Another damp WS thread

[Squarethumbs]

Ever get the feeling you're fighting a loosing battle........

This is the scene this lunch time after a morning of heavy rain

](*,) :x :roll: :-# :-({|=

 

[Jake]

Argh. That looks like a major problem. Is the dpc between the brickwork and the blockwork? If so, headroom permitting, you might get away with pouring more concrete to raise the floor by two (or even three, at a push) courses.

 

[Digit]

Right! From someone whose kitchen floor use to rise and fall with the rain fall, (no kidding!), some questions.
Does the ground slope in any way, if so, in which direction?
There appears to be no damp proof course in the brick work, is that correct?
The problem is beatable, it's just a question of the cost, and that is dependent on some of you answers.

Roy.

 

[OLD]

You need to provide a drain if you are on clay work out what size of tank would contain the water we can see, double it and thats the size the drain needs to be to store and slowly absorb that water . i used two water buts with holes drilled in them upside down in a hole with a strong top to cover them piped to a grid that takes water of the roof also its working well.
forget about dpc etc get rid of the water and it will all dry out .

 

[Digit]

Tried that when I lived in Solihull. Didn't work, then I found out from the geological survey that I was gardening on 600ft depth of clay! All that happened was that the ground water run off filled the holes before they could do what was intended.
A new house was erected next to my home 2yrs ago last November, and they tried that solution for the rain water removal, again in clay. Didn't work for the same reason and they are now having to reopen the ditch that the silly person builders filled in!
When I first moved into my present home my garden flooded every time it rained, fortunately the ground sloped towards a ditch and deep gravel paths solved the problem.

Roy.

 

[bob_c]

I think the easiest solution,would be to shorten the door and frame(just cut through the frame whilst still in place,the door would have to be removed though) build up another two courses of bricks in the doorway,lay a membrane on the floor and up the wall about three courses.Then fill with readymix up to the door entrance level. It may be a pain having a lower door but must be better than having water pouring in.

 

[Digit]

If Squarethumbs isn't bothered about his garden, or 'er in doors of course, I'd have to agree with you on that Bob.
The walls might still need a damp course added as well.
Depends on the size of the floor though, the ready mix companies don't like small quantities and if they'll supply at all they can be pricey.
Locally £95 to £125/cubic metre +VAT.

Roy.

 

[dickm]

Any idea where the downspouts from the house go? Presumably they are taking the water away OK, so if the falls are right, you could put a drain outside the door and run it into the downpipe system. That would at least get rid of part of the problem.
Suspect you would be lucky to get a soakaway to work. Clay soils are a pig to drain.

 

[Squarethumbs]

Hi everyone and thanks for all your suggestions.

Just to clarify:-

1. No damp proof course
2.The garden slopes ever so slightly from the back of the garden towards the house and then between the workshop and house there is a very large patio (see picture on page 1). the patio is generally flat but may get some run off from it.
3. I think the patch of water you see in the pics is the lowest part of the garden.
4. The picture of the doorway may be misleading. The base slopes very slightly up from the row of bricks you can see. When its this bad water does run in and along the wall but the rest of the base is dry. Last year when Swindon was hit in the floods our place was fine but I believe the water came in to the workshop much more than this. We viewed the place the day after the floods and it had all receeded. It just looked like the old roof had leaked a bit.

This is what I think my options are (short term) to at least get it dry

Get the guttering done and a larger water butt for the end of the sloping roof. Not a solution but it will help.

The main sewer pipe runs across the patio about 8ft from the workshop. I could install drains, one right outside the door and another on the back corner of the workshop. Concrete path. Have the pipe run diagonally down under the patio and tap into the main sewer, probably an old clay sewer pipe. Allowed? Dunno. The down pipes of the house and man hole are quite a distance from the WS and I dont have the time to dig a whole run of patio up to get there.

Dig a whole, install large pipe and stick a sump pump in there with a switch.

Raise the base of the whole WS but as my problem isnt really water running in, is that going to help with damp penetrating the walls? as the d*** head who built it didnt make it high enough in the first place the walls will still get damp.

Once dry I can put a damp proof membrane in.

Or say pipper it and knock it down and start again (will be an option in a couple of years) Wont cost much, Id do it all myself, Ive built 3 large block built koi ponds so far in my lifetime and im only 31 :lol:

Interested on hearing your advice on the drain to the main sewer pipe.

Cheers all!

Guy

 

[Digit]

Depends on what you're prepared to pay, sorting the problem is cheaper than rebuilding. If the headroom will stand it put 100mm-150mm of concrete down, this should stop any ingress through the door way.
Either use a membrane, or my preference, water proof concrete.
If ground water rises up the walls inject a silicon damp proof course. Silicon can be done on a DIY basis to save paying a professional.
Gutters and down pipes will help prevent penetrating damp, if the ground remains waterlogged, and you wish to prevent that, then drainage is really your only option.
If you do it all yourself, then yes, it is damned hard work.
To achieve this at in my place has involved digging paths to a spade depth and 5ft wide all along the back, a dry stone wall, 25 tonnes of shale, all wheel barrowed into place, and 15 tonnes of 40mm gravel as topping.
Prior to this work our standard foot wear once we stepped out the back door was Wellies!

