Water problem

Discussion in 'Builders' Talk' started by Hover Tim, Jun 20, 2007.

  1. Hover Tim

    Hover Tim New Member

    i have made a small workshop bolted onto the back of my garage the base is concrete i have 4 courses of block work and the rest is timber all has been fine until now that past week with all the rain we have been having it has got in some how so i mixed some connie and put a triangle of connie all the way round to try and prevent this but the water has again come back in any ideas on how to prevent this happaning again lads
    Regards Tim
     
  2. ..you should've used a DPM under the base
     
  3. Hover Tim

    Hover Tim New Member

    do you mean under the block work
     
  4. Charlie Far!ey

    Charlie Far!ey New Member

    Man who ** in porridge got it spot on man.

    You havent got a DPM

    Get some ducks keep em in the shed fatten em up and have em for Thanksgiving

    Dig a sump hole about 250mm deep to accomodate a sump pump. Brick up the walls and puts stones in the base to 150mm

    Pipe it outside wire it up and pray for rain so you can get some use out of it.

    [Edited by: admin5]
     
  5. Hover Tim

    Hover Tim New Member

    Well ha ha ha arnt you a funny guy i have moved in so i dont really want to sra taking it down again there must be a way of stopping this
     
  6. tonynoarm

    tonynoarm New Member

    Could you not install a DPM and run a small drain underneath it to allow any rising water to run through the pipe and to the outside of the shed. The DPM above it would stop the water rising any further. Dont know if this is practicle but you never know. Another possible solution: how about laying another inch or two of concrete, but slope it to corner so the water runs to this corner, then drill through the brick work insert a small piece of overflow pipe to allow the water to run outside and drain away. You also need to make sure that the shed you have built does not breach the existing DPC of your adjoining house.
     
  7. Mr. Handyandy

    Mr. Handyandy Screwfix Select

    If you've sat the blockwork straight on top of the concrete water will come in between concrete and mortar.

    Take an angle grinder round the perimeter into the concrete, one cut 20mm deep, tight against the blocks.

    Paint 75mm up the wall and fill the groove you grinded with bitumen.


    Mr. HandyAndy - really
     
  8. Hover Tim

    Hover Tim New Member

  9. Willy Duwitt

    Willy Duwitt New Member

    As TNA and Mr HA have already stated, the reason you are getting water seeping through is because you've built directly off the concrete base. The internal and external floor heights are the same so as water runs down the walls, it pools at the base and soaks through to the inside. You need to increase the height of the floor inside the workshop and do something to stop the water pooling at the base, maybe by cutting a small channel along the length of the wall that lets the water run off the base.
     
  10. devil's advocate

    devil's advocate New Member

    Hi Tim.

    It's always astonishing how water can seeming appear to go uphill, or at least pass through unexpected places!

    I notice your blockwork is painted, but clearly this isn't making it waterproof. A simpler, but possibly less effective long-term, solution would be to give the exterior block and cement base-work a few coats of a bitumen-based tanking. This can be over-coated afterwards to make it more pikturskew.

    You'd have to make sure there are no uncovered cracks whatsoever.

    Also, are you absolutely certain that water isn't getting in via the timber structure somewhere, especially around window frames, etc., and then travelling down inside? It might be worth going over the TOP areas of the internal block-work with a piece of tissue paper and looking for any water. You'd be astonished how 'invisible' a 'trickle' of water can be.
     
  11. Hover Tim

    Hover Tim New Member

    I dont think its getting in via the timber as i had a look and the blocks apper to be dry a few courses above the base so it must be the joint betewen the mortar and concrete base i think i will try the suggested method and see how that goes
     
  12. Swiss Tony

    Swiss Tony New Member

    It looks like a bigger problem than just seeping through the slab and in the joint by the base of the wall.

    The water won't puddle above the slab unless there is a higher level of water forcing it up to that point. If you stick a screwdriver into the base it is soaked through?

    I would lay a DPM dressed up the walls and screed over, but still think that the problem lies in a leak somewhere else.

    Alternative is that if it has only happened with the recent rain, then wait until it dries out and live with it.

    In fact, if it has only happened recently, then I would bet £50 that it is a leak and not the floor.
     
  13. tonynoarm

    tonynoarm New Member

    Also start at the top and work your way down - throw a tarpaulin over the roof and see if that stops water ingress.
     
  14. Hover Tim

    Hover Tim New Member

    its definatly the block work joint at the base as the celing is dry unlike the joint which is wet i will try the above method but could i take out a deaper challel to take the rain away easier as i dount think that 25mm would be enough
     
  15. Swiss Tony

    Swiss Tony New Member

    The blockwork base is obviously wet because there is a great big fecking puddle on the floor.

    Use a hose and pour water over the roof, then the window, the doors, and it will all run down the walls and if your idea is right it will come pouring into the room at the base. i doubt that it will.

    But try it. At least you will see where the water is coming in.

    ps Make sure someone is in the room to spot it coming in, otherwise you will be no further forward
     
  16. devil's advocate

    devil's advocate New Member

    Hi Tim.

    Looking at your photos again, you have a lot of clutter - er, equipment - along the walls which will make it difficult to see any water which might be coming from the timber section and running over the inside of the blockwork. Honesty, it can be very hard to see even a constant damp line.

    I think it would be remiss to discount the possibility of it being a leak further up before accusing the blockwork.
     
  17. Hover Tim

    Hover Tim New Member

    i will try tonys method and see what happens if nothing come thourugh the block work the i will start looking
     
  18. Hover Tim

    Hover Tim New Member

    just had a chat will an uncle a retired concrete worker he has suggested knocking the mortar out at the bottom say 10-20mm in to the joint and replace with mastic would this be fesable
     
  19. Mr. Handyandy

    Mr. Handyandy Screwfix Select

    just had a chat will an uncle a retired concrete
    worker he has suggested knocking the mortar out at
    the bottom say 10-20mm in to the joint and replace
    with mastic would this be fesable




    It will still fail. Most mastics will fail if constantly wet(as that area most likely will be).

    You have to cover OVER the offending gap, not just on top of it.

    Mr. HandyAndy - really
     
  20. Willy Duwitt

    Willy Duwitt New Member

    This is such a common problem with this kind of construction, I cant believe all this umming and arring.

    If you want to stop the water seeping in, and it will be seeping in under the blocks, you need to do 2 things.

    1) Raise the level of the floor inside the shed
    2) Find a way to decrease the amount of water pooling at the base of the wall.
     

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