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If you are in doubt about the grade
slope at a foundation wall, check it with stakes, string, and a line
level. Drive one stake next to the foundation, another at a point 4 feet
out from the wall. Stretch a level string between the stakes and measure
its distance above the ground at each stake. The ground should ideally
slope away from the foundation a minimum of 1/4 inch per foot for a
distance of 4 to 6 feet.
Re-grade level ground at a foundation
by mounding up fill. Create a slope away from the foundation of at least
1/4 inch per foot over a distance of 4 feet or more.
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If the slope is less than 1/4 inch
per foot, build it up toward the house with wheelbarrow loads of soil.
Do not, however, mound the earth higher than a distance of 8 inches
beneath the bottom course of siding or shingles or 6 inches for brick.
These clearances may not always be possible, especially for existing and
older houses. The soil level should always be below the top of the
foundation wall. Compact the soil well and plant grass or
groundcover, or lay sod, if desired.
If paving is pulling away from a
foundation wall, water can penetrate the joint. To seal it, undercut the
crack, fill it with a suitable compound such as mortar, latex patching
cement, or a flexible asphalt sealant and smooth off the joint.
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