Sealing indoor wall from drainage from next door

We live in a townhouse and the one next door is somewhat higher than ours. Previous owners there installed a BIG pool and didn't do anything much about drainage from their fairly large brick patio.

We had drainage (not really ground water) coming into our dining room numerous times onto carpet. My husband bought Vulkem and other stuff and sealed that wall with it - at the base -------between the 2X4 and the wall.........on the slab. Never leaked again.

But, now the water is coming in over the slab in the kitchen - under cabinets,dishwasher, etc. What a mess every time it rains.

I don't think it's groundwater as such because this morning we barely had a half inch of rain, if that, and here comes the water over the slab into the kitchen.

My husband thinks a french drain outside might cure it. Maybe for ground water.......but - to me -this is just drainage from the patio next door. Not all that much rain at all this morning. Gone now. Heavy, heavy rains and one thinks groundwater --- but a very light one.........to me that's drainage. The next door owner is not a good neighbor and wouldn't do a thing --- so we have to solve the problem from our side.

I'm thinking - take out the parts in the kitchen -- shelves, etc. and do the same that was done in the dining room. Do the whole wall on that side.

Anyone had experience with this --- in an attached townhouse or whatever? Please --- some good ideas. Thanks.

Reply to
berry
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Sealing from inside the house is not a solution. It may help hide the problem, but if you're sealing inside where the wall meets the slab, the water is still getting inside the wall, in contact with the wood where it comes up against the slab, etc. All you're doing by caulking it is making it pool up and stay there, where it will cause rot.

Impossible to say how this should be addressed without seeing it. But the idea of a perimeter drain system to intercept the water and carry it away sounds like an idea in the right direction. Also, I'd contact the local code officials and see what they have to say. If the neighbors pool and backyard work caused this, the municipality may force the neighbor to fix the problem. Irresponsibly regrading and sending water into someone else's yard is usually frowned upon.

Reply to
trader4

Without seeing the conditions, it is hard to suggest a solution. A French drain may be a minor improvement but I would think definitely not a cure. The grade (ground) is too high around your slab - that's a problem for another reason, which is termites. Since you state that water runs in under the sill with just a small amount of rain, that is clearly not going to be aided (much) by a French drain. In order for a French drain to help, the water has to percolate down through soil or stone, the stone (hopefully) making the water drain too fast to run under your sill.. In you situation, it runs under the sill, which isn't much different than running in under a door.

In my city, a building site has to have an inspection to approve drainage before building. You might have recourse there. Also need to look at where downspouts empty. If nothing else, even mounded soil can divert the water enough to keep it out of the house until a better solution is found.

Reply to
Norminn

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