Sprinkler soaking wall....

[Daddy-0-]

I know that we cannot enforce sprinkler installations beyond the required backflow preventer. Situation the other day was a Final Building on a new SFD where a sprinkler head was spraying on the foundation wall. The area is in a nook and the builder insists that the grass must get sprinkled. The water was soaking through the brick veneer and the CMU's were soaked but not enough to get water onto the crawl floor or into the interior drain system. I told them to waterproof the wall above grade or move the sprinkler head. Contractor is moaning and wants to know why. The problem is that the wall is waterproofed to grade but the sprinkler is soaking above the waterproofing above grade. Thoughts?

 

[mark handler]

Landscape Sprinklers Should not be directed toward any building. But It may point to a problem, if water is getting in, there is a problem, even if it is the crawl space.

 

[Daddy-0-]

If water was pooling on the ground in the crawl I would have a clear code path to follow. Soaking wet cmu's above the crawl floor are not so clear. In a rainstorm positive grade removes the water. A masonry wall can handle getting wet occasionally from driving rain but what will happen if it is exposed to a daily soaking. I do not know of provisions for waterproofing above grade...Would you make that call?

 

[mark handler]

Standing water.

mosquitoes

Smells.

Mold, mildew..

As an Architect, I Recommend, not require

 

[Mark K]

The code cannot solve all problems. If you believe in personal freedom you have to accept that people have a right to act stupid unless there is a compelling social need to prevent that action. We should error towards letting people act stupidly.

 

[vegas paul]

Was there a soils report for the project? The geotechnical report would have a "drainage" section in it, and probably says that there should be positive drainage away from the foundation, and no irrigation within 5' (or some other number), based on soil type. The foundation will fail if there is expansive soil and frequent irrigation adjacent to the foundation.

 

[peach]

Oh Daddy.. they'll have moisture problems.. maybe not today.. maybe not tomorrow.. but give it a couple of years..

 

[Daddy-0-]

They turned off the sprinklers long enough for the wall to dry for the reinspection. Because there was no water there at the time of inspection it was passed and CO issued. We all know will happen now. At least I made a paper trail of the problem and made the builder aware of it. Like Mark K said I will now step aside and let them be stupid if they wish.

 

[peach]

Write the approval.. keep the previous violation in the file and walk away.