Filter Fabric for French Drain - Don't Waste Your Money! Filter fabric for french drains is not required. It's a myth. Websites and YouTube channels promote it with reckless abandon. Here's why it's a waste of money. Water drainage is misunderstood by many a homeowner, builder, YouTube personality, and building inspector if my incoming email […]
Basement Leak Repair - Best is Doing it Outside Ande lives in Puyallup, WA and reads my weekly column in her paper. She’s got a very common problem. In fact, tens of thousands of people suffer from it in places where there’s abundant rainfall for many months during the year. Ande’s backyard turns into a […]
Groundwater Flow Direction - It's Almost Always Sideways and Down Your home may be plagued with a wet basement or crawlspace where water enters at will when it rains outside. In addition, your yard may be the neighborhood bog rendering it useless in the wet season. Would you be interested in knowing how to make […]
Dry Well Installation - They Rarely Work Do you think a dry well installation job is going to solve your drainage problem? You've come to the right place. I'm a college-trained geologist with a focus in hydrogeology - the study of groundwater. Why Don't Dry Wells Work? Dry wells don't work in most cases because […]
"It’s important for you to consider the amount of water that comes off a roof." QUESTION: Tim, I think I’ve got a good idea. I’m re-roofing two of my barns with metal roofing. I was thinking of extending the roof past the walls 18-inches so dripping water falls farther away from the barn walls. Right […]
Patio Puddles DEAR TIM: I’ve got a problem I need you to solve. You see each time it rains I have a puddle develop on the outer edge of my circular patio. It’s older concrete and it appears the puddle is related to a crack that’s above a low retaining wall the patio rests on. […]
Lot Drainage Solutions - Some are Tough To Do Do you have lot drainage problems as Arlen does? When it rains hard water can flow into his garage in the photo above. Here's a lot near my home that requires at least two lot drainage solutions: What Causes Lot Drainage Problems? Flat ground is the […]
DEAR TIM: I’m about to build a new home with both an attached garage and a separate free-standing three-bay garage. The house I grew up in had floor drains in the garage and they were wonderful. My builder has never heard of garage floor drains and insists on sloping the concrete floor so all liquids […]
Different Deck Piers QUESTION #1: Tim, can you explain why I need concrete deck piers under the wood support posts that hold up my deck? I saw an older deck where the posts just rested on pre-cast concrete stepping stones. The deck seemed fine to me. Are deck piers overkill and a way for contractors […]
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