In article ,
says...
The soil around one side of my house has improper slope towards the house. I
need to fix this. I want to know what's the proper way to create a slope
away from the house to eliminate any water seepage in the basement.

I think more information is needed to give you an answer.

Are you sure that the slope is the problem? It seems you're assuming
that the water doesn't actually seep through the soil, but runs over it
to the foundation wall. Is that really how the water gets in? Is there
a risk that all you'll do by sloping the ground away from the house is
add a few more inches of earth through which the water will soak to end
up in your basement anyway?


I
believe just putting more soil to create the slope just be the soil itself
is not the best way to do this. I am not going to create a French drain,
just want to fix a slope problem.

Are you sure it's just a slope problem?

Rick

Of cause I am not sure that improper slope is the only or at least major
source of the problem. But I have some evidence that makes me think so.
First, the water only seeps a little during heavy rain ONLY from that side
of the house that has improper slope. It seeps through the place when wall
connects to the floor. The floor and the wall have no cracks. During rest of
the year there is no water and even there is no any water on sump pump pit
bottom that resides along the "problematic" side of the basement. I also
thin that creating proper slope id the first step (after gutters of cause
but they're fine and I clean them 3-4 times a year). If I realize that after
creating proper slope away from the house the water still seeps I will think
of next step. I also don't want just to add a couple of inches of soil to
create a soil slope. I don't think it is proper way to create a slope. I
would think there should be drain tile installed combined with maybe gravel
or crashed stones or something else to drain water away from the house more
efficiently. The is exactly the question that I posted.

"Java Man (Espressopithecus)" wrote in message
ble.net...
In article ,
says...
The soil around one side of my house has improper slope towards the
house. I
need to fix this. I want to know what's the proper way to create a slope
away from the house to eliminate any water seepage in the basement.

I think more information is needed to give you an answer.

Are you sure that the slope is the problem? It seems you're assuming
that the water doesn't actually seep through the soil, but runs over it
to the foundation wall. Is that really how the water gets in? Is there
a risk that all you'll do by sloping the ground away from the house is
add a few more inches of earth through which the water will soak to end
up in your basement anyway?


I
believe just putting more soil to create the slope just be the soil
itself
is not the best way to do this. I am not going to create a French drain,
just want to fix a slope problem.

Are you sure it's just a slope problem?

Rick

Of cause I am not sure that improper slope is the only or at least major
source of the problem. But I have some evidence that makes me think so.
First, the water only seeps a little during heavy rain ONLY from that side
of the house that has improper slope. It seeps through the place when wall
connects to the floor. The floor and the wall have no cracks. During rest of
the year there is no water and even there is no any water on sump pump pit
bottom that resides along the "problematic" side of the basement. I also
thin that creating proper slope id the first step (after gutters of cause
but they're fine and I clean them 3-4 times a year). If I realize that after
creating proper slope away from the house the water still seeps I will think
of next step. I also don't want just to add a couple of inches of soil to
create a soil slope. I don't think it is proper way to create a slope. I
would think there should be drain tile installed combined with maybe gravel
or crashed stones or something else to drain water away from the house more
efficiently. The is exactly the question that I posted.

"Java Man (Espressopithecus)" wrote in message
ble.net...
In article ,
says...
The soil around one side of my house has improper slope towards the
house. I
need to fix this. I want to know what's the proper way to create a slope
away from the house to eliminate any water seepage in the basement.

I think more information is needed to give you an answer.

Are you sure that the slope is the problem? It seems you're assuming
that the water doesn't actually seep through the soil, but runs over it
to the foundation wall. Is that really how the water gets in? Is there
a risk that all you'll do by sloping the ground away from the house is
add a few more inches of earth through which the water will soak to end
up in your basement anyway?


I
believe just putting more soil to create the slope just be the soil
itself
is not the best way to do this. I am not going to create a French drain,
just want to fix a slope problem.

Are you sure it's just a slope problem?

Rick

The grade problem is probably the result of the original fill settling.
This is normal and can take several years to finish settling. You are
correct to want to move surface water away from the foundation. The
most successful method is usually to simply add dirt to take the place
of the material that has settled. You can add it in lifts over time so
the grass will stay healthy and come up to the top of the ground.