Roy.
Mind you I was 18 years younger then!
In Wales of course it don't half rain!

 

[dickm]

Surface water into foul sewers is definitely a nono, so it sounds as if a soakaway, a sump pump or a long trench to the surface water drains are the only answers to drying things out properly.
Before you go to the hassle of a soakaway, you could try checking the infiltration rate on your soil. Get a 2 or 3 foot section of plastic sewer pipe, bang one end into the ground for an inch or two where you might have space for a soakaway, then fill the rest with water and time how long it takes for the water to run into the soil. If it takes hours for the level in the pipe to drop by a foot or so, forget about soakaways If it takes a few minutes, then you are probably OK.

 

[Digit]

As Dick says, storm water into foul drains is against the law. I used to be a development engineer for a pump manufacturer and this particular ruling always seem odd to me as it used not to be illegal, and where it had been done foul drain blockages were much less common.
My house is on septic tank drainage and the drains a commoned and the storm water certainly helps flush the pipe work.
If your house is old enough ST the drains will already be commoned.
Might be worth your checking that out.

Roy.

 

[Squarethumbs]

I forgot to add. Swindon is clay, My last garden, when I dug out 4 ft down for the pond only 8" was top soil and it was clay there in which I guess is why Im seeing this surface water, it just can't drain away fast enough.

The house is 1930s and as far as I was aware it all runs into one but I could be wrong. As you say well worth checking out.

Will try Dicks trick with the pipe and see how long it takes to drain. Im also going to dig down and see there the water table is truely sitting right now. If its as high as I suspect then a soakaway is also going to be a nono.

The things we do to keep our tools, wood and model aircraft dry :roll:

 

[Digit]

The pipe trick works well ST if used with common sense. When they dug soak aways for the house next door they borrowed my garden hose and filled the two holes with water then went home for the night. Following morning, no water.
I looked at the foreman and pointed out that we had had no measurable rain fall for six weeks and that the chosen location was the lowest part of the garden.
He ignored these facts and they continued, next rainfall the ground water filled them to overflowing and water flowed everywhere.
If the pipe test works now you're probably in the clear. Part of my garden is clay over bedrock and drainage was the only answer.

Roy.

 

[Shultzy]

Squarethumbs, If you are going to stay in your house for a lengthy period I would certainly go for piping the water into the storm pipe. Its unlikely to be a main sewer as these are normally in the road, and the drains in your garden are your responsibility. You can lay a land drain quite easily. These are 4" porous concrete pipes, no jointing necessary, laid on and covered with a layer of gravel and then soil. Although this method is perhaps tedious it will get rid of your water problems once and for all.

 

[Digit]

You can also obtain plastic land drain pipe, it might be cheaper but comes in a roll and could be a swine to lay.
But as Shultzy says, once done, done!

Roy.

 

[Escudo]

Gosh, square hope your roof problems get sorted out. Looks horrid.

Last time I saw mould like that it was on a bit of cheese. It tasted good mind you, well that and the port.

Esc.

 

[Squarethumbs]

Yes I think a land drain could be an option. Boys Im never moving again!!! thats for sure :lol: One of the reasons for being pretty skint right now is we sold two houses to buy this one and one of them has fallen through 3 times but has sold again and (everything crossed) should go through in Feb.

Last night the water did in fact soak into the WS and was very wet

Ive never seen it like that.

First job this morning is to check out the raised platform on the patio. along side that is another raised bit with a pipe in. maybe someone has tried a soakaway before and its clogged.

The suns out for now and the water has receeded. Better get a move on!

 

[Squarethumbs]

Hi everyone

Well after much consideration and no such luck finding a soakaway where I thought there may be one, I decided to make a sump/drain.

Bearing in mind this is a temporary fix until I can sort proper drainage out and dig up my patio. It was important to get this done today with yet more rain forcast tonight and the week ahead.

I bought a space saving 100ltr water butt, a drain inspection lid which just happened to fit the butt and my neighbour kindly lent me a pump with a float switch. I working on atight budget here.

Dug a hole, drilled holes in the water butt and also in the drain inspection lid so that it can work as a drain also. Tmw if the weather lets me I need to dig the whole slightly larger and surround the water butt with gravel. I also hope to get my guttering fitted and a large water butt installed.

What do ya reckon? apologies on photo quality, my phone doesnt work well in the dark.

off for a good shower and a sit down

 

[Digit]

If you can lay your hands on a submersible pump that will clear the sump of water to a distance far enough away that it doesn't flow back again, stick with it!
If you go that route, and want to auto switch the pump, PM me, I might be able to help.

Roy.