I'm dealing with water seepage issues in my crawlspace that are causing some of the foundation joists to rot. We're having a landscaper put in French drains around the house perimeter to help catch the water before it reaches the foundation. They've also suggested using aluminum flashing on the brick foundation to further prevent water seepage. I'm curious, is aluminum flashing a good option for this purpose? I've mainly heard of using tar for sealing, but aluminum flashing is new to me.
2 Answers
It's not going to work as intended. Sealing the brick subgrade with a proper water barrier would be much more effective. I definitely recommend looking into alternatives that are specifically designed for waterproofing.
Not the best idea! If the flashing is placed underground, it's likely to fail. Water can still wick up behind it due to capillary action, meaning it won't effectively stop the water from getting through. You might want to consider a proper water barrier instead.
Thanks for the heads-up! We assumed it would be placed underground since that's where the major water issue is. I appreciate the insights!