Drainage under my house

[wayne quigley]

I have a 3ft high crawlspace (approx.). About 1.5 feet below the surface, I have water. I found this out by digging a hole about 3 ft deep. It fills (from water seeping into the hole from the surrounding ground) up to about 1.5 feet below the surface. I took a stick and poked it into the ground along the foundation. Appearantly, this water exists all over the place under my house. Its like its trapped. My house is on high ground, and is actually on the top of a hill. The only reason I can think of for the water being there is that the ground has a lot of clay, and weve had a ton of rain this year.There is no noticible damage at this time – no mildew either.Im concerned about what this could do to my foundation.

[John ProctorParticipant]

I wouldnt worry too much about the foundation, but mildew could be a problem. A vapor barrier of heavy plastic on the ground should help control mildew.First I would check where the down spouts from the gutters (if you have any) discharge. If the downspouts drain next to the house route them away downhill somewhere.You say you are on the top of a hill, but if the ground immediately next to the house slopes toward the house this may account for the poor drainage. This could be fixed by regrading the ground around the house to provide drainage.If you really want to get rid of the water dig a ditch up to the foundation put a pipe under the foundation and dig ditches inside the crawl space to direct the water to the ditch. This would be a lot of work.: I have a 3ft high crawlspace (approx.). About 1.5 feet : below the surface, I have water. I found this out by : digging a hole about 3 ft deep. It fills (from water : seeping into the hole from the surrounding ground) up : to about 1.5 feet below the surface. I took a stick : and poked it into the ground along the foundation. : Appearantly, this water exists all over the place under : my house. Its like its trapped. My house is on high : ground, and is actually on the top of a hill. The only : reason I can think of for the water being there is that : the ground has a lot of clay, and weve had a ton of : rain this year.: There is no noticible damage at this time – no mildew : either.: Im concerned about what this could do to my : foundation.

[John ProctorParticipant]

: I have a 3ft high crawlspace (approx.). About 1.5 feet : below the surface, I have water. I found this out by : digging a hole about 3 ft deep. It fills (from water : seeping into the hole from the surrounding ground) up : to about 1.5 feet below the surface. I took a stick : and poked it into the ground along the foundation. : Appearantly, this water exists all over the place under : my house. Its like its trapped. My house is on high : ground, and is actually on the top of a hill. The only : reason I can think of for the water being there is that : the ground has a lot of clay, and weve had a ton of : rain this year.: There is no noticible damage at this time – no mildew : either.: Im concerned about what this could do to my : foundation.

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