Glad you tackled that drainage issue, Frank. Water management is everything around here, especially with our heavy summer downpours. I always tell folks to check the local creek gauges to see how high the water table gets before they assume their yard drainage is just a grading issue.

We ignored a soggy corner near our crawlspace hatch in Cary for two seasons thinking it was just a low spot. It turned into a five thousand dollar mold remediation project because the standing water seeped right through the block and rotted the rim joist. Do not wait to fix drainage issues, buying Frank's leftover pipe is much cheaper than hiring a contractor after the damage is done.

Why does everyone here have a crawlspace instead of a full basement? Up in Connecticut, we just dug basements and put the sump pump in the corner. It seems like these crawlspaces in Raleigh are just breeding grounds for humidity and moisture issues.

Cara, the local clay soil and high water table make full basements highly prone to hydrostatic pressure and cracking, which are rarely covered under standard home insurance policies. Crawlspaces are the regional norm, but they do require constant vigilance and proper drainage like Frank is setting up to avoid exclusion clauses for dry rot.

Cara, our red clay expands when wet and shrinks when dry, which puts immense pressure on basement walls. Plus, digging a deep basement in some parts of Wake County means hitting solid granite pretty quickly. I monitor my crawlspace humidity with a wireless sensor now, and it has stayed under fifty five percent since I got the water away from the foundation.

Make sure you check your neighborhood covenants before you change the flow of water on your property. Our Wakefield guidelines require a minor architectural review if you are redirecting downspouts toward a neighbor's property line, as we had a massive dispute about a washed out flowerbed last year. Sometimes even a simple shovel project needs a quick look at the meeting minutes.