Working on an old old house that has virtually no clearance to the ground. Of course the sill has rotted and I have to deal with that.
I am also going to work on a drainage system to assure that water from higher ground does not flow up against the house. Here is how I am planning on doing it. I would like anyone who has more experience to critique or offer advice.
I have already dug a ditch with enough fall on it that in recent rains it drained nicely. Next I plan on getting a load of crusher run and fill some of the ditch (after I put landscape fabric in the ditch).
I will use a line level to assure that I have a fall.
I will install perforated drain pipe, two runs, all the way thru to the drainage point.
I will install more landscape fabric
I will cover with more crusher run, more landscape fabric and then a pourous mulch such as pine bark.
What am I missing?
I look down my nose at people who dare to look down their nose at people.
Replies
DON'T use crusher run!
That has a mix of fines and course including dust that will set up like concrete.
You need a loose free flowing rock. Probably 3/4" clean.
Washed run is better but most finers would probably settle out pretty well without compromising the drainage.
If you are able to get plastic drain pipe that is "socked," then use it. The filter fabric is made tubular and the perforated drain tile sections, usually 10 feet long, are slid inside. Eack pipe length has a full-length sock around it. Landscape contractors use it, as well as excavators that do site work and drainage. It is your best assurance that the pipe will not silt up with fines over time. It would make the use of any landscape fabric unneccessary. And yes, do NOT use crusher run. I always use these "curtain drain" ditches around my houses under the roof edge drip lines (no gutters), make them about 12 inches deep minimum, slope maybe 1/4-inch per foot, and run a pipe to daylight away from the low corners. Use gravel 1/4" min to 1" max in the ditches, and top dress them with washed river gravel, big pretty pieces about golf ball size.