Thread: Drainage Advice Needed

I came acroos this grading and plumbing issue the other day and now the client wants some advice on how correct the problem. If you have any questions or idea it would be much appreciated. I think the pictures speak for themselves.

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Not much can be done. The septic tank would have to be relocated for anything to be corrected. Then the ground could be graded away from the house, if it has enough downward slope.

FUBAR from the get go.

I always hate to put water in a pipe...cause now and forever more you have to keep the drain grate clean and the pipe free of debris...but...

In the photo from the crawl space side....

Maybe pour a concrete drainage ditch directly beside the brick so that the top of the ditch is just below the hatch opening to the crawl space and dump the water out to a lower section of the lawn?

Looking from the septic side photo...

It's hard to judge from the photo (Scott what do you think)...it looks like the ground is falling from meter base in the background to the photo in the foreground...if that is the case...run the drain towards the sewer...then out into the lawn...

Anyways...the grading is terrible...like Scott says...the lawn should fall away...

Rule of thumb is about 6" fall in 10'-0"...The next best thing (besides removing the septic) would be to channel the water at it's lowest point...

Home
Home Inspections in Central MS

The slope of grade away from structure: it's more than a rule of thumb. 2003/2006 IRC R401.3.

Slope aside, some serious erosion is occurring under the pad and it appears related to the roof runoff. So whatever solution is found for the grade, I think a part of the original problem is a lack of or malfunctioning gutters. This is definately a callout that I would be referring to the specialists.

Just out of curiosity, when you went under, was the grade high in the middle, withe trences at the rear and along the sides of perimeter?

it's more than a rule of thumb. 2003/2006 IRC R401.3.

Yea...I was trying not to sound too much like an expert! Did it work?

The builder must not have had a 401.3 reading handy....

G

I doubt he ever got as far as 101.2 and 101.3.

Apparently, I was trying to sound like an expert..... in olde English. Perhaps "with trenches" would have read better than " withe trences"

I'd recommend moving the gas pack to the side of the house. This would allow you to brick up the hole where the gas pack is currently located. Then the back wall could be waterproofed and a foundation drain installed. After this is done the grade could be corrected. Cost for all about 4k.

When looking at the photos the grade slopes toward the front of the house, from the sewer toward the HVAC unit and on toward the front of the house. You could that water was flowing through the crawlspace during heavy rains. I obviously wrote it up and refered it to the appropriate licensed contractors. My idea was to put in a small retaining wall, so the drain pipe could be back filled and then installing a drop inlet between the HVAC unit and the retaining wall and piping the water toward the front of the house under the HVAC pad. I attached a sketch, hopefully it is legible

pictures do show a problem, but need a large scale overview to be able to get a sense of the lay of the land and drainage. The openings in the brick wall have to be explained too. Then, what to do next may be possible to determine.

David

I would consider a french drain installed around the perimeter with the drain pipe terminating to daylight or a sump pump. You may also want to visit Building Science Corporation's website. Joe Lstiburek is an expert in the field and you can gain an enormous amount of knowledge not only on drainage but other issues as well