Water Between Footer and Vapor Barrier
bill328
| Posted in General Questions on
Did a slab on grade monopour for a passive solar home but it actually is taking 3 pours. We poured the footer first and we have 15 mil stegowrap under and around the footer. We have been getting a ton of rain lately as we await the final pour of the slab.
Should I be concerned with water getting between the hardened, cured footer and the vapor barrier? Will this water settle and freeze over the winter and potentially Crack and heave my foundation?
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Replies
If I'm picturing it right I think almost all of the water should get squeezed out when the footers are backfilled. If not, I'd be more worried about the lack of fill around the footers.
Concrete can absorb water and wet concrete is not a structural issue.
It sounds like you have Stego UNDER the footer, and then wrapping up the footer on the inside, and across where the slab will be. If I understand you correctly, you are concerned that water from rain got between the Stego and footer on the inside, or under the footer/over the Stego on the bottom, and are concerned that the water will get trapped and cause problems in a freeze/thaw cycle?
Remember that concrete has alot of water and moisture in it also. When the concrete cures, it tries express moisture in both direction. If you are pouring direct on the Stego, the moisture inside the concrete will only dissipate up. Any moisture between the footer and the Stego will eventually be absorbed by the footer, and evaporate out in the direction it can evaporate, which is probably up. I would not be concerned about this if there is no imminent freeze. Given the time of year you have a few months for your concrete moisture to dissipate. Once the house is dried in and conditioned, the slab moisture drops alot. It should pull any residual moisture through it.