How to fix flooding from concrete steps?

[JCreno]

I have problems with flooding. I have concrete steps leading to my front door. These steps allow water through when there is constant rain for a day or so which in turn floods under the house into a games room/craft room. The house is an old Neeta home and is built on a fairly steep block. How or who would fix this problem

 

[EricL]

Hello @JCreno 

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community. It's sensational to have you join us, and thanks for sharing your question about your flooding issue.

One way to stop water from passing through the brick wall to your games/craft room is to dig into the ground near the brick wall where the water is passing through and sealing it with Gripset Betta 1L Waterproofing Membrane Bