The Home Improvements Thread (3)

Tinuva said:
I saw something like this recently on youtube, from a guy in the UK.

The silicone is some mix that also dry out water, somehow it absorbs the water and it must be turning into something else to not be just water anymore. Looked like a lot of work, so I am sure there must be people or builders that know how to do this, as something you do on already built houses.

My understanding from the video was, you can't just do this, you also need a french drain system in the area outside the house and everything else that assists in keeping water away from the house.
Click to expand...
The silicone acts as a Damp Course along the brick that prevents moisture from running up the bricks. So it will prevent the moisture from rising and causing the paint to peel off.

I know about this as my home currently has this problem and the cost to sort it out is over 100K to do the whole house.
 
But why does the house have rising damp?

Is the house in a low point?
Did they not put a damp course in?
Is the ground level outside close to, or higher than the floor level inside?
Is there a Sprinkler system spraying on the walls?
Are you in a swamp?
Is it only on one side of the house?
 
My house is almost in a swamp. So for me, first thing is to get the french drain system to drain as much of the water first. Annoying that it was never done before, because with heavy rain, the water does build up next to the house. The whole backyard becomes a swamp and I am unfortunately the house lower down.
 
Tinuva said:
My house is almost in a swamp. So for me, first thing is to get the french drain system to drain as much of the water first. Annoying that it was never done before, because with heavy rain, the water does build up next to the house. The whole backyard becomes a swamp and I am unfortunately the house lower down.
Click to expand...
I would suggest instead, grading the soil to slope away from the house for about 1.5 - 2 meters.. ideal for this grading, is to bring in a clay, so water cannot permeate.. At that point, do a swail that will channel the water away or the french drain, but don't put the french drain up against the side of the house.. if it blocks or gets overwhelmed, you would still have water ingress to the house..
 
Would putting an agricultural drain (wrapped in Biddem cloth and laying in a trench of crusher stone?) on the side/s where the water flows from and then leading the water around to the lower end, not an option...
 
Mannydefreitas said:
Would putting an agricultural drain (wrapped in Biddem cloth and laying in a trench of crusher stone?) on the side/s where the water flows from and then leading the water around to the lower end, not an option...
Click to expand...
That is what is also known as a french drain, what he and I were referring to..

One thing though, never wrap your pipe in cloth.. yes, the intention is to keep sand out, but the cloth gets clogged and water can never drain into the pipe.. instead, on the end of the pipe that is not draining the water away, you add a bend to bring the pipe just above ground level and add a lid(should also have a few holes in the lid to allow water to drain better) and you use this to clean out the pipe every once in a while..
 
Mannydefreitas said:
Would putting an agricultural drain (wrapped in Biddem cloth and laying in a trench of crusher stone?) on the side/s where the water flows from and then leading the water around to the lower end, not an option...
Click to expand...
The biddem goes around the stone too as far as i got it with perforated pipe

Ie dig trench , lay biddem put in some stone lay pipe more stone fold biddem closed fill

So it can collect water all along the length

And naturally if you dig out clay fill with something else you don't want to have a non permeable medium preventing the drain from working
 
Last edited:
WAslayer said:
I would suggest instead, grading the soil to slope away from the house for about 1.5 - 2 meters.. ideal for this grading, is to bring in a clay, so water cannot permeate.. At that point, do a swail that will channel the water away or the french drain, but don't put the french drain up against the side of the house.. if it blocks or gets overwhelmed, you would still have water ingress to the house..
Click to expand...
So we have plant beds around the house, meaning the soil is lower right next to the house vs the lawn.

The supplier I had here, suggested the french drain cover the whole of the lawn, which is not right next to the house, in line with what you suggest. It does mean, a whole new lawn, so expensive way of doing it. The supplier suggested hooking in to the already drain pipes the gutters use, which have a select few places where you can clean out the drain.
 
WAslayer said:
That is what is also known as a french drain, what he and I were referring to..

One thing though, never wrap your pipe in cloth.. yes, the intention is to keep sand out, but the cloth gets clogged and water can never drain into the pipe.. instead, on the end of the pipe that is not draining the water away, you add a bend to bring the pipe just above ground level and add a lid(should also have a few holes in the lid to allow water to drain better) and you use this to clean out the pipe every once in a while..
Click to expand...
On youtube I saw one guy adding the hole to the bottom of the pipes. His reasoning was that allows rising water to enter the pipes. Unsure if correct or not, but the tuber mentioned this allows to drain out there too?
 
Tinuva said:
On youtube I saw one guy adding the hole to the bottom of the pipes. His reasoning was that allows rising water to enter the pipes. Unsure if correct or not, but the tuber mentioned this allows to drain out there too?
Click to expand...
You get a perforated pipe that is manufactured with tons of holes

Manufactured for this very purpose
 
Tinuva said:
So we have plant beds around the house, meaning the soil is lower right next to the house vs the lawn.

