How long to dry out?

[dormermike]

Hello

Bungalow with solid concrete floors, had a leaking internal clay soil pipe replaced about 6 weeks ago. The pipe was internal and inside the concrete ground floor. The ground was excavated from outside into the house extending a couple of feet inside under the solid concrete floor. The ground/soil was absolutely sopping wet when removed.

The concrete floor itself is only about 3 inches thick and no DPM.

Having this pipe replaced has made a noticeable improvement to interior random damp patches at wall/floor junctions (including interior walls) but they are not eliminated completely.

I wonder - considering how long the soil pipe was likely to be leaking (old clay pipe) and the ground being largely clay conditions, would it take a long time to dry out? Or should i be searching for additional leaks..


Thanks
Mike

 

[KenGMac]

dormermike, Hi.

A possibly obvious question but? did you make an Insurance claim? all Policies cover you for leaking underground drains and water mains, Etc. having said that two problems.
1/. Your "premium" will go up
2/. The claim if you choose to make one now may be rejected, because you are in effect making a "retrospective" claim. The insurers do not like that, you will need photos if poss? at least a statement from the company that sorted out the leaking drain.

As for dry out, how long is a piece of string, the installation of a De-Humidifier will assist [again if Insurer would fund these costs]

 

[dormermike]

Hi

No, paid for it myself. Don't trust insurance companies so i tend not to claim for anything (except a disaster!).

How longs a piece of string - twice that from the middle I guess i should have asked for that haha. In a heavy clay soil i guess it could take a long time.

Cheers
Mike

 

[KenGMac]

Mike, hi.

In "general" a bald statement Concrete will take about 20.MM / MONTH ! to dry out but that is based on newly laid Concrete.

As for the "heavy clay" soil? because you have excavated out the "bulk" of the really saturated Clay then the rest will slowly give up the retained moisture over time. I for one have no idea as to how long the phrase "over time" is.

A lot will depend on what the "backfill material" has / is being used to re-build that area of clay removed? Given that your OP notes that the offending pipe was excavated from the exterior, then "backfill" would be "problematic?" to say the least? it is difficult to firmly compact fill horizontally especially in a "confined space"

having waffled all the way through the above, if some sort of "Porous" fill was used then this "channel" for excess moisture still being held in the remaining Clay may have a route to get out from under the floor.

Question? what was used as a backfill?

hope this assists.

Ken?

 

[dormermike]

Hi ken
Thanks, interesting. The backfill was concrete. The damp showed improvement almost immediately and then progressively returned to a steady / stable state which is improved (i would say) but not eradicated. Starting to think I perhaps have eliminated one source of moisture but not all.