Water under floor boards

[corv99]

Hi All

I have had some damp issues on walls around fireplace in the house.
Had a guy in who quoted for damp course to fix it, which p**d me off a bit as on closer inspection we already had it!!
but damp is strange, it is actually dry, almosr like salt coming through the walls / plaster. it is an oldish house with solid walls.
Had them replastered, and applied various damp proofing to this, but in fairly short space of time it has come through again.

Anyway long story short, when I lifted the boards while putting down laminate flooring and to my absolute horror there is water under the floor!!

it seems quite clean, which makes me think it may be the water table perhaps, as when it rains heavy, which in this country is a lot of hte time, there are pools outside...

I really would like to know who to call for this, and solutions? sump pumps
filling in the floor a bit?
I think the 'salt' on the walls is causing some breathing problems, so want to get it sorted out as it is very worrying!
is this type of thing covered on insurance?

Thanks
Dave

 

[mointainwalker]

From your description, what you have on the walls is effloresence.

When walls get damp over a long period, they absorb different kinds of water-loving salts . When the wall dries, these salts crystallise on the surface of the wall and start re-absorbing the moisture they like so much.

The remedy is to hack off the affected plaster ( up to height of 1 metre ? ) and re-plaster with a salt-inhibiting additive.

Pretty bad if this wasn't done with yours, and if it was, I don't know why it didn't work.

Insurance ? Absolutely not. Do you have a guarantee from the plasterer or was it pretty recent ?

Salt-laden atmospheres are usually reckoned to be healthy, especially for people with breathing-related complaints - asthma etc.

 

[corv99]

From your description, what you have on the walls is effloresence.

When walls get damp over a long period, they absorb different kinds of water-loving salts . When the wall dries, these salts crystallise on the surface of the wall and start re-absorbing the moisture they like so much.

The remedy is to hack off the affected plaster ( up to height of 1 metre ? ) and re-plaster with a salt-inhibiting additive.

Pretty bad if this wasn't done with yours, and if it was, I don't know why it didn't work.

Insurance ? Absolutely not. Do you have a guarantee from the plasterer or was it pretty recent ?

Salt-laden atmospheres are usually reckoned to be healthy, especially for people with breathing-related complaints - asthma etc.

thankyou, yes I think that is a good idea re the plaster, just need to sort out the problem of the water first, which terrifys me

 

[mointainwalker]

What is the situation of your house - higher ground around you, flat or what ?

Is the area immediately around your house concrete, gravel, lawn ?

Are your gutters and drains in good condition as far as you can see i.e. not overflowing when it rains, not blocked by leaves or silt etc ?

when it rains heavy, which in this country is a lot of hte time, there are pools outside...

Not good. Obviously best if water flows away from vicinity of house. What surface is the water pooling on ?

 

[corv99]

What is the situation of your house - higher ground around you, flat or what ?

Is the area immediately around your house concrete, gravel, lawn ?

Are your gutters and drains in good condition as far as you can see i.e. not overflowing when it rains, not blocked by leaves or silt etc ?

when it rains heavy, which in this country is a lot of hte time, there are pools outside...

Not good. Obviously best if water flows away from vicinity of house. What surface is the water pooling on ?

Hi Mate, it is an end terraced house ( old miners cottages so quite old) it is actually raised up a bit form ground level, when the rain is hard we get extensive pools outside, which is I believe the drains can't cope, as when it stops raining it drains off slowly.
we have concrete to the back, and the front earth which I have covered with bark chippings, there was a bit of flooding in front garden, But I resolved that by getting elbow deep in the drain and clearing it out.
I think by eye the water in back, and roughly level under the floor might be about the same, which is why I htought water table, or as you say maybe it is drainig into there.

I also believe, as houses are quite old, and new roads etc have been put down since, maybe the drainage of roads etc contribute.

Not sure if I need to get in a surveyor, or builder or who to call really, it could be a kneedle in a haystack job.... the walls are main problem in house.but the water can't be good... I was wondering about sump pumps maybe, but would be good to try to solve the problem

 

[mointainwalker]

Well I'd next get rid of the water under the floor- don't know how much we are talking about so unsure which is best method - and then check regularly to see if it is seeping in all the time ( high water table ?)or more when it rains ( poor drainage ? )

If it is possible to ascertain if it coming from one particular side. you could think about a french drain to stop it reaching the house, but then you need somewhere to take the water. This would obviously be significant work where your yard is concreted.

