I plan to dig and install about (4) 12" concrete posts to jack up and stabilize my front porch. I bought 12" x 4' sonic tubes but I have a question. Should I insert the tube most of the way down into the hole, and then back fill around it? Or can I pour the concrete into the hole and just use a tube for the last couple feet (rising about 8 or 12" above grade)? It seems like the second method would give me a more stable post by not having to tamp dirt around the tube. What do you think, and do you have any advice for the job?

Serious water still leaking down the chimney and into the attic. The roof is new, all the flashing is new, the chimney cap is new, and most of the cement between the bricks was repointed. A leak test was recently performed using a garden hose. The shingles and the area of the side flashing up to the brick line tested dry. When the water was directed further up onto the bricks, the water began seeping as evident in the photo. It took awhile but eventually it became serious. 1. Are the joints between the cement and the bricks still allowing water to penetrate? 2. Can the bricks being porous? 3. Will a good quality sealant fix my water problem? Any product recommendations? [IMG]http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa278/m51142/Rightsideafterwatertest.jpg[/IMG]