The supplier I had here, suggested the french drain cover the whole of the lawn, which is not right next to the house, in line with what you suggest. It does mean, a whole new lawn, so expensive way of doing it. The supplier suggested hooking in to the already drain pipes the gutters use, which have a select few places where you can clean out the drain.
Click to expand...
Hhmmm.. interesting approach.. not sure I would follow it though..

Ideally you would want the french drain to not be completely surrounded by soil.. you want the pipe completely surrounded by gravel.. gravel allows the water to remain free flowing, so it drains away faster.. I imagine, if you did do the gravel thing and then still go and surround it with soil, at some point the soil is going to saturate your gravel and severely restrict the drainage of water..

You should consider raising the soil beds, this is a preventive measure.. I would then do a swail at the edge of the raised soil beds that will funnel water away to the nearest drainage point or to a catch basin where it can drain away..

I recommend the swail because it's going to be odd having a line of gravel between the lawn and soil beds..

Alternatively, if the water is coming from the neighbours side, you do the french drain up against the boundary wall and catch it right there..

Another consideration, is where your gutters are dumping the water..
 
Thank you! Great advice in this thread :)

I like the idea of raising the beds to be higher than the lawn with something to divide the lawn and bed.

But will have to look at exactly where the house floor level is, don't think I want to go above that.
 
Tinuva said:
So we have plant beds around the house, meaning the soil is lower right next to the house vs the lawn.

The supplier I had here, suggested the french drain cover the whole of the lawn, which is not right next to the house, in line with what you suggest. It does mean, a whole new lawn, so expensive way of doing it. The supplier suggested hooking in to the already drain pipes the gutters use, which have a select few places where you can clean out the drain.
Click to expand...

Is the house foundation also lower than the lawn or at the same level as flower bed? If not why not just fill around the house to raise it higher than lawn. Ie grading it. We had a similar problem with many types of drains used as solution prior to buying it. After we did we looked at the house in totality created a drainage system and just got a couple of load of top soil and we haven’t had this issue again. Had to dig up some clay soil to replace though. Now water moves from house, to lawn and into drains not the other way. We stopped and redirected all incoming water so only had to deal with direct rainfall. And also roof water goes into Jojo. Wish we had done this immediately we moved in. Much cheaper so much peace of mind in winter.
 
kory said:
Is the house foundation also lower than the lawn or at the same level as flower bed? If not why not just fill around the house to raise it higher than lawn. Ie grading it. We had a similar problem with many types of drains used as solution prior to buying it. After we did we looked at the house in totality created a drainage system and just got a couple of load of top soil and we haven’t had this issue again. Had to dig up some clay soil to replace though. Now water moves from house, to lawn and into drains not the other way. We stopped and redirected all incoming water so only had to deal with direct rainfall. And also roof water goes into Jojo. Wish we had done this immediately we moved in. Much cheaper so much peace of mind in winter.
Click to expand...
well yes and no. It is a U shaped house, with the inside part having a swimming pool (luckily I doubt this is leaking, level stay about same with cover), but the lawn at the back is similar height to the floor in the house. The front is definitely much lower than the house floor.

I also like the idea of stopping water at the boundary, that definitely should also make a good start for the solution.
 
Tinuva said:
On youtube I saw one guy adding the hole to the bottom of the pipes. His reasoning was that allows rising water to enter the pipes. Unsure if correct or not, but the tuber mentioned this allows to drain out there too?
Click to expand...
So the water entering the pipe leaves out the bottom?

Why not just exclude the pipe altogether?
 
Hi, can someone provide some pointers about geysers? What will cause air to come from the hot water taps? I think the issue might be the pressure release valve. Any ideas on how I can test it and what else can cause the air in the system? I don't see any issues with the cold water side.
 
PowerFactor said:
Hi, can someone provide some pointers about geysers? What will cause air to come from the hot water taps? I think the issue might be the pressure release valve. Any ideas on how I can test it and what else can cause the air in the system? I don't see any issues with the cold water side.
Click to expand...
Any burst pipes in the area recently

The burst pipe could have been in the day while you weren't there and you only see the result now as the air would accumulate at the high point of geyser inlet so would end up in the geyser

Normally pressure relief valve lets water out not air in when pressure is too much
 
How do I limit the spread in a urinal?
We have a DAB easybox set at 1.8 <> 2.0 bar, which is not much imho, but the urinal keeps on pushing water over the edge.
Looks like this
1698759580219.png
1698759524514.png
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top
Sign up to the MyBroadband newsletter
X