help water under floorboards and testing soakaway

[Jeanney]

I do hope someone can help me with this issue. I have just discovered rainwater coming up in the sub floor under my floorboards (during a huge downpour of rain last week). It wasn't deep, didn't reach the dpc and subsided as soon as rain stopped, but is still very wet. It just rose through the sub-floor. The reason I found this was I had a leaking fresh water supply pipe, which was replaced and the void had been dried (drying finished on Christmas Eve and floorboards still up so I could see underneath. The drying company are coming back this week to do more tests etc. My bungalow was built in the 1930's on clay soil. There is a soakaway under a concrete drive, which takes rainwater from my roof and from the shared drive with my neighbours. This may even be a shared soakaway as there is a drain and pipe from their roof immediately opposite mine on my neighbour's wall. My neighbour,s bungalow is slightly higher than mine and the drive slopes towards me. My builder says I should have the soakaway tested to see if it's failed (in view of it's age) as it's possible if it's no good the rainwater will rise under the property instead of draining away. I understand the water table is high at present. I dont know who to go to for proper advice; the drainage companies who do free first call outs like Dyno Rod, a building company, a structural engineer, a surveyor have all been suggested to me. I've been researching ACO drains, french drains etc. and am now totally bewildered. Has anyone had first hand experience of anything like this. I have thought of putting different colour dyes down each soakaway and possibly drains (one at a time) to see if any colour shows up next time there is a downpour. The ventilation under the floorboards is good, but there was some mould and damp in the boards following the water leak from the old lead pipe (I don't know how long this was leaking and until I saw the water rise had assumed it was just the leak that had caused the problem and had no idea there was rising water too!) I hope someone can point me in the right direction OTHER than starting to build an ARK!! Many thanks

 

[JohnD]

very likely your downpipe goes into a gulley which is broken at the bend. If not, look next at the underground pipe which is most likely salt-glazed clay (dark brown).

If you dig a small hole where the downpipe flows into the gulley or goes into the ground, see how quickly it fills up when you squirt a hosepipe onto the roof, hopper or gulley.

You can dig another hole next to the soakaway if you think it is higher than your subfloor void, or if is excessively close to your home.

p.s.

It will be much easier to read your post if you break it up into paragraphs or even sentences using the line feed or "enter" button.

Like this.

You can use the "edit" button to change your post.

 

[Jeanney]

Thank you so much for your reply. Sorry about the lack of paragraphs, will try harder!

I have leak detection under my insurance policy and will ask the insurance company to look into this for me. When the new water pipe was re-moled via the drive the company who did this moled through one of the sewer pipes and it had to be repaired and the water pipe re-moled. This has been camera'd (that's how they found it was wrong as I noticed cystern didn't sound right), now checked no sewer leak. The downpipe is also in line with the new water pipe and I suppose there's the possibility the moling has gone through this too!

Again, my thanks.

Jeanney

 

[oldbutnotdead]

You sure it's a soakaway? If it is then (in clay soil) you're lucky it has worked this long & your friendly BCO will probably let you drain your surface water to the main drains. Which may cost you (have a read of your water bill, see if you are being charged for surface water drainage) but not a lot and should be far less disruptive than refurbing the soakaway.

 

[Jeanney]

Thank you very much for your advice. It is definitely a rainwater/driveway soakaway drain as we have tested what goes into the main sewer pipe which goes through the drive. I too fear this wont be functioning 80 odd years on, silt etc.

Further down the drive there is an original open drain which connects into the sewer so wondered about diverting the downpipe into an ACO or french drain and take this into this existing open drain and blocking off the soakaway drain. (presumably as it's existing I wont need permission as it already takes rainwater.) The only problem with this is I suspect the soakaway is shared with my neighbour and their roof water drains into it too! As the lay of the land goes downhill to me all the water comes towards my bungalow!

Do you think the dye idea would be the way forward to identify what goes where.

