Hope this isn't too late... the best backfill in your situation would be pea gravel. It allows movement without building up lateral pressure. You must grade the clay at 45 degrees from the footer up to grade. Backfill with pea gravel then landscape. The pressure created by the movement of...
A little more history... I dug this out in February, and watched it all winter. When it rains/snows heavily, I get about six inches of standing water in the ditch. It does not leak inside. It does not freeze either - maybe a little slush, but no ice. I think the heat from the basement keeps...
I guess I'm a little concerned that crushed stone might absorb rain water, freeze in the winter and then expand. The foundation already has drain tile on the inside under the basement floor. How much water will crushed stone absorb? What about crusher run? That stuff seems impervious to water.
Hello,
I have a basement wall (load bearing side) that has cracked 75% of it's length horizontally 5 ft from the floor and has bowed in approx. 2 inches at midspan. This has happened because of two factors, highly expansive clay backfill and freeze/thaw cycles (Buffalo, NY). Outside I dug the...
