Old houses often have water problems. Mine sure does. Last year, the kids and I worked all summer on building a huge drywell area, to lead rainwater runoff from the roof away from the foundation of the house. You can read more about it here and here and here.
It has helped our water situation, somewhat, although we so still get backup water from the sump well. I think the reason for that is the undergorund water table is very high around here, and there is only so much we can do to deal with that. Nonetheless, I’ve been mulling over more of my options. I cannot really prevent the water from coming up and into my property, but I can divert it. So we are going to build French drains around the perimeter of the house, one side at a time. (we are doing the digging ourselves, with shovels).
Perhaps the best article I’ve read on building a French drain, and understanding water flow, is here at Ask the Builder. I’m not quite sure where to have the drainage area, because there is the chance of exacerbating the water problems if I don’t extend the French drain system far enough away from the house; I’ll just be creating a pond from all that runoff!
So… I’m doing more research and thinking. I may have to tear up a section of the asphalt driveway to do this. The driveway is very old, and was installed much too close to the house anyway (it’s only two feet away from the house walls!) I have some tough decisions to make. But I think this will be our autumn project before school begins for the kids. And we have to go camping sometime soon before then, too!
August 20, 2008 at 4:57 pm
Hi There!
This is just a suggestion, don’t know if it’s really what your into or not…in the area that I live in in Belgium a lot of houses have problems with water seeping into the basements due to the ground level dropping around the time of the height of coal mining at the turn of the century. More a case of the streets sinking down into the water table. One particular problem was helped significantly by planting a weeping willow in the garden. They drink huge amounts of water and look great too!
Hope you figure something out!
Claire
August 20, 2008 at 5:13 pm
I think that’s a great idea from Claire! You should try it, in the meantime looks like a lot of hard work is on the schedule for you
August 20, 2008 at 8:01 pm
Claire, thank you for your excellent advice. I have been trying willow trees, but I do have some unique problems.
We have a severe deer problem. Four years ago I planted willows, and the deer ate them allll. I was SO mad!!!
Secondly, my property is very long and narrow. There is not much space on either side of the house, and none in the back (which is all old parking lot from when the house served as a parsonage). I would have to place the willows very close to the house, which is not wise because we get severe windstorms on occasion.
The only acceptable area for willows in in the far backyard, where the deer eat my trees. I do have one willow tree in my secret garden, believe it or not– I am nurturing it there, and when it is old enough to fend for itself against the deer, I will plant it in the back.
I really appreciate your advice. I didn’t know that about Belgium– how amazing! I will certainly see about planting more willows, definitely!
Thanks!
August 21, 2008 at 3:16 pm
Great minds think alike eh?
Yeah trees close to the house are worrying. We have some protected oak trees about 8m from the corner of our house. They are more than 1.5m in diameter so I hope they are really solid!
It’s annoying when something you grow gets destroyed by animals but i’m such a sucker I can never get angry at them, especially something so cute as deers
Hope you can save the last remaining tree, good luck!
Claire
August 23, 2008 at 7:14 am
Newer houses sometimes have water problems too. My mom’s house is only about 10 years old and was built on a concrete slab, with water pipes running through it. She’s had to have that slab dug up 3 times due to pipes breaking inside the concrete. They re-routed them through the attic, but somehow I don’t think that would give me much comfort either…LoL
The rest of the houses in the subdivision have the exact same problem, only the contractor who built them has gone out of business, so they’re stuck with it. Ugh!