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