I guess a sump-pump would work too, but obviously better to deal with theproblem than simply the results. Would also give you the headache of creating a permanent routing to a drain.

 

[corv99]

Yes makes sense..... thankyou for your help

 

[digdilem]

Sounds like digging some test pits outside wouldn't be a bad idea, to establish if the water table actually is that high?

(Dig a series working away from the house, cover, monitor levels of them over a period of time. Compare levels inside the house before and after rain.)

As a terrace, might be worth talking to the neighbours to see if they have any problems.

As for solutions - to be honest not sure. An automatic sump pump discharging to a drain might work, or a gulley drain around the outside of the house, but do lots of research first and consider the soil type. If clay, changing the moisture content dramatically could shrink/heave the foundations bringing a new world of pain.

 

[corv99]

Sounds like digging some test pits outside wouldn't be a bad idea, to establish if the water table actually is that high?

(Dig a series working away from the house, cover, monitor levels of them over a period of time. Compare levels inside the house before and after rain.)

As a terrace, might be worth talking to the neighbours to see if they have any problems.

As for solutions - to be honest not sure. An automatic sump pump discharging to a drain might work, or a gulley drain around the outside of the house, but do lots of research first and consider the soil type. If clay, changing the moisture content dramatically could shrink/heave the foundations bringing a new world of pain.

the neighbour has had a bit of a damp issue on his wall as it is the inside one. I'm thinking of hiring a pump to get water out and see if this is a good starting point.
In terms of tradesman where does this come under? is it a surveyor or a builder etc

 

[Christien]

Hi, I have been reading your post. I have exactly the same problem in my living room and its an absolute nightmare. I have damp rising up my internal walls due to the fact that water pools under my boards every time it rains. have had cameras down the drain, a aco drain installed at the front of my house, moved the rain downpipe to another drain and had extra air bricks inserted into the outside wall to assist ventilation. Nothing has worked. I have been told that its an extremely common problem in older houses and that I should basically learn to live with it. A sump pump would, in my opinion be futile as the water drains away once the rain has subsided. However, a friend of a friend had the same problem and they had the sub floor concreted over which cured the problem. I dont know the details ie the cost and how they got around the services such as water/gas pipes and electric cables, this is something that I am going to look into. I would be interested to know if you have sorted your problem out?
regards
Christien

 

[corv99]

Hi, I have been reading your post. I have exactly the same problem in my living room and its an absolute nightmare. I have damp rising up my internal walls due to the fact that water pools under my boards every time it rains. have had cameras down the drain, a aco drain installed at the front of my house, moved the rain downpipe to another drain and had extra air bricks inserted into the outside wall to assist ventilation. Nothing has worked. I have been told that its an extremely common problem in older houses and that I should basically learn to live with it. A sump pump would, in my opinion be futile as the water drains away once the rain has subsided. However, a friend of a friend had the same problem and they had the sub floor concreted over which cured the problem. I dont know the details ie the cost and how they got around the services such as water/gas pipes and electric cables, this is something that I am going to look into. I would be interested to know if you have sorted your problem out?
regards
Christien

HI Christien.... no not quite, have been away with work a lot and not had a real chance to get into it. however, since putting in some new plaster, and a lot more air bricks, I did see some of the issue come back fairly quickly, but it stopped in its tracks and hasn't got any worse... not had a chance to get under floors as I had put down some new laminate and underfoor heating, but will do.. Hopefully all the little bits I have done, have had some impact.
I had some issues on opposite walls, but narrowed that down to an issue with the door and seals around the frame, which is were the damp was getting in.
I live in newcastle, so if you have seen the news, if it was going to get any worse it would have been this week surely!! worst downpour in more than 100 years!! I'm hoping to get the floor up to check situation, and get some one in to give an expert opinion, maybe a surveyor or similar

 

[Christien]

Hi, two years on, have you sorted your problem with water under the floorboards?