An alternative: strip the sod, raise the grade, reinstall the sod.
An alternative: cut a valley away from the lowest point of the bad
grade if you have enough fall to take the water somewhere.

How close to the foundation is the lilac? Do you water it? Basement
foundations are not good candidates for the cute little flower beds
against the house, unless meticulous care was taken in waterproofing
(most are dampproofed) the basement and providing sub surface drainage
lower than the basement floor.

--


Keep the whole world singing. . .
Dan G

(remove the 7)



"Alexander Galkin" wrote in message
...
The soil around one side of my house has improper slope towards the
house. I
need to fix this. I want to know what's the proper way to create a
slope
away from the house to eliminate any water seepage in the basement. I
believe just putting more soil to create the slope just be the soil
itself
is not the best way to do this. I am not going to create a French
drain,
just want to fix a slope problem. I think it will be enough to
eliminate the
tiny amount of water that seeps from the side to my basement after
heavy
rains. I also have a beautiful 12' lilac growing just of my house
side. Can
it also be a problem for proper drainage? I really don't want to
uproot it
unless it constitutes a real problem for leading water to my basement.

The grade problem is probably the result of the original fill settling.
This is normal and can take several years to finish settling. You are
correct to want to move surface water away from the foundation. The
most successful method is usually to simply add dirt to take the place
of the material that has settled. You can add it in lifts over time so
the grass will stay healthy and come up to the top of the ground.

An alternative: strip the sod, raise the grade, reinstall the sod.
An alternative: cut a valley away from the lowest point of the bad
grade if you have enough fall to take the water somewhere.

How close to the foundation is the lilac? Do you water it? Basement
foundations are not good candidates for the cute little flower beds
against the house, unless meticulous care was taken in waterproofing
(most are dampproofed) the basement and providing sub surface drainage
lower than the basement floor.

--


Keep the whole world singing. . .
Dan G

(remove the 7)



"Alexander Galkin" wrote in message
...
The soil around one side of my house has improper slope towards the
house. I
need to fix this. I want to know what's the proper way to create a
slope
away from the house to eliminate any water seepage in the basement. I
believe just putting more soil to create the slope just be the soil
itself
is not the best way to do this. I am not going to create a French
drain,
just want to fix a slope problem. I think it will be enough to
eliminate the
tiny amount of water that seeps from the side to my basement after
heavy
rains. I also have a beautiful 12' lilac growing just of my house
side. Can
it also be a problem for proper drainage? I really don't want to
uproot it
unless it constitutes a real problem for leading water to my basement.

While I realize that I can create a slope by adding more soil I would prefer
to make it better. Soil may dampen with time, water can sip through soil,
etc. Maybe I should add drain tile from the foundation, maybe something
else. Since I am going to do this I want to do it really for decades. So I
would like to see some online resources or books how to construct proper
slope away from the house foundation.
The lilac actually does not grow close to the main house foundation with
basement but to garage that is attached to the house. The tree really comes
as if from behind the garage slab. I really like it but if presents any
problem I will uproot it.

"Dan G" wrote in message
.. .
The grade problem is probably the result of the original fill settling.
This is normal and can take several years to finish settling. You are
correct to want to move surface water away from the foundation. The
most successful method is usually to simply add dirt to take the place
of the material that has settled. You can add it in lifts over time so
the grass will stay healthy and come up to the top of the ground.

An alternative: strip the sod, raise the grade, reinstall the sod.
An alternative: cut a valley away from the lowest point of the bad
grade if you have enough fall to take the water somewhere.

How close to the foundation is the lilac? Do you water it? Basement
foundations are not good candidates for the cute little flower beds
against the house, unless meticulous care was taken in waterproofing
(most are dampproofed) the basement and providing sub surface drainage
lower than the basement floor.

