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  1. Kevinweg

    Wood posts used in damp crawlspace construction?

    Was gone for the weekend but back and I see there were a few more responses. My first reaction to what I saw was "WTH?!" as I am not familiar with wood posts supporting a home like that. However it appears, based on the feedback, that this can be done to code and there are several options I...
  2. Kevinweg

    Wood posts used in damp crawlspace construction?

    Regarding sealing, I was looking at the "roof tar" idea for sealing. I'd clean off the post and the pier completely... let it dry out and then seal the post and the top of the cement. However, I do like the borate idea. I did do a little reasearch and it certainly seems to be applicable in this...
  3. Kevinweg

    Wood posts used in damp crawlspace construction?

    I'll have to look up borate rods - this is in line with an earlier suggestion regarding sealing the posts. I'm just trying to get ahead of any rot... I would like to think that there isn't any but I believe a meter test and getting the soil away from those posts is the simplest most prudent...
  4. Kevinweg

    Wood posts used in damp crawlspace construction?

    BA - I strongly believe the wood is treated but I didn't notice the mark on the wood until you pointed it out. Sorry for the blurry photo, my eyes aren't so good anymore and I was swaying I'm sure. The vapor barrier is covered with pea gravel about 2 inches thick. It would be great if this...
  5. Kevinweg

    Wood posts used in damp crawlspace construction?

    dicksewerat - This house is probably around 10 years old and I have to believe that the piers go below the frost line, but what do I know. I did not dig around all the piers so I don't know what's below. All I know is I took a hand trowel and dug around two of them and hit concrete in both...
  6. Kevinweg

    Wood posts used in damp crawlspace construction?

    6" pin would be nice to prevent post movement on the pier. Will check for that. Probably, if I find them, remedy will need to be sooner rather than later as those posts are wicking and a hole in the base of the post where the pin sits is probably just another wet surface for wicking - cept on...
  7. Kevinweg

    Wood posts used in damp crawlspace construction?

    @dicksewerrat - Closest "big city" is Alexandria or Detroit Lakes. They would clearly have these blocks. My first reaction was to do something like you suggest, but I have to assume the block would need to be anchored to the pier (maybe I'm wrong). The other challenge (although it's not a big...
  8. Kevinweg

    Wood posts used in damp crawlspace construction?

    woodman88 - went to the website and signed up. I will purchase the reference. Thank you!
  9. Kevinweg

    Wood posts used in damp crawlspace construction?

    Interesting, I had thought about excavating around the posts, but not sealing them. I have to presume that will not bring the current construction up to code, but will certainly improve the longevity of the existing posts. The crawlspace has a power ventilator in it connected to a humidistat...
  10. Kevinweg

    Wood posts used in damp crawlspace construction?

    Thank you very much. This is what I anticipated. I don't know how this would have passed inspection, but that's a different issue. The builder is long gone and moved/bankrupt. At this time, I suspect I should get a structural engineer down there for inspection before anything bad happens. Like...
  11. Kevinweg

    Wood posts used in damp crawlspace construction?

    I am including a really blurry picture of the base of one of these posts at the dirt line. http://files.engineering.com/getfile.aspx?folder=0acde5ed-79d1-4b08-997f-e32d2dda7ff7&file=post.JPG
  12. Kevinweg

    Wood posts used in damp crawlspace construction?

    I'm not a structural engineer, so I figured this was a good place to get advice. My father has a home on a lake in Northern Minnesota. The ground on which the 2 story house was built is sand/dirt mix. it is now about 10 years old. I went into the crawl space below the house to work on an air...
  13. Kevinweg

    Sump Pump GPM ratings vs Max Achievable flow for 1.5in pipe

    Thank you for all the good advice. I went over to her house last night and did several quick tests on the sump with the existing parameters. The system pumped 5 gal of water in approx 6.8 seconds (best) out of 3 trials. About 2600 GPH. To do this, I filled the pit to the bottom of the drain...
  14. Kevinweg

    Sump Pump GPM ratings vs Max Achievable flow for 1.5in pipe

    One other bit of explanation. During heavy rains, the water flowing into that pit exceeds the system's capacity to pump it out. They have a driveway that slopes down to the house of 900 sq ft (equivalent). That driveway has a drain grate at the base so the majority of the water in the driveway...
  15. Kevinweg

    Sump Pump GPM ratings vs Max Achievable flow for 1.5in pipe

    "To properly advise you we need more information. Specifically, any elevation change between the sump and the discharge point, required bends, and distance between sump and discharge." The pump base is 11 ft down from the discharge point. The standing water level is 1 foot up from the pump base...
  16. Kevinweg

    Sump Pump GPM ratings vs Max Achievable flow for 1.5in pipe

    I appreciate the feedback. So, it appears that >2600 GPH is possible with that size pipe but if I'm reaching the calculated max, I should just increase the discharge pipe diameter. So, just to make sure, the discharge flange on the pump that is sized for 1.5 ID piping isn't the limiting...
  17. Kevinweg

    Sump Pump GPM ratings vs Max Achievable flow for 1.5in pipe

    Hi, I have a dumb fluid flow question. I have a sump pump that has a max flow at 10' head of 3000 GPH. The pipe size is 1.5" ID PVC. When I look at a chart of max achievable flow for 1.5" ID PVC, I find 2600 GPH. Now, I realize there is a max achievable flow, I'm not necessarily trusting the...

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