Help with positive drain!!

[mdan...@sophia.sph.unc.edu]

My husband and I are building a house that was started during very bad
weather, snow and heavy rain. Because of this very unusual situation in our
area with clay type of soil, the crawlspace lowest point ended up being
lower than the street level making it impossible to drain water out using a
positive drain. The house also has a french drainage that tides all together
at the same point with the positive drain in the crawlspace. Our builder is
installing an electric pump to drain the water out.

Our questions are:

Will this type of solution protect my house from excessive moisture in the
crawlspace?

Is this a common practice on most houses? This is perfectly flat lot.

Do you have suggestions or comments? We just want to have second opinions.

What are the advantages or desadvantages?

Is bringing the peripheral outside water, toward this pump inside the
crawlspace the best solution?

What about heavy storms and no electricity, Will I face serious problems?

Too inquisitive but I just need to know more about,

Thanks!

M. Lewin

[ru...@cadvision.com]

> mdan...@sophia.sph.unc.edu writes:
> My husband and I are building a house that was started during very bad
> weather, snow and heavy rain. Because of this very unusual situation in our
> area with clay type of soil, the crawlspace lowest point ended up being
> lower than the street level making it impossible to drain water out using a
> positive drain.

Maybe I'm missing the point here, but is this house still under construction? If it is,
then I think you are in a better situation than if it were already built.

We had a similar problem with our extension. The basement was dug and then
the rains started. The contractor was going to just pour the footings (full
basement) over the slugde/clay mess. Architect checked (we paid 40$ /site vist
-- worth every penny!) and said NO WAY. Contractor and architect duked it out
-- architect won. The contractor had to remove the substandard substarte and
pour extra large, extra wide footings to compensate for his mistake of not keeping
the site properly prepped.

I's suggest that if you are still under sonstruction, deep six the pump idea -- it'll
be a constant worry. Get them to do it right!

>

Tom

==============================================================
Tom Ruta, ISP "Nunc hoc in marmore
Manager, Information Services non est incision"
Tarragon Oil and Gas Limited
FAX: (403)262-5324
PHONE: (403)974-7690 Email: ru...@cadvision.com

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