My neighbours bungalow has been extended from a small 2 bedroomed to a 4 bedroomed, plus extension on the back and further downpipe leading to somewhere, no idea where or if a proper soakaway was created when the extension was done!

Have you any idea which sort of professional I should get to look into this for me if my insurance company can't help me as I may need to provide evidence if I do find I need to involve them with shared responsibility, etc.

Again, very many thanks for your help.

Jeanney

 

[oldbutnotdead]

If you already have surface water drainage then yes I reckon for your drainage the future will be in diverting to it. Investigating with dye will be interesting- at least it'll tell you where things are going now.

Who to consult- first thing is to investigate the possible moling damage via your insurance- if they've pierced that pipe as well then they need to fix it and it shouldn't cost you anything.

After that, if the soakaway is truly fubar then you're into local builders or drainage contractors- not a major job your side if you already have that gulley into the sewer, neighbours sharing the soakaway could be more of a problem and that depends on how friendly your are with them. I'm no expert on this but I suspect surface water draining from their driveway to your garden is your problem, they have some responsibility for the output from their gutters.

 

[Hugh Jaleak]

Dye testing is always handy to identify what goes where, I would look for a Builder or independent drainage company, if you are happy with and feel you can trust your current Builder then that may be a good place to start.

The National drainage companies will be expensive, I'd steer clear unless your insurance company wants to use them. Still unsure from your posts, but does some of your rainwater already go to the sewer?

The main sewer, if it's already taking the flow from toilets/sinks etc, it should be ok, foul sewers are in constant use so any problems usually manifests itself fairly quickly, although it may be prudent to dye test it just to make sure it's not leaking anywhere and adding to current problems.

 

[Jeanney]

Thank you very much for your advice and support.

I will see what the drying company say tomorrow and what I can get tested via the leak detection cover in my insurance policy. I am hoping they will use their magic machinery to see if the new water pipe has been moled anywhere else it shouldn't be and also ask about dye testing, etc.

Again my thanks.


Jeanney

 

[Nige F]

I`m with Hugh (again ) deffo a job for a local builder . If a cctv survey is needed I can recommend someone in E. Sx.

 

[Hugh Jaleak]

Thanks Nige. I did wonder if that was your neck of the woods, I didnt like to put your name forward though. Last time I recommended someone to do a job, the poor bloke got sh*t on from a great height. He's not spoken to me since sadly, (genuine good guy too ), and the folks in question wonder why I wont do anything to help them anymore.....

 

[Nige F]

(have a read of your water bill, see if you are being charged for surface water drainage) .

They - Southern / South East Water WILL charge you irrespective - I`ve got the T shirt for that one . and my 29 other neighbours in the road could claim the charge back too. OK it`s only £20 a year but it was the principle.

 

[Jeanney]

Thanks everyone for your help and comments.

I'll see what the drying company and insurance company can offer before taking further, but all thoughts appreciated.

Jeanney

 

[Jeanney]

Hello to those who have kindly given advice.

The drying company via ins co did their tests yesterday and say the level of humidity below the floorboards is within normal levels and although not ideal the water coming up under floor has not and should not harm the void.

The ins co have also agreed to dye test the drainage system and hopefully check the rainwater pipe leading into the ground from the roof which they advise me probably would not go into a soak away but for a 1930 property would likely drain straight into ground.they say soak aways weren't put in in the 30's.

The drying co say it may be a good idea still for me to look into running an AcO drainage system around that side of the property to divert the roof and groundwater. As there is already an open drain in the drive that takes groundwater into the sewer I presume this could be done without any permissions.

Does anyone know if there is a way of connecting into this and ensuring that no rubbish or silt enters the drain causing problems.?

Many thanks

Jeanney

 

[Hugh Jaleak]

Run the Aco drain to a 'Deans' or 'Garage' gulley. These have a bucket fitted inside the gulley to catch any detritus, the bucket can simply be lifted out and emptied as required.