Decks, Patios, Porches and Docks - How to Fix under my porch.....

Hello,

I have a porch that is attached to the house and tied into the roof. It is not isulatated and has windows on two sides and sided on the end. Underneath is a crawl space of about two feet.

Here is the issue, water is pooling under the crawl space and coming into the basement. (not lots just in heavy rains).

I believe it is just because over the years there is a dip under the porch and a puddle forms. ( 80 year old home and basement is only semi used and not for much)

I would also like to warm up the porch. Insulate the floor and new windows.

So where do I start? how do I insulated under the porch, and can I just fill in the dip and landscape the water back out?

Hope that is enough info. I can take pictures too,

Thanks for the time

Booster

Not being able to see what you see, yeah, you gotta get the water away from the foundation before you think of the other stuff. Filling it in may work, but I would place some perf pipe in it to drain the water away before I finished the fill, and make the fill gravel so the dirt doesn't cake up the perforations. Then you can see what is happening with the insulation or lack of, underneath.
If you could post a couple of pictures on a site such as photobucket.com and copy/paste the HTML code to a reply post we can see what you have.

thanks for the fast reply.

How far do I have to dig the o-pipe down? Not ideal digging spot I will have to use a garden shovel LOL

I will take some shots tonight and post them up

booster

I wouldn't dig for it, except for pitch. You didn't say how much of a swale you had. We'll wait on the pix.

I wouldn't dig for it, except for pitch. You didn't say how much of a swale you had. We'll wait on the pix.

what the hell is a swale? LOL:D

here are some pictues fresh off the press. gotta love the digital age.

Picasa Web Albums - Graeme - Porch (http://picasaweb.google.ca/fiveacross/Porch#)

A swale is a low spot surrounded by high spots. What is the white thing in the middle of the ground under the porch? Looks to be a drain. I see you are extending your downspout whenever you are home and think about it. I would ensure there was a better permanent way of getting the water away from the downspout. Landscaping under the porch would surely throw the water away from the foundation. I wonder if there is enough drainage out in the yard to keep it flowing. If not, installing a drainage system to a low spot or drain would help.

Looks like mold on your joist. I would spray it down before you insulated it.

I bet your downspout that that you show is helping a lot to fill that area up....water is definately pooling up due to grading issues...but the good thing is, is you can access it easily....

i would just grade away using some fill dirt....but also...it seems you have a healty seam in your foundation at the grade level...maybe fill it with some silcone before you cover it with fill dirt....

and go spend about 6 bucks on a 5 ft downspout extension or even better, buy two and go 10 feet away...you have to divert that water from your downspouts as far away from your foundation as possible.

good luck to ya

Thanks for the input guys, i started today.

When i get it cleaned up, can i just put bats of insulation in the floor joists to keep in a bit warmer in the winter? or rigid sheets even?

Thanks

Bats are fine, held up with spring wires at your supply store. Measure them, look like 15". A 6mill. black plastic uder the porch would help. Some hardware cloth behind the lattice work, to keep the rats from nest in/with your new insulation. Kraft paper side up, though box stores can be cheaper by not carrying faced. Seal any penetrations in the floor first. Be safe, GBR

Thank you for the quick reply. I ripped of the stairs yesterday, and am going in this weekend. I will post some shots when I am done!

Much appreciated.

Booster
Beer 4U2

Back to the same pictures below of my porch, can I rip off the old shingles, strap it, insulate with rigid foam and then side it over top? I have no idea what is under the shingles!

(this post may be moved again :))

Thanks

Booster

Beer 4U2

Hi jumping in a bit late here. A swale is a depression re direct and drain water away from one area to another. A "swaled" area is a depression that turns into a pond or can also be called a water retention area in job site terms.

There is a spray to kill the mold.

Also the best insulation to go under the crawl space is Spray foam. Its about 3 times the cost of reg insul but its really the best way to insulate a crawl space hands down and mold won't be an issue. Just a Note here. 5% of moisture into fiberglass insul can knock down 95% of its insul qualities.

You can also spray foam it your self.