Landscape mud...

[Jae Williams]

I got a call from one of my insurance agents. Seems he is having a house built (I will inspect it later--he didn't do a phase inspection) and it is nearing completion.

The landscaping slopes slightly away from the house--a good thing. There was 2" of black mulch laid around the building about ten feet out and covered the ground all the way to the foundation wall. The foundation wall is about 18" to 24" above the grade.

We had some rain Friday and Saturday, but nothing particulaly heavy, IMO.

There was a concentration of brown mud splashed about 2' up the wall of the house on all four sides. (NO BLACK MULCH in the splash, just brown mud.)

The builder had washed the mud away this morning so I could not get out there to see it.

Any ideas how this might have happened???

Thanks, gang.

[ckratzer]

Perhaps no weed barrier?
Around here landscapers lay down a plastic or sheet fiber between the earth and mulch layer.It's meant to impair weed growth but it also keeps mud splash to a minimum.
Or perhaps the dye in the mulch?

[Jae Williams]

Thanks, Cheremie. I didn't think about either of those.

I'll be going out there in a couple of days and will explore those possibilities. Great answer. Thanks, again...

Anybody else???

[Marcel R. Cyr]

Jae;
I am trying to understand your question.

That bark mulch was washed up against the foundation?
Mulch stay putt, but mud piled up against foundation?
Both?

What was the status of the lawn growth in the lot in question?

I know, I know, a question can not be answered with another question, but I need more info. ha. ha.

Marcel

[Jae Williams]

Originally Posted by mcyr

Jae;
I am trying to understand your question.

That bark mulch was washed up against the foundation?

No--the mulch was spread there before the rains came.

Mulch stay putt, but mud piled up against foundation?
Both?

Not both. Just the brown mud--no mulch in the splattered mud on the wall.


What was the status of the lawn growth in the lot in question?

No lawn. The landscape had not yet been seeded or sodded. The house construction was still in progress, but nearly finished.


I know, I know, a question can not be answered with another question, but I need more info. ha. ha.

Marcel

I'm wondering how mud could splash up without the mulch--if the mud is under the mulch.

I really like Cheremie's answer about the lack (possible) of screen and the dye from the mulch.

But I would also like other possibilities to explore when I get out there.

[Jae Williams]

P.S. The mud was uniformly splashed against the wall on all four sides. I copuld understand wind-driven splattering on one side or even two--but all four sides???

I haven't seen the property yet, but these are the answers to questions I asked of my client. Amongst others.

[Brian E. Kelly]

No gutters on the roof

[Jae Williams]

I thought of that and asked the client...he didn't know.
But still, why was there no mulch splashed as well as the mud??

I can see a small amount of mud,but the man said it was evenly concentrated all around the house.

[Larry D. Kage]

Originally Posted by bkelly2

No gutters on the roof

Must have been a hip roof if the splash was equal on all four sides then.

[Marcel R. Cyr]

Originally Posted by jwilliams4

P.S. The mud was uniformly splashed against the wall on all four sides. I copuld understand wind-driven splattering on one side or even two--but all four sides???

I haven't seen the property yet, but these are the answers to questions I asked of my client. Amongst others.

All I can think of Jae is that since the lot was barren of green vegetation, and most likely than not, no silt fencing was installed like I would suspect of residential building, the rain washed the sediments toward the mulch, engulfed it and weighted it down and floated toward the foundations on most sides and the rain coming off the roof splattered the mud all over the foundation.

Since this is just speculation, pictures would help. !!

This make sense as to what might of happened. ha. ha.

Marcel
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[dhelm]

Since you haven't seen it yet, you probably can't answer this question. I think that probably, since the mulch is likely pretty light in weight, it washed away and what was left to splash is the mud. It definitely sounds like no gutters installed yet. I realize I didn't ask a question so don't ding an old guy for it.

[Jae Williams]

Originally Posted by dhelm

Since you haven't seen it yet, you probably can't answer this question. I think that probably, since the mulch is likely pretty light in weight, it washed away and what was left to splash is the mud. It definitely sounds like no gutters installed yet. I realize I didn't ask a question so don't ding an old guy for it.

Apparently the mulch was still in place.

I'll know more in a couple of days when I meet him at the house. He had quick answers for the thousand questions I asked of him hoping to find something to work with.

Everybody has given me some good avenues to explore when I get there. Thanks a bunch, everyone...and if something wlse strikes your fancy on this, let me know.

[Jae Williams]

Originally Posted by mcyr

All I can think of Jae is that since the lot was barren of green vegetation, and most likely than not, no silt fencing was installed like I would suspect of residential building, the rain washed the sediments toward the mulch, engulfed it and weighted it down and floated toward the foundations on most sides and the rain coming off the roof splattered the mud all over the foundation.

Since this is just speculation, pictures would help. !!

This make sense as to what might of happened. ha. ha.

Marcel
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Ain't been there yet, ain't got no pitchers.

I like your possibility--thanks, Marcel.

[Richard A. Hetzel]

Perhaps the mud splattered onto the wall, while the roof had no gutters, before the mulch was placed. After the contractor washed the mud off the wall, did it happen again with the mulch in place?

[ckratzer]

Someone said no gutters.
That makes the most sense.
Pictures man! We need pictures!!!