How to stop rain water from soaking into the ground?

[pepper]

I didn't really know where to put this question. On a very slight slope of ground what is the best way to repel rain water down the slight slope without using a rubber underlay? Plants hold moisture so I am thinking gravel or sand covered with wood chips. But both of those drain water down so I don't think it would repel it.

For a general idea of what I am talking about it's been raining very heavy amounts lately but it all comes at once, like a few hours of crazy heavy rain. It's leaving a lot of water on the ground right beside my house foundation. It's not flooding my basement but I notice the carpet is damp right beside the wall on one side of the house. It's a finished basement so I can't really see what's going on but I am thinking condensation because the ground is so wet on the other side of the brick there. So does anyone know what I could put down to have the water slide down more then soak in? Whatever I use I'll put red cedar wood chips on top so it looks half decent. I looked up the price of rubber rolls to layer down and it's not cheap so if there is an alternative I'd like to try that first.

 

[redback]

Normally you would pave a meter wide path sloping away from the wall. What's the reason you can't just use concrete or pavers?

 

[pepper]

The ideal way is dig down and put a vapor barrier against the buried concrete. But that's $$$ and since it's only condensation and not a crack I'd rather use something that will drain it off. I don't really want to pave the side of my house, it would look odd. I've never seen concrete or anything like that on the side of a house that isn't a walkway or driveway. The next option besides vapor barrier would be an underlay of rubber sheeting but I'd still prefer to avoid that. Those are more for major issues like a crack in the foundation.

 

[pepper]

10'x12" rubber underlay is over $100 per sheet and I'd need a lot. So something that would repel water rather than soak it in would be ideal. But would still look decent unlike concrete.

 

[DirtMechanic]

I didn't really know where to put this question. On a very slight slope of ground what is the best way to repel rain water down the slight slope without using a rubber underlay? Plants hold moisture so I am thinking gravel or sand covered with wood chips. But both of those drain water down so I don't think it would repel it.

For a general idea of what I am talking about it's been raining very heavy amounts lately but it all comes at once, like a few hours of crazy heavy rain. It's leaving a lot of water on the ground right beside my house foundation. It's not flooding my basement but I notice the carpet is damp right beside the wall on one side of the house. It's a finished basement so I can't really see what's going on but I am thinking condensation because the ground is so wet on the other side of the brick there. So does anyone know what I could put down to have the water slide down more then soak in? Whatever I use I'll put red cedar wood chips on top so it looks half decent. I looked up the price of rubber rolls to layer down and it's not cheap so if there is an alternative I'd like to try that first.

Its most likely the roof, sorry to say. Gutters above and french drains below may help.

 

[redback]

I'm struggling to get the picture...
very heavy rain ...some staying on top .... some leaking through the wall to the carpet ...
or none leaking through the wall but the sheer coldness of the cellar wall causing condensation down the wall inside the warmer cellar.?
I'm not sure but polystyrene can be used against a cellar wall, but you would have to dig down to the cellar floor level. Then you would use a plastic sheet to protect the polystyrene and backfill with gravel. A big job depending on how deep you have to dig.

 

[oneeye]

You can't stop the rainwater without concrete or a "pipe drainage system" like French drains. As long as there is plenty of living plant roots holding the ground together you should be ok. Rainy seasons are impermanent and sometimes one has to make peace with it.

 

[Oliver Buckle]

Its most likely the roof, sorry to say. Gutters above and french drains below may help.

Definitely worth checking above first, water travels downward. Check the edge tiles and the waterproof layer underneath, the soffit, and the pointing on the brick work higher up the wall. Any windows? Water can get in above or around the edge and I have seen a prevailing wind blow water back up a windowsill and under the window.

 

[pepper]

I'm struggling to get the picture...
very heavy rain ...some staying on top .... some leaking through the wall to the carpet ...
or none leaking through the wall but the sheer coldness of the cellar wall causing condensation down the wall inside the warmer cellar.?

I don't know if it's on the walls because it's a finished basement so there is a drywall wall built against the foundation wall that's painted, I can't see the foundation. But my guess is the cool air inside and the hot air outside with the rain soaked soil is causing condensation on the cement and dripping down.

Its most likely the roof, sorry to say. Gutters above and french drains below may help.

I recently had new gutters put on, new shingles on the roof and new windows put in so that's not the issue. Also it's the side of the house so there is no roof overhang and the rain goes into the gutters on the front and back of the house. I have central a/c and I keep it really cool in the house but the basement is much colder so I think that's the problem. The soil against the foundation gets soaked and because it's so warm and the basement is so cold it's causing condensation build up. I could just keep the dehumidifier running and put on a small heater in the basement by the wall but if there was an easy way to prevent the rain from soaking into the ground then I would do that. But I'm starting to think there isn't a cheap easy way lol.

You can't stop the rainwater without concrete or a "pipe drainage system" like French drains. As long as there is plenty of living plant roots holding the ground together you should be ok. Rainy seasons are impermanent and sometimes one has to make peace with it.

It's not the rain I mind or worry about the soil washing away, it's the mold that can be caused by the moisture between the finished wall and cement foundation. Especially black mold I want to avoid.

 

[DirtMechanic]

I can attest that when I had my apartment buildings tested for mold the fellow said whatever mold is outside is also inside, just the "blooming" conditions are not right. I had some tenant hipster types shut off their electricity and open the windows. Sheetrock hates that. So do closets. You might wanna open a wall hole to see what was done against the masonry if anything. Bless the folks that make dehumidifiers. It is crazy humid and hot here also.

 

[pepper]

I can attest that when I had my apartment buildings tested for mold the fellow said whatever mold is outside is also inside, just the "blooming" conditions are not right. I had some tenant hipster types shut off their electricity and open the windows. Sheetrock hates that. So do closets. You might wanna open a wall hole to see what was done against the masonry if anything. Bless the folks that make dehumidifiers. It is crazy humid and hot here also.

Yes it's probably a good idea to check. A friend of mine has one of those little cameras on the long cord for putting down sinks and stuff. I'll borrow that so I don't have to put a big hole in the wall.

 

[DirtMechanic]

Yes it's probably a good idea to check. A friend of mine has one of those little cameras on the long cord for putting down sinks and stuff. I'll borrow that so I don't have to put a big hole in the wall.

A butterfly patch in sheetrock is very easy but never as easy as a small hole for an expensive and expansive camera lense these days.

 

[pepper]

A butterfly patch in sheetrock is very easy but never as easy as a small hole for an expensive and expansive camera lense these days.

It's not the patching back up that sucks it's matching the paint so it doesn't look like a patch job was done. He is dropping by with the camera this week sometime so I'll drill a hole behind a few picture frames that are hanging to check it out. Then a little putty over it. He thinks I should put a vent or two in the drywall, it might be a good idea. I'll see what it looks like.

 

[pepper]

He thinks another possibility is that the pipes are sweating in the wall. It's the side of the house that the central a/c unit is on and there is water pipes running in it as well. That would be great if it's just a coincidence I noticed it after a heavy rain and that's all it is.

 

[Consistency]

Is the basement foundation poured concrete or made of cinderblocks? If it's made of cinderblocks; you may need to get someone to dig along the exterior wall and apply adhesive waterproofing barrier to the wall.

Is the exterior of the house, siding or brick wall?

Installing weeping tile against the wall and removing excess dirt so the water can runoff is an option.

HDX 600w halogen work light from home depot can be used to dry the basement.