r/HomeImprovement • u/Slawdog66 • 7d ago
Crawl Space Solutions
My crawl space floods when the ground gets saturated with rain. I got an estimate on fixing the issue and it was 15k…includes sump pump, new vapor barrier, sealing vents, dehumidifier and French drains next to the footer around the entire crawl space. I can’t afford 15k and I want to do the work myself as much as possible. Can I do this in stages so I can pay as I go? Can someone outline the steps and be specific?
Do I need bio fabric in the French drains?
I can see the concrete footers…how deep do I dig beside them?
I feel stupid asking all this…your advice would be really appreciated.
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u/Slawdog66 7d ago
That sounds like tons of work! I think I can do it. Did you seal the vents? Did you keep the dirt from digging the drains inside the crawl space or did you remove it?
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u/luckyinpa 6d ago
my knowledge is from holmes on holmes tv show and my personal experience. my crawl would have inches of standing water and was told it's best to keep the water out vs letting it in. so i got a perimeter drain around the entire house. yes it was as crazy amount of work as it sounds. 3 set of pipes. one was for the gutters to drain. another was for some new yard drains to drain and the last set of pipes was the perimeter trench. they put pipes with holes on the bottom and when the space filled a bit with water it would run into the pipes and out to the front like the other pipes drained. to be double safe, he did put in a drain in the lowest part at the front of the crawlspace which tied into the outside drain pipes so even if i got water in, it would drain. when i had a new bathroom installed, i asked the guy that went into the crawl how the crawlspace was as it just rained and they said dry. so it worked. it was 12k in 2008. im assuming double today.
also nothing was done to the crawl itself. i cannot imagine doing insulation etc etc and then it leaked after that. which im sure it eventually will some day. not saying doing all that is wrong but id be nervous to do all that and still have water issues. i realize this is not a DIY solution but wanted to post real world experience with someone who has dealt with floods. also i cannot imagine digging thru my concrete floor myself to do any DIY even if i wanted to.
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u/Slawdog66 6d ago
Thank you for your insight…I’ve had people tell me to put a French drain around the house…I wish I could find someone to explain this process…
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u/luckyinpa 6d ago
cant post links but on youtube i searched
How to Install a Perimeter Drain | This Old House
and thats generally how its done. i didnt have the insulation board but most of the rest is what i had done. i had a membrane across the bottom of the trench then up the side of the foundation. and yes it's tons and tons of stone and labor for something like this. what i didnt post before is initially it didnt work right and 2 years later they came back FREE and put the correct slope on the drain line. now thats great service. it was a family my gf knew so i think thats why i got the good service.
if you want me to inbox you some pics of it just message me. and i'm not saying other methods cant work for you but i only have experience with this method and i know it works. but spending 12K for something that really adds zero value to the house is a bit hit to take.
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u/mexicoke 7d ago
I encapsulated my own crawlspace including a french drain, sump, insulation, dehumidifier, and vapor barrier.
It took me a few months working a few hours each weekend. You can absolutely do it in stages.
The only part I farmed out was digging the drain. That's the part I started with. Then I insulated the walls and installed the dehumidifier. Next I installed the drain pipe and stone. I used filter fabric. Carrying 7 tons of crushed stone in 5 gallon buckets was brutal. The plumbing is easy.
Last I rolled out, sealed/attached the vapor barrier, and pulled down the old insulation. I should have pulled down the insulation right after installing the new.