R Michael Gray PE - Water Your Foundation The Right Way
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- Опубликовано: 23 апр 2011
- How to water your Houston slab foundation the right way by a Houston, Texas Professional Structural Engineer, R Michael Gray PE, who specializes in engineering foundation inspections and engineering home inspections.
More information can be found at: www.houstontexashomeinspector.com
www.houstonslabfoundations.com
www.wateryourfoundation.com 
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I am very glad I watched this video. I was under the assumption that watering next to the foundation was the logical choice. Thank you for clarifying that it is 100% incorrect! You saved me thousands of dollars in just 10 minutes of my time. Thank you!
Exceptionally helpful, thank you. This is what the Internet was made for!
Thanks, Michael. We have the same expansive soils in the Fort Worth area. Our home inspection clients are always asking us for advice on how to "water the foundation." I think your video is so valuable, because it gives them a tutorial. You tell them how to build the system, how to place it for most effective use, and the proper timing for the use of it all. Great work! I'm a subscriber and a fan.
I really liked your video. I’m updating my system and am going to try your recommended products. The timer is key. Thank you very much for this valuable information. My neighbor just spent $10k. on foundation work.
I didn't know you weren't supposed to place the hose next to the foundation. We just moved here from Oregon where all we have is water, water, water. I din't know about foundation watering. We purchased our first Texas home this Spring in the Dallas area, and thanks to you I can protect my foundation properly. Thanks.
I've done this for 5 years, and all I've had is headaches from worthless soaker hoses that get holes in them after only a week or two... not to mention leaving the timer on means leaving your faucet on, which means there's ALWAYS a drip, no matter how hard you try. Also, I have a very long distance to cover with a soaker hose, so there's just not enough water pressure to make it the distance (especially when they get a tear or a hole in them).
Great video. I have a few questions:
1) Do you just lay the soaker hose on the ground 12 to 18 inches away or do you bury it or something? I'm sure you would have said to bury it if that was the case, but I thought I better check.
2) How can you tell if you are watering too much?
3) What about driveways? My only foundation issue so far is the garage slab which keeps shifting away and down from the house slab a tiny bit each year. Big problem since everything above the slabs is one connected structure. Anyway 1/3rd of the area around that garage slab is obviously driveway. Do I need to worry about that side? Btw, I have no air gaps around that garage slab. However, I do have some around the house slab which isn't shifting or anything. Is it possible that all of that expansion/shrinking around the house slab is pushing/pulling the garage area since it is smaller, etc?
4) How does the soaker hose method compare to the hole drilling one? I remember running across a video way back that suggested drilling like 2" holes several feet down every so far apart around the house. Then filling the holes with gravel. That way when you water the grass, etc, it fills the holes with water and soaks the ground.
I appreciate any advice you have.
The problem I have with soaker hose is it gets soaking wet at the beginning section and dry at the end section.
My problem is the soaker hose always gets clogged and stops watering. I do not busy it so I don't know what clogs it.
Michael, I have a question. In the video, what is the purpose of using the 4-way connector when you didn't attach any additional hoses to it in the video? Also, when attaching additional hoses, does that mean you will need a $40 timer for each hose? For example, if you want to use a 2-way hose connector, do you need 2 timers connected to that 2-way hose connector? I would assume so, but I just wanted to make sure as it could get expensive and bulky. Thanks in advance for your expertise!
So, I have a sprinkler system, but the side yards the grass doesn't grow so I am hardscaping. One side has pea stone the other will have crushed granite. Thinking about converting those sprinkler heads to drop systems and just have those zones water the sides. I can water the tree deeply in the front. -- your thoughts
The PE - gives you credibility.
I'm not a comment type of guy but DFW area residents need an extra detail. You water around your foundation year around. In DFW we have winter droughts and spring droughts at times. This video goes over some important facts but misses the fact that you can have dry cracking soal at any time of year. Just be careful in the winter to not leave the soaker hose on and put a cover over the outside faucet or your pipes will freeze when it gets too cold. In the cold months just put it on, water with the timer then take it off and cover the faucet. If you don't believe me, late December early January go outside and check your soal in your whole yard not just in 1 spot. Do you see cracking? Then yes soal can get extremely dry in any month of the year. You will water less often in the winter and early spring because you won't have as much evaporation as you do in the extremely hot months. Hope this helps someone.
In northern DFW, and this helped me. First time home owner, and I have been trying to figure this out for the three years we have been here. Bought a 20 year old house with a near perfect foundation. We were getting cracks in the walls and tile after a year and a half. Felt kind of rotten, that the first owners were able to maintain it wonderfully, but my lack of knowledge caused some damage. I think we are getting the hang of it now. Great info on the winter months. Thank you.
If were suppose to run gutters away from the house AND grade around the house so water runs away from the house, then WHY would I water foundation??? Explain the theory in detail please!
Yeah, i was struggling with this to. But as it was explained to me by a foundation company the idea is to try to keep the moisture level of the ground the same year round to prevent the soil from swelling and shrinking too much. Without gutters or a graded foundation, rainwater will pool and sink in under the foundation, and/or erode soil away. The soaker hoses are not right on the foundation, so what you are really doing with them is keeping the soil surrounding your home from drying out without the water running underneath your home. Too much water is just as damaging as too little. You have to find a balance, which is a pain in the butt and can take some time, but once you do, maintaining a schedule is as simple as a mowing routine.
"Anyone that blames you for not watering the foundation simply doesn’t know what he is talking about."--A-1 Engineering, LLC Austin and San Antonio
earthpet
My transferable warranty company that we are stuck with is milking my wallet thin. Please contact me. She is such a bitch as well. Now we have 46 piers that I'm aware of.
We just paid 1200 for left side of garage and 12ft of lft kitchen. We thought all piers where all ready there.