CheckYour Existing Drains...While it Rains

Please read entire article and pass on to your friend's neighbors and clients.

Most foundation problems are the result of wet and dry moisture cycles on expansive soils. When you add in rolling hills, you up the probability of bad things happening.

The number one thing that can be done to prevent/minimize foundation

movement  is affecting the balance of moisture changes in the soils. Part of this consist of, as you have all heard, watering the foundation during the long hot dry periods. This can lower the effects of rapid drying and the shrinking of the soil. This is also hard to do correctly, runs up your water bill considerably and is easy to screw up.  

On the other hand, and more important, in most cases, and more effective than watering when it is hot, is having adequate drainage all year around. The problem is, most people try to rely on half-ass, hap- hazard watering, and neglect their drainage.

When they do involve drainage, they either try to do it themselves, hire their lawn maintenance man to do it, neither of whom understand the effects of water on the foundation.  

Or, they may contact a foundation repair company who is very expensive, and would really rather try to sell you piers, which is not the answer to foundation problems caused by negative drainage.

That leaves either a specialty "Drainage Contractor" who is extremely expensive and usually works on large city projects such as parks, commercial buildings, and schools, or a consultant who understands the effects of negative drainage on foundations. 

 I can show you how to do it yourself, or, what to have the yard man or landscaper do, to get it right.  

In just the last twelve or so years, since I have been out, as a contractor, and in, as a fee-based foundation repair and drainage contractor, I bet I have found 600 drainage jobs where the drain exits were lost completely, or  they tried to run the water uphill, or grass and soil were compacted over the intake areas, or the intake areas were too high to accept excess water, or they just flat didn't work.   

During that same period, I may have found fifty drains over six months old that were operating as designed. It is incredible!   

If you have a drainage problem, or somebody before you, or somebody you hired have addressed a drainage problem, go outside and check it out. Check it while it is raining.

Some of the things you need to remember:

Water does not run uphill. If you have any type drain it has to have an outlet that you can find to know it is working. 

IMPORTANT NOTE: It is illegal, in most communities to run collected rain water into city sanitary sewer service. The cities do not want to pay the high cost of treating rainwater like they do sewer water. Contractors and homeowners can be fined considerably. Do not assume that is where the collected waters are going.

Other things to remember: understand where the water comes from and give it a place to go, which is away from your home. Remember water will always take the path of least resistance.

Also, when in doubt, use your hose to see where the water will run.  During heavy storms, water blows in almost horizontally, hits your wall under the gutter and goes straight down to the ground. What then? Does it run away from the house or does it pond there, soaking up and under the foundation. It's important to know where it goes.  

Need help or more information? Contact me. I don't do the work but I tell you the straight story on what you need, how to get it done correctly and at a fair price. If I don't help you don't pay me.
Richard Rash, the Foundation Man, phone or text 817-308-8186.

Email: richardrashinc@tx.rr.com.

Website: www.repairfoundations.com. 

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.Remember: Be Sure...before you pier!