Sealing a pipe so it is watertight.

You or the pipe?

David Paste snipped-for-privacy@gmail.com wrote in news:vlk6ef$2crsv$1@dont- email.me:

I thought the Sfx item would have worked but maybe have a search for inflatable bungs such as these which will hopefully provide a more reliable seal due to their longer length. Be aware however that on clay pipework a failed seal further along the fall may result in leakage that may run back up the outside of the pipe, bypassing the bung. Similarly for flooded ground water intrusion along the outside of any pipe.

Something like:

I'm sure your bung solution would last a number of years before failing.

If the pipe really is a drain from a soak-away then I don't think simply stopping it up at the end where the water comes out is going to work long term. The water from the soak-away needs to go somewhere, if you stop it coming out of the end of the pipe then the water is going to overflow somewhere else.

If the water is coming from the neighbour's property, then it would be that neighbour's responsibility to fix the problem. Dumping the problem into the OP's lap is not a proper solution.

True, but what I said still stands, the water must go somewhere and it may well simply dribble down to the same place round the outside of the pipe. If the water **is** from adjacent property then one needs to negotiate with the neighbour to sort things out.

Yes, agree. I have a feeling this happens quite often in tanked cellars - although not quite so blatant as to actually pipe it next door.

Do you have any idea of the soil or other material surrounding the pipe? Pipes are often laid on a bed of gravel then covered over with more gravel. If that is so you are likely to have a very slow flow through the gravel bed along the outside of the pipe.

Cheers

Dave R

The use of pea gravel around underground pipes is a more recent requirement and is more to do with plastic pipes expanding and contracting more than clay pipes. The gravel prevents compacting against the pipes and allows ease of movement.

There is something called "waterproof expanding foam", maybe that would work?

I would still use a bung, or cement, or something -- rats for one would make short work of any foam.

And think of getting a cheap water alarm, usually a puck, or a wall box with a sensor that beeps if wet -- few Euros from Aliexpress, ten if WiFi. (Not perfect, but I know one friend who caught a leak while still minor because of one!)

Thomas Prufer

Sounds more like any water collecting in the OP's basement used to be piped to his neighbour anyway, and that after heavy rain both cellars would flood (or even the cellars of an entire row of terraced houses)

Well the pipe isn't, but I'm on my way.

Yeah, there has been a development! I ended up getting one of those DIY colonoscopy kits that Toolstation sells and having a good root around, and it appears that there are a few portals to a soakaway.

I still need to seal the drain in the middle of the room though (it won't affect the soakaway)

This is the truth! I have had a more thorough investigation and come up with a plan...

I think it might be a "shared" soakaway. Not had chance to investigate next door's cellar yet, but wont be long til I can.

Interestingly there is NOTHING about it mentioned in the deeds to my house. I am starting to think it might have been a bodge by the previous owner who tanked the cellar in an attempt to have a soakaway in the cellar for his washing machine.

We are on good terms. It will be sorted out without issue.