--


Keep the whole world singing. . .
Dan G

(remove the 7)



"Alexander Galkin" wrote in message
...
The soil around one side of my house has improper slope towards the
house. I
need to fix this. I want to know what's the proper way to create a
slope
away from the house to eliminate any water seepage in the basement. I
believe just putting more soil to create the slope just be the soil
itself
is not the best way to do this. I am not going to create a French
drain,
just want to fix a slope problem. I think it will be enough to
eliminate the
tiny amount of water that seeps from the side to my basement after
heavy
rains. I also have a beautiful 12' lilac growing just of my house
side. Can
it also be a problem for proper drainage? I really don't want to
uproot it
unless it constitutes a real problem for leading water to my basement.

While I realize that I can create a slope by adding more soil I would prefer
to make it better. Soil may dampen with time, water can sip through soil,
etc. Maybe I should add drain tile from the foundation, maybe something
else. Since I am going to do this I want to do it really for decades. So I
would like to see some online resources or books how to construct proper
slope away from the house foundation.
The lilac actually does not grow close to the main house foundation with
basement but to garage that is attached to the house. The tree really comes
as if from behind the garage slab. I really like it but if presents any
problem I will uproot it.

"Dan G" wrote in message
.. .
The grade problem is probably the result of the original fill settling.
This is normal and can take several years to finish settling. You are
correct to want to move surface water away from the foundation. The
most successful method is usually to simply add dirt to take the place
of the material that has settled. You can add it in lifts over time so
the grass will stay healthy and come up to the top of the ground.

An alternative: strip the sod, raise the grade, reinstall the sod.
An alternative: cut a valley away from the lowest point of the bad
grade if you have enough fall to take the water somewhere.

How close to the foundation is the lilac? Do you water it? Basement
foundations are not good candidates for the cute little flower beds
against the house, unless meticulous care was taken in waterproofing
(most are dampproofed) the basement and providing sub surface drainage
lower than the basement floor.

--


Keep the whole world singing. . .
Dan G

(remove the 7)



"Alexander Galkin" wrote in message
...
The soil around one side of my house has improper slope towards the
house. I
need to fix this. I want to know what's the proper way to create a
slope
away from the house to eliminate any water seepage in the basement. I
believe just putting more soil to create the slope just be the soil
itself
is not the best way to do this. I am not going to create a French
drain,
just want to fix a slope problem. I think it will be enough to
eliminate the
tiny amount of water that seeps from the side to my basement after
heavy
rains. I also have a beautiful 12' lilac growing just of my house
side. Can
it also be a problem for proper drainage? I really don't want to
uproot it
unless it constitutes a real problem for leading water to my basement.

I don't think any tile is present on my 50+ year old house foundation. But
how can I check?
"George Wenzel" wrote in message
...
In article ,
says...
While I realize that I can create a slope by adding more soil I would
prefer
to make it better. Soil may dampen with time, water can sip through soil,
etc.

While true, if there is a proper slope, the majority of the water _will_
run away from the house. Assuming your house has weeping tile or other
drainage against the foundation, you should be fine with just correcting
the grading.

Maybe I should add drain tile from the foundation, maybe something
else.

I'd check to find out whether weeping tile is present in the first place
- it might already be there.

Since I am going to do this I want to do it really for decades.

Not really possible - you can correct the slope, but the soil will still
settle. At some point adding more soil is going to be likely.

So I
would like to see some online resources or books how to construct proper
slope away from the house foundation.

Here's the simple advice I received from my home inspector: Ensure that
there is a 5% slope away from the foundation, for at least 8 feet.

The easy way to measure and correct the slope:

1) Put two stakes in the ground, one against the house, the other lined
up with the first one, and eight feet away from the house.

2) Tie a string between the two stakes, and make it taught. Using a
level, adjust the string until it is level with the ground.

3) Measure the distance between the string and the ground at both stakes.
For every foot out from the house, the ground should be 0.6" lower (0.6"
is 5% of 1 foot). So if the string is 10" above the ground against the
house, the string should be about 15" above the ground eight feet out.

4) Add soil against the house, and slope it so that the above-noted grade
is achieved.

5) Add sod, grass seed, or whatever you're going to put on top of the
soil on that side of the house. As long as the soil is reasonably
compacted, any excess water will drain away from the house.

Regards,

George Wenzel
--
George Wenzel, B.A. (Criminology)
E-mail: lid
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