Water under floor...Please help!!!

Suzy-Q

This is quite a long post please read thank you.
We noticed a strange smell coming from a small room off our kitchen a few weeks ago..
This week we decided to pick up the floor boards and investigate...we did and found 10 inches of water ....we rang United Utilities...they discovered our drains blocked and neighbours drain blocked....they cleared the drains checks were done with both coloured dye and camera..no faults in drainage pipes, etc .they then removed the water .... we had an electrician to check wiring under floor...all good...they returned next day and removed last two inches of water...the water was clear ...
.we kept checking under the boards for a couple of days..the water returned but seemed to level at around 2 inches
...Today United Utilities came and removed the 2 inches of water...they did testing samples of the water and said they didn't know what the problem was....they advised us to contact Enviromental health...which I have....Waiting for them to get back to us...( the lady on the phone did say she wasn't sure they could help us)...
We know that under our house was dry 3 years ago...cause we had someone under there for electrical work...We have lived here for almost 9 years....
Any advice...help would be gratefully received.....getting really worried now!!!
Many thanks...

Ruski

Drain it again, turn off your water supply on the pavement for a day (nice chance for a day/night away somewhere!) And check the following day.
If there is no water then you can conclude there is a leak on your incoming supply.


If it's wet then that's a more complicated story


Russ

Suzy-Q

Thanks Ruski,
Will try this, but the water company have been very good, trying to eliminate potential problems...
If it does turn out to be" still wet" what other issues could we be dealing with here? .and are there any other professional tradesmen that we could contact for help?..
Many thanks for your help...

Cyberman60

I had an issue a few years ago when I was in my back garden and noticed a huge circular wet patch around my kitchen window, about 12 feet diameter. I then checked my walls inside and noticed I had mould inside my living room next to the kitchen and on the kitchen floor behind the cabinets.

I phoned my insurance company because I thought it was an underfloor pipe leaking but they said they won't come out unless I can find the source of the leak.

Then I investigated and found the problem almost immediately. On checking outside I saw an overflow pipe was slowly emitting water. I checked my cistern in my bathroom and noticed that the water was overflowing, due to a dodgy rubber valve. Also, the plastic overflow pipe was not horizontal so water was flowing out but coming back into the house tracking back on the outside of the pipe into the gap between the interior and exterior walls.

This must have been going on for a very long time and also explained why I occasionally found slugs in the house for a few years before.

Ruski

Suzy-Q wrote: »

Thanks Ruski,
Will try this, but the water company have been very good, trying to eliminate potential problems...
If it does turn out to be" still wet" what other issues could we be dealing with here? .and are there any other professional tradesmen that we could contact for help?..
Many thanks for your help...

Have they tested the water to see if it's tap water or other?? Knowing this will increase your chances of finding the source:


i.e. if it contains fluoride we can assume it's water supply and hence is a leak on the water supply somewhere.


If it's foul water it will be a leak from sewers


If it's natural water from a water table then it's a whole different kettle of fish

Can you find out what the water boards findings were? It would be a big help?

HTH

Russ

Ruski

Could also be rainwater if you have rainwater drainage that has failed...


Russ

Suzy-Q

Thanks for the replies...much apprieciated...


They tested the water twice...the initial 10 inches of water ( Saturday ) was a mixture of sewerage and clear water...the water that they pumped out today was crystal clear...wasn't from domestic water pipes etc. They have checked all drains etc. nothing....


When they pumped the 2 inches out today the water just kept coming....they said if they were to leave the pump on for 24 hours it would still keep coming....we have just checked under the floorboards now and the water is about 2 inches again!!!


Have phoned Enviromental Health today and got a Ref. number from them but the lady on the phone said she didn't know if they could help....waiting for them to contact us...!!!:(


All gutters downpipes etc seem to be working well....


Cyberman we have no signs of damage inside house whatsoever ....only investigated under the floorboards because of a bad smell....the access point is a small pantry room off the kitchen, so difficult to see the whole under floor area...
yes we rang our insurance company on Saturday....we were distraught...we got the same reply as you...find the source of the problem!!!!!


Thanks for your concern everyone...
Still no wiser keep the advice coming....please...

wallbash

a small room off our kitchen a

So we can eliminate water from immediate neighbors?
Have you spoken to them ?
Is the garden very wet .

Suzy-Q

Hi yes we live in a semi....the water board went into their 's at the weekend...they only had a little water .....they haven't been in touch with them since so assume they haven't had anymore trouble...haven't asked ..
( The watermen said they thought they were draining for 2 houses on Saturday ...they filled 3 tanks then returned to remove last for 2 inches on sunday....returned again today to remove 2 inches again!!)


The gardens at the back of house always wet recently with all rain, clay base etc. garden raised a little....with patio area outside kitchen diner...
Our front of house is flagged area immediately in front of living room then a block paved driveway to the side of that....


many thanks....

Suzy-Q

oh forgot to ask....rainwater drainage....is that street drainage???

Marktheshark

Dig a hole in the garden near the house deeper than the void under the floor and see if this fills up with water.
This will show if its a water table issue in the area.