Rainwater pooling next to external wall

[LLL]

Hi everyone, I’m looking for some advice regarding a drainage issue beside my house.

Rainwater tends to pool right along the external wall after heavy rain. The water usually drains away within about 30 minutes after the rain stops, but during the rainfall, it clearly sits lower than the nearby surface drains, so it doesn’t flow into them.

The block paving along the wall appears to have sunk slightly over the years. I believe that when it was first installed, the paving would have been level or slightly higher than the rest of the driveway, but now the row closest to the wall is slightly lower. 

There are no cracks in the wall, and the property has a suspended timber floor with a ventilated crawl space underneath. The wall is a cavity wall. My main concerns are:

1. Whether this amount of sinking is typical for block paving over time.

2. Whether water pooling against the wall (even if temporary) could cause long-term damp issues or subsidence.

3. Whether re-levelling a few rows of blocks would be the best solution - I am thinking to DIY. 

4. At the bottom of the downpipe there is an opening/gap (a plumber cut it previously when the pipe was blocked). I have temporarily covered it with tape, and water does not leak much from there, but I would like to know the proper way to seal or cap this gap in the long run.

I've attached photos showing the pooled water and the relative height difference between the paving and the drains.

Any advice or professional opinions and the best way to fix it would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

 

[ProDave]

I suspect it is all related to that drain.

 

That looks like cast iron, and for the plumber to bash a hole in it like that with no sensible means of covering it is just plain bad, I would not be using the same plumber again.

 

I think that whole corner around the drain pipe needs digging up, a proper look at what is going on there.  I bet you will find all sorts of problems which is why the drain blocked in the first place.  I suspect that whole stack will need replacing and a proper inspection chamber put in there for it to connect to.  Then all the paving can be put back and levelled.

 

Please don't ignore it, this is your human waste going down there via a pipe now with a big hole just above ground level.

 

 

[LLL]

34 minutes ago, ProDave said:

I suspect it is all related to that drain.

 

That looks like cast iron, and for the plumber to bash a hole in it like that with no sensible means of covering it is just plain bad, I would not be using the same plumber again.

 

I think that whole corner around the drain pipe needs digging up, a proper look at what is going on there.  I bet you will find all sorts of problems which is why the drain blocked in the first place.  I suspect that whole stack will need replacing and a proper inspection chamber put in there for it to connect to.  Then all the paving can be put back and levelled.

 

Please don't ignore it, this is your human waste going down there via a pipe now with a big hole just above ground level.

 

 

Thanks Dave. The downpipe is only connected to the gutter for rainwater. I saw the reason the pipe (not the drain) was blocked: there are trees around and the leaves dropped in the gutter and blocked the pipe. Now it is fine (though all leaves are flushed down through the pipe). 

 

[ProDave]

10 minutes ago, LLL said:

Thanks Dave. The downpipe is only connected to the gutter for rainwater. I saw the reason the pipe (not the drain) was blocked: there are trees around and the leaves dropped in the gutter and blocked the pipe. Now it is fine (though all leaves are flushed down through the pipe). 

 

So what is that branch pipe coming round the corner then?  

 

Your other pipe further along is definitely foul waste with no inspection chamber or rodding access.

[LLL]

12 minutes ago, ProDave said:

So what is that branch pipe coming round the corner then?  

 

 

Your other pipe further along is definitely foul waste with no inspection chamber or rodding access.

That is a boiler pipe. 

[JohnMo]

2 minutes ago, LLL said:

That is a boiler pipe

See this thread also

 

29 minutes ago, LLL said:

Now it is fine (though all leaves are flushed down through the pipe). 

Or have you just moved the problem for now?

[Nickfromwales]

1 hour ago, ProDave said:

That looks like cast iron, and for the plumber to bash a hole in it like that with no sensible means of covering it is just plain bad, I would not be using the same plumber again.

I spotted that in the other thread. 
 

The condensate from a boiler is corrosive, so you’re not allowed to discharge that into metal pipe work. 

[LLL]

4 minutes ago, Nickfromwales said:

I spotted that in the other thread. 
 

The condensate from a boiler is corrosive, so you’re not allowed to discharge that into metal pipe work. 

Indeed, that should be solved as well. 

[LLL]

22 minutes ago, JohnMo said:

See this thread also

 

Or have you just moved the problem for now?

Thanks for linking them together; that was the trigger. The pipe was cleaned and there is nothing inside, also a filter is added in the gutter to stop leaves into the pipe. I can;t see what is underground but i believe it is fine since I used my garden pipe to pour water through the gap for a while, seems nothing is below.