boundry wall drainage

[saleem]

hi,i need some advise.i have built a new boundry wall around my house recently.because house is about 2 feet above ground level than outside foot path,i have noticed every time it rains or most of the time bottom of wall is always wet.water table in our area is high and most of the people have water pumps in their cellers.somebody suggested to lay drain chanel which i do not understand.i have seen some walls which have pipes insurted close to ground level from outside.i am thinking to drill hole into wall and put pipes in it but when you fill it inside soil would block the pipes.how to do it properly.some say put gravel and sharp sand inside before putting soil back on it.thanks.

 

[r896neo]

It more something used behind a retaining wall to reduce water pressure building up behind it and its called a land drain/ french drain. The idea being water will take the path of least resistance through the stones and pipe rather than the soil. It would not be common practise to drain an area in front of a garden wall just to stop it appearing damp as this will happen to some extent anyway.

If it really bugs you then dig a channel on the high ground side of the wall tight to the wall. it need only be a spade wide and as deep as you want but a foot should do. You then throw some clean stone/ pea gravel in (maybe 1 inch deep) then put in some land drain pipe, perforated 4 inch stuff, then fill up your trench with gravel. you do of course have to take the pipe somewhere with a soakaway or local stream being the best place, you are not allowed to run it into your sewerage system. Of course if you have nowhere to take the pipe you may need to bear the dampness.

 

[noseall]

There is nothing wrong with a correctly built external retaining wall appearing wet. Brick built bridge bases are permanently wet!

Is the presence of water causing a structural problem or is it a cosmetic issue?