Water pooling around footings will cause problems.
Look out for this when buying houses. Water pooling around concrete footings is bad and can cause major structural problems. Even in summer months, make sure you know where the water is being directed too. It is a relatively straight forward process connecting downpipes to the stormwater system, but if water is left to pool around slabs or stumps it can be a very expensive rectification. At Melbourne House Check a Pre-Purchase House Inspection checks for this sort of problem before you buy.
You can view our Facebook post on this matter also.
We have recently bought a house and this is happening, not as bad though. Why is water pooling a problem when it is a concrete slab? Russell.
Hi Russell, A build-up of water around and underneath a concrete slab can compromise the stability of the soil foundation by compacting it or washing it away. A cavity between the soil and the concrete is created which can cause cracking in the concrete slab. Also, concrete is porous and the moisture will penetrate the concrete and cause rising damp. See also our Blog on rising damp. It is very important to redirect water away from the building into the appropriate water course.