here is a
link to a pic of my *house. The planter is the big yellow thing on the
left side.

http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m...98Davis001.jpg

I have a big brick planter, approximately 10 feet long by 2.5 feet
tall by 2.5 feet front to back, built up against the front of my
house. I have noted that it is tipping forward away from the house.
The back, left corner is about five inches away from the house at the
top of the planter. So, I can see behind the planter and am somewhat
alarmed that there is only what appears to be cement board between all
that wet dirt and the side of the house. The cement board is attached
to the house, and there is thick, black caulking along the vertical
edge of the board, apparently to seal it and keep out water. The
caulking has failed and cracked. The house was built in 1953 and sits
on a slab. No basement. I think the planter is a later addition, and
my guess is that it's at least 20 years old. So, I have some
questions.

1. How should this planter have been build? Should the back of it have
been brick also?
2. Is this big box of dirt acting like a funnel, channeling water down
to the the slab of my house? I'm trying to seal water out of the slab
because I have a problem with water getting into the furnace ducts
that are down in the slab.
3. Is this likely to allow water to get inside the wall and cause all
sorts of damage?

I'm thinking it would be best to demo the planter. I've found some
people who want the dirt. Is it safest to demo the thing? Here is a
link to a pic of my house. The planter is the big yellow thing on the
left side.

http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m...98Davis001.jpg

The planter should not touch the side of your house. It should have
been built with a brick back wall a few inches from the house.
_Nothing_ should touch the siding. Code around here requires at least
six inches of bare concrete showing below any siding, even if the
siding is brick, to discourage termites.

I had a similar situation at my last house, created by a previous
owner. They even buried the water shut-off valve. I dug out all the
dirt and put in potted plants. Since yours is already falling over, I
would demolish the whole thing, then plant some nice shrubs. Keep the
shrubs short so burglars can't hide behind them, and away from the
house to protect the siding.

--
Steve Bell
New Life Home Improvement
Arlington, TX USA

I agree with the others to an extent. If it's ugly to you, tear it out.
It's really no big job. You could fix the side of the house, add proper
drainage to the planter and save the thing if you want. The reality I would
be worried about is the water in the duct. I had a planter like that under
an overhang (not against the siding though) with gutters like yours. We
could'nt keep enough water there to grow decent plants anyway. There is no
way it is contributing in any large fashion to flooding the sub-slab HVAC
system. I would look for that cause, or remedy with site drainage
immediately before you develop a serious mold problem and catch Legionarre's
disease or some such. Maybe the gutters are feeding under the house due to
clogged strom drainage?


"Cameron" wrote in message
...
I have a big brick planter, approximately
snip
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m...98Davis001.jpg