In the case of the basement I had a backhoe come in and dig right down to the bottom of the footings, in this case about 7 feet deep and probably a little better than two feet wide. I laid the weeping tile in the bottom of the trench only a short distance from the side of the footing then poured about a foot of crushed rock over the lot. I then filled up to within a few inches grade with sand. Mostly then I applied topsoil but again graded it away from the basement walls even a slight slope is enough. In my case I fitted each end into a 'T' which fitted into the town drain.
We use what they refer to Weeping tile in a sock which is to say that the pipe is wrapped in a light fabric tube. The trick is to offer a path of least resistance to the water so it runs into the drain and not through my basement walls. It depends on how much work you are willing to do and how tough you are. I would probably be willing to dig a trench a couple of feet deep and a foot and a half wide but it depends on how long and how hard the soil is, you may need a pick to open it in which case a backhoe and operator used to cost about 50 bucks an hour and they can move a lot of dirt in an hour. You quite probably should call the utility people to mark any gas, water and electric lines before you dig. Even by hand, you could have a nasty experience. Of course it is possible to make a good educated guess, I assume there were footings dug for your sun room and that the electrical service isn't stuck to the outside of it. ----- Original Message ----- From: Kevin Doucet To: [email protected] Sent: Tuesday, August 26, 2008 10:59 PM Subject: Re: [BlindHandyMan] need help with another water problem How far away of the footings of your basement are these trenches you dug? Also what would I need to dig a trench 1 and a half or two feet deep? And lastly, do I need to get the plumbing and electrician people out to mark problematic areas for digging a trench that deep? Thanks grate help so far. At 07:54 PM 8/26/2008, you wrote: >We arrange a drainage system like this around the outside of the >footings of our basements to carry any water which percolates down >the outside of the basement walls usually into storm drains or under >the footing and into a sump in the basement where a pump is >installed to pump the water up and away. It is often used around the >footings of slab construction too. You should also do what you can >to grade the surface ground away from the building. > >If the drain is a foot and a half or more below where traffic is >driving it should not be crushed. > >You might do as well just to excavate along the outside edge of the >building a little below the level of the floor and lay the weeping >tile in the bottom of the trench with a slope then backfill with >clean gravel and, depending on the elevations, the end of the tile >can be just left to dribble out onto the ground. make sure too that >your eaves troughs aren't adding to the water load. > >It is a little difficult without really thoroughly understanding the >ground but the principle is certainly sound. > >----- Original Message ----- >From: Kevin Doucet >To: <mailto:blindhandyman%40yahoogroups.com>[email protected] >Sent: Tuesday, August 26, 2008 7:50 PM >Subject: [BlindHandyMan] need help with another water problem > > >When I moved in my current house I noticed dampness on the back wall > >of the garage. Later I realized when it rained really hard or > >persistently, water was standing behind the garage and moistening > >the wall. Well later, I had a 20 by 20 sun room build behind the > >garage. I assumed, wrongly, this would alleviate my water problem. > >Now when it rains hard or persistently, I get water in the end of > >the room at precisely the same location of the previous problem, > >only now it is along the rear of the room as well as along the side > >adjacent. So far I have not finished that room so the problem is not > >as bad as it could be. > >I blame this problem on the fact that because just behind my new room >is a rather steep grade of about 5 or 6 feet high. Now what I would >like to do is channel this water about 10 or 15 feet to the other >side of my driveway ware there is a ditch which would take the >offending water to the street drain. > >I considered digging a trench behind the room at the end ware the >problem is and over to the ditch at the other side of my drive, >placing some of the 4" perforated plastic drain pipe in this >ditch. Below is a bit of text I took from a guide to get rid of >standing water in a yard. Do you think this approach will work for my >situation and do you think I could allow vehicles to drive over this >berried pipe with out damage to the pipe? > >Getting rid of standing water in your yard. > >Firstbuy some 4" perforated plastic drain pipe. The best kind >for this purpose is the flexible kind that comes in 100' >rolls. This type of drain pipe has small slits all around the >pipe. These slits allow water to enter the pipe so it can be >carried away. > >Just dig a trench from the center of the low area you are >trying to drain, to the point that you intend to drain it to. >Using a simple line level you can set up a string over top of >the trench to make sure that your pipe runs down hill all the >way. A line level is a very small level that is designed to >attach to a string. Any hardware stores sells them for just a >couple of dollars. Set the string up so it is level, then >measure from the string to the bottom of your trench to make >sure you have constant fall. You should have 6" fall for every >100' of pipe. > >The highest point is going to be the area that you are trying >to drain, so you only want your pipe deep enough at this point >so it can be covered with soil. Once the trench is dug just >lay the pipe in. At the highest end of the pipe you'll need to >insert a strainer into the end of the pipe to keep soil from >entering the pipe. > >Cover the pipe with some washed stone, and then backfill the >trench with soil. The washed stone creates a void around the >pipe so that the water can find it's way into the pipe. Washed >stone is usually inexpensive stone that has been washed so it >is clean and free of mud. The only part of the pipe that needs >to be exposed is the low end, where the water exits the pipe. >Do not put a strainer in that end. > >Thanks. > >Kevin Doucet ><mailto:contactme%40kevindoucet.com>[EMAIL PROTECTED] > >confuse as says > >Blind man with unmarked forehead has large belly! > >[Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > > >Internal Virus Database is out of date. >Checked by AVG - http://www.avg.com >Version: 8.0.138 / Virus Database: 270.6.6/1626 - Release Date: >8/21/2008 6:54 PM Thanks. Kevin Doucet [EMAIL PROTECTED] confuse as says Blind man with unmarked forehead has large belly! [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
