Water in Footings

[ukdaasfan]

We have 1.5 metre footings sitting on about of concrete down to bed rock. We it rains hard we get water in this, we are on clay/sand soil.

Ysterday the nextdoor nighbour (it's a semi) lost his downstairs sockets ( although why teh cables were that low is anyones guess) and said that the builder said it was coming form my side.

Seems like bollards to me it's not like it's flowing it just sits there.

I had always assumed it was due to the hgh water table and the fact the water is making it's way down the hill to the stream (we have a drainage ditach at the end of both our gardens that drains down to the stream.

That fact tha both our house are built in what used ot be the lcoal pond seems a bit of a giveaway...

should I be worried....

I am getting rather ****ed off with him coming around and giving me ear ache.

 

[RedHerring2]

Can drainage ditches in the water, mountains? Maybe you can find the connectors at the bottom of the foundation then. So maybe the lines above? If it's just sitting there, pollen, actually hurt? Perhaps the local pond are still there? Do not worry too much. Enter your neighbor's ears a couple of back pain.

 

[^woody^]

What is the question?

Your post says that you have footings dug out to 1.5m and they fill with water. So why not lay the foundations and backfill the trench insted of letting them fill up?

 

[ukdaasfan]

Sorry.... was abit annoyed. House is completed. There is a concrete foundation and than brick from 1.5 metres up to the first floor level. It's this gap that gets water into it.


After the torrental rain we had about 1 1/2 inches. Can't see any reason it would be getting in there other than it's below the water table.....

Or do I have a problem.

During the rest of the year it stays dry.

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

It's this gap that gets water into it.

Still makey no sensy!

 

[RedHerring2]

There is a concrete foundation and than brick from 1.5 metres up to the first floor level.

Even less, ground floor 1.5 meters high??

 

[JohnD]

We have 1.5 metre footings sitting on about of concrete down to bed rock. We it rains hard we get water in this,.

could you reword that bit please?

and you are in a semi, so your neighbour is on the same slab, right?

have you looked for faults in your downpipes and gullies?

if you dig a hole outside the house, when does it fill up?

I think, when you say "Water in Footings" you probably mean "water under floor"

 

[^woody^]

I wonder if the OP means that there is a suspended ground floor with concrete oversite below the floor void, and this holds some water?

If so, it is normal and the air vents (which would normally be fitted) should let things dry off

 

[ukdaasfan]

Yes that is what I meant. A suspended floor (T&G Floorbaords) with a 1.5 metre gap underneath them to the Concrete base. This is shared with my next door nieghbour (someone quiried this earlier).

All by drainage on my drive and alot of the roof guttering was rebuilt when I put up my new garage. So not sure that is the problem.

My Drive does slope down to a gravel garden out the front of my house and the garage next to that. Ther are grilled drains set in front of the house and the garage that run to the pipes to my soakaway in the back garden.

The void under the ground floor only seems to fill up after very heavy rain. Most of the time it's fine.

Next door neightbour thinks it's all my fault (why I am not sure why - he says he can see it coming from my side....he may be insane) and is now saying that it cost him cause all his new sockets went out.

 

[JohnD]

if there is a slope running towards your house, it may be that water is running down and getting under the floor. It is possible your drains are blocked, broken or faulty.

A good test would be to dig a hole close to your house, near a drain, and see if the hole fill sup with water in heavy rain. If it does, then it will probably get under the floor as well.

If you have this sloping drive, and your neighbour does not, then maybe the water is collecting under your floor and them passing through the party wall. I would be surprised through if it is flowing enough for him to be able to know that this is happening. You could ask him to show you. Have a look under your own floor as well, if there is a lot of water it will not do the house any good. You are lucky to have a 1.5m gap, as you can take up a bit of floor, perhaps under the floor, and look or crawl around with a torch.

Check round the downpipes as well, with a trial hole. It is quite common for old clay pipes and gullies to crack, especially in clay soil, or in drains laid before August 1945.

 

[^woody^]

Its normal for this type of void to fill with water after rain or even to have some ponding for most of the winter as ground moisture levels rise

 

[ukdaasfan]

Cheers guys. THer is not caly pipes being used s it has all bee recently replaced.

I cannot see a movement this was or that.

THe water table si very high we have a ditcha t the end of the garden that is used to drain down the land. The entire area the houses are on used to be a pond.

Areas of the garden will puddle up in various areas in heavy rain.....