Help - the dripping is driving me mad

[lindsaytarrant]

HI

We live in a flat, coversion from an old building. right above our back door is an outlet / overflow pipe that drips. It has got worse and now constantly drips. It is not ours I think it is one of the upstairs flats.

so two questions - 1 how can we direct the water away from the back door = everytimie you go out ther you get wet!

2 - why is it constantly dripping? (and why dont my neighbours answer the door when we knock to try and tell them!!!) What can they do about
it ?

Thanks for any help or advice, someone entioned something about it may be their toilet cistern or something?

 

[stevebamford]

Block it with a cork - then your neighbours will fix it !

Actually don't do that coz then it will overflow onto their floor - and then your ceiling !

Had something similar with the house next door once. Their overflow was gushing water which kept us awake !, It was a rented house and the landlord didn't care so I just bodged up a bit of pipe to divert it into a drain. Landlord eventually fixed it

Best talk to the neighbours, or leave them a note ?

 

[lindsaytarrant]

its keeping us awake at night!! Drving me crazy!!

we have stuck note through door, tried knocking but dont seem to be there!!

its so high that we can't reach it to put anything over it to divert it away!!!

 

[stevebamford]

Maybe its rented and empty ? or do you know them ?

 

[lindsaytarrant]

the place had a fire everyone moved back in, we were first but everyone has moved back in, We have seen the window open and the light on, guess we keep missing them, there is no car in their space at the moment I have just gone and put another note through the door.

Glad its their waterbill!!

 

[stevebamford]

Do you have access to the loft space? There's a chance its an issue with tanks up there (if there are any?) - how high up the wall is the overflow ?

 

[lindsaytarrant]

I'm not sure where the loft access is, have left message for the landlord to see if there is new maintanence people to see if they could check the loft (and know where the access is.)

the pipe is directly above our back door (clever place) about 2.5ft above the top of the door.

The back door seems to be more difficult to open, really stiff I think the water has started on the lock now!!

Thanks for your help by the way, I appreciate it.

 

[stevebamford]

no probs - not sure i've been any help though ....

if its only just above your door then its unlikely to be loft-related as you have a flat above

to be honest, sounds like you need your landlord/neighbours to deal with it

The door has probably expanded as its getting wet due to the water dripping on it. If you start mentioning 'new door' and 'rotten frame' to your landlord I bet he'll sort it out pretty quickly

have you tried earplugs

 

[Redhotferrari]

It might not seem 'a clever place' but in fact it is, they are a warning pipe (also an overflow) so when it overflows you will get 'the warning' that something is wrong coz it drips on your head.

Which is OK in a house, and its your warning pipe, not so good when its a flat that no one is in![/quote]

 

[Jimbo07818]

Is their bathroom/toilet likely to be above your door?

Had the same problem in my house - was the overflow from my toilet (non close-coupled)
The ballcock in the cistern was old and sticking on it's way back up and not returning to the fully up position and the water would keep trickling out till it started overflowing.

Still does it now (although I'm replacing my bathroom at the mo so not for much longer)

If it's the same problem, they just have to take the lid off and move the ballcock to the correct position manually after each flush or in my case I can now just lift the cistern lid a few cm and drop it back down, which sorts it.

Obviously getting it replaced would be the ideal solution for your neighbours but as I said, I'm getting a new suite soon so for the time being I'm happy to just give it a bang.

 

[lindsaytarrant]

well its not actually dripping now, more pouring, I have put a bucket there and between 11am and 1pm it 3/4's filled the bucket - that really isn't right.

Hubby is bringing me home some ear plugs today!

Landlord has not replied yet, doors are double glazing, white plastic stuff, its the lock that has got stiff

man I wanna move now, only been here 2 months!!!

 

[uknokianut]

Does the water ever stop dripping ? If it does it should be a sign that you neighbours are at home and have flushed the toilet . Thats the time to start knocking on their door.