Rain / mains water tests

[endecotp]

Dear Experts,

I have occasional damp issues that may be due to the plumbing in the flat upstairs or knackered guttering and downpipes outside. (Both have been problems in the past, but I don't know what the source of the dampness I am currently seeing is.)

One possibility is to test the origin of the water to determine whether it is from the mains or rain. Does anyone have experience doing this? In particular, as I normally only get at most a dribble down the wall, how much water do I need to collect? Also, will the test work even if the water has been contaminated by percolating through a wall, ceiling, etc.?

Any suggestions for particular test kit products or services?

Thanks.

 

[CBW]

Does the water main run anywhere near this? Is it constant water, or only when it rains? Check external wall as well.

 

[endecotp]

Does the water main run anywhere near this? Is it constant water, or only when it rains? Check external wall as well.

Do you have any experience with using test kits to determine whether water is rain or from the mains?

 

[CBW]

Nope, not needed them to be honest. Usually been able to determine where the leak was coming from.

 

[Madrab]

Any suggestions for particular test kit products or services??

If the water is passing through substrates/flooring/walls etc then it will probably be contaminated to the point where distinction will be very difficult. Cant say I'm aware of any specific test kit to test specifically created to test between the 2.

Unless you can test for specific additives that have been added to the mains by your supplier - testing the mains for say chlorine or fluoride or even testing the PH and comparing - then it may be very difficult to differentiate between the 2.

 

[endecotp]

Searching finds pH and chlorine test paper sold for this. My guess is that pH could easily be modified by passing through e.g. plaster, but that’s not going to add chlorine. (Though perhaps it could filter it out.) But I don’t think we have much chlorine in the water here. There have been posts here about water companies doing tests to determine if water is a leak from the mains or groundwater, but I get the impression that that involves collecting a sample to send to a lab, which must need more than just a drip running down a wall.

The story is that I have had drips from a light fitting under the upstairs neighbour’s bathroom in the past. They recently had the wall around the shower re-done which I was promised would resolve that. We have also had issues with the guttering and downpipe on the adjacent wall; the owners of the top two flats have tried to resolve that but they always choose the cheapest quote and the fix never lasts more than a year. My guess is that the current dampness I’m seeing is due to the rainwater, but it would be great to confirm that.

 

[Madrab]

Difficult to establish unless, as suggested it was a straight leak and not passing through. Depending on where you are then fluoride will also be added and offers another vector to test for.

When it comes to water companies then yes, they have large labs and chemists on tap (pun intended ) that test their water daily, therefore they would easily be able to test and determine chemical content/mineral content/ph etc quite easily.

Much more complicated for a domestic customer to do that.

If you are trying to establish who should be sorting it (upstairs or the top flats) then that's going to be difficult with water testing I would think.

 

[endecotp]

If you are trying to establish who should be sorting it ...

It was just a thought about another possible angle.

I think the bathroom leaks from immediately above have probably been sorted, but I would have preferred it if they had invited me to stick my head under their floor and inspect it before it was all sealed up. Similarly with the guttering, it would have been great to go up and look at what they'd done (and test with a hose pipe) but no doubt I wouldn't be allowed up in their cherry-picker. The guttering definitely is leaking, but it's hard to see how it actually gets into the wall as it appears to be doing.

 

[Madrab]

Yeah of course, I would be at the same point by now I'm sure. After being told it has been sorted but the water is still finding it's way into your light socket and there is no definitive way to establish where it is coming from.Guttering can be a problem too as leaks can work their way back into the wall via capillary action if there is a crack or vulnerable area without it being obvious.

It's a hard one to crack too because it's now getting to the point where things could start to become strained with the neighbours, which is not a place anyone wants to be. That being said no one should have to live with water coming down through their light. I guess all you can do is keep proving to them that it's still happening and someone needs to sort it.

If you are in flats then is there not a factors or management company that manages the communal building fabric/structure? Any insurance that you could get involved to pressure the neighbours into getting it sorted once and for all?

 

[endecotp]

Actually I get on Ok with the neighbours. There has been dampness in both the light and the wall. I had been blaming both on the bathroom, guessing that the water was tracking both ways above my ceiling, but I’m now thinking the wall dampness is from the gutter, as recent drips have coincided with rain.