I have a raised ranch with a slab at grade level and full basement/garage built atop the slab (8′ high concrete block with the house on top). In the past, when we would have a string of consecutive rainy days, or if we had a big snow storm, then a quick melt off, water would build up on the side of the house and run across the slab. It would only happen under the worst of conditions.
Recently, the neighbor who owns the vacant lot next door had the lot cleared of all vegetation since he is trying to sell it (luckily, no buyers yet). When the lot was totally vegetated, my guess was that the trees, shrubs, grasses, etc. soaked up a good portion of the water. Now, with a vacant lot, the water has no where to go but onto my property and hence, across my slab. My slab now floods with about 1/2″ to 1″ of water with just the mildest rains. I am trying to figure out what to do.
My first thought was to bury a perforated drain pipe along the side of the house , cover with stone, and run the pipe out to the street. My concern with this is that we live on an island and the soil is basically sand. I would think that the sand would quickly work its way into the pipe and clog it.
There is no way to really put in a sump hole as the water level is probably about 12″ below grade. Again, any hole would just fill in with sand.
Is there any type of grade level pump that can be put down to suck up the seeping water? And does anyone have any ideas or thoughts on the perforated drain pipe being clogged with sand? Any other ideas or comments would also be greatly appreciated.
As always, thanks to all.
Brian, Bayview Renovations
Replies
A properly constructed swale might alleviate your problem.
A swale, if you don't know, is basically a slope or valley meant to control the flow of water across a property. Think of it as a wide, shallow, sloped trench that would lead the water off to the street instead of allowing it to run toward your house.
Let me ask a seemingly obvious question...
Is your slab higher than the ground outside?
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I would think that the sand would quickly work its way into the pipe and clog it.
you wrap the pipe in silt sock.
Actually, he should wrap the entire gravel arrangement in geo-textile cloth... maybe even wrap the pipe too, separately.
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Re-grading or a french drain is the answer here. There is a product called landscape fabric that you use to surrond the stone and drain pipe with to keep the fines out.
Temporarily until you get this done, - sandbags to divert the flow.
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slab at grade level and full basement/garage built atop the slab
Slab on grade under a basement?
I'm confused.
Waterproofing a basement is more complicated than "waterproofing" a slab on grade.
Anyway, landscaping the watershed is a good start for both. As is directing the gutter drains so they aren't contributing to the problem.
SamT
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The problem with the sock on the drainage pipes is that if your soil has got any sort of clay to it at all it will very quickly clog and make it difficult for water to get into the pipe. A few suggestions for you here, it seems like youre going to need a back hoe one way or another. If you have one out for the afternoon, you should put in your drainage pipes put down gravel first, then follow it with your pipe sans sock! get a 3ft roll of tyvek drape it over your pipe cover with gravel. This will allow the water to be diverted around the pipe initially giving sediment a chance to dissipate in the gravel, then the water once past the tyvek will enter the bottom of the pipe and travel away from your house. Finally once you've got the pipe in the ground a swale as suggested earlier would likely be enough on it's own(you do have the backhoe there already may as well do the preforated pipe). Most of the time just correcting your grading will be fine. You may be able to find slope % that has been adjusted for your area through you building dept. Also there are plenty of options in terms of ground cover available some will be much more thirsty than others. Good luck