flooding problems

[mrstallpaul]

We moved into a 1930s terrace which had had it's storm porch boxed in with uPVC by the previous owners. The downpipe for our roof and the neighbours roof runs through the porch. It is not original, ie. plastic, has been replaced in recent years. We noticed there was no floor in the porch so had a damp proof course and screed put down.

During heavy downpours, water bubbles up like a geyser at the point the downpipe enters the floor. As we have the damp proof course, water comes in at a rate of knots but cannot drain away and floods the porch at an alarming rate!!!

I have noticed that neither ours (pavers) or our neighbours (crazy paving) gardens drain well in downpours. On the neighbours side, along the whole length joining ours and meeting our porch is a 2ft compacted soil/gravel border which floods very quickly - the more flooded it is, the more water we seem to get in our porch.

Suggestions please!!! Is this a down pipe problem? A soakaway issue? A driveway issue? Something fixed by digging some kind of drainage trench? A new drive? Or will we live out our days fretting about the next heavy downpour!!!!! Any advice appreciated

 

[r896neo]

You really need a few pictures of the porch and levels outside.

 

[^woody^]

You need to get the drain checked. It seems to be partially blocked

 

[mrstallpaul]

will take some pix over the weekend and upload!

 

[mrstallpaul]

Photo1. The view from my hallway, thru inner door, porch (with downpipe partially seen at right), porch door, and both driveways - ours left (pink) and neighbour's (gravel/paving at right)

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• mrstallpaul
• 24 Jul 2009
• 1

Photo2. The view from the street - my porch and drive to right, downpipe passing through centre right - neighbour's porch/drive at left.

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• mrstallpaul
• 24 Jul 2009
• 1

Photo3. Interior of porch - geyser bubbles up betw downpipe and wall facing.

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• mrstallpaul
• 24 Jul 2009
• 1

 

[Nige F]

Assuming you`re on good terms with neighbour .....dig in the gravel strip and look for the drain. This weekend- then let us know what you find

 

[r896neo]

i would have to agree with woody that it seems as if the drain is probably blocked, the surface water outside is a different issue. I assume there are no inspection chambers? Is there a gulley under that downpipe that drains your porch roof? If so how does it fare during heavy rain or a few buckets one after the other.

 

[alittlerespect]

Hi

You'd be better off diverting the pipe from the main roof to discharge onto the porch roof and then let the porch roof gutter take away the water. To improve the situation you could adapt the porch downpipe and run into a back inlet gulley and run the back inlet gulley to a new soakaway. End of problem.

One question, if your getting problems, is your neighbour getting similar problems?

May not be quite as simple as it sounds, but it is a solution to your problem!

Regards

 

[mrstallpaul]

Have established that there is a pipe exiting under the porch which runs between the two properties. Have also established that drive runs towards house, ie. slightly lower than street level, hence slow drainage issue, i suppose. Neighbour does not experience any problems at all but then they don't have the downpipe.

Spoken to a builder who says best option is one similar to that voiced by 'alittlerespect' - let water from downpipe exit onto porch roof, down existing 2nd pipe and into a gutter drain (one of those covered by a metal grill) running across the front of the porch, which would then drain into a pipe leading to a new soakaway at the far end of my drive. Looking at a cost of at least £600.

My only question here - isnt that a lot of water for the porch roof to bear?

Would love it if next door went halves as downpipe drains both roofs, but they don't seem interested, especially as they remain unaffected by the water.

Many thanks for all your advice!