wet crawl space

   / wet crawl space #1  

mechanic

Silver Member
Joined
Feb 7, 2004
Messages
209
Location
missouri
We bought a house that had a wet crawl space and had basement systems fix it so we would not get damage from moisture getting to the wood. I'm trying to figure out exactly what would cause sump pumps to keep going off even though the rain is over. We got somewhere in the six inch rain in two days. When we get these kinds of rain anything on the heavy side my sump pumps go off for days. Is it possible that the ground fills up with water and pushes it up through the gound under the house. I have my own ideas and don't need anymore but someone that has experienced this and what you figured out was causing it. I keep wondering about it. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif
 
   / wet crawl space #2  
I have to ask a few dumb questions. Is basement systems a company? Is your house on a block and beam style foundation and directly on the ground? Is your home located in a lower elevation than the surrounding lot? Are you on city water and sewer or Aerobics or septic tank system?

Sorry for all the questions but on two extreme occasions I have had to jack up and re-level two well built, nice homes that were situated in the lower part of the lot, and exposed to water percolation from the slightest rainfall.

We added two 8x8x16 blocks to all the existing piers, elevating the home 16". We also added 6" of clean clay and lime mixed with a tractor tiller, shoveled in under the foundation. The water, phone and sewer lines were cut and extended accordingly. It was a big job, but the results were excellent. The mixture of lime stabilized the fill, absorbed all the residual moisture, was as hard as rock AND critters permanently vacated their old home.

Hopefully, your problem is much simpler.

Regards, Mark
 
   / wet crawl space #3  
Mechanic, without knowing more about the house location, underbuiilding construction and how it relates to surrounding land levels, drainage and how your sump pumps are located and where they pump to, soil conditions, etc. it's impossible to undertake a diagnostic. If you can post photographs and provide descriptions that will help answer these questions, I'll try to help you assess the problem and the most cost effective means of remedying it. Pm me if you'd prefer.
 
   / wet crawl space #4  
</font><font color="blue" class="small">( ... I'm trying to figure out exactly what would cause sump pumps to keep going off even though the rain is over. ......my sump pumps go off for days...... /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif )</font>

When you say "your pumps are going off" do you mean they quit pumping, or they 'go off for days' and keep pumping? Maybe just a choice of words that makes this a bit confusing.

Rain will fill the ground with water that will seek a lower level for days, and if I understand you request, the pumps will keep pumping until that rain-soaked groundwater gets pumped out. Additional drains to keep the water away from the house would be needed, possibly.
 
   / wet crawl space #5  
The very first thing to look at is your gutter downspouts. Yes, depending on where you are in Missouri, it is very likely that your wet crawl space is from percolation of the soil, and yes, it will continue for days depending on the surrounding topography and soil composition. The quickest, simplest way to cut down on that is to make sure the roof runoff is carried well away from the house. Splashblocks are NOT the answer. I ran my downspouts into 4 inch plastic drain line and took it about 35 feet from the house. The last 20 feet are perforated pipe in a bed of gravel. I also found a nifty fitting at Lowe's that mounts flush in the yard and pops up when the water flow is too much for the leach field.

You may have bigger issues, as others have alluded. But if your downspouts just have an elbow at the bottom and a 12 inch long splash block, this would be a place to start.
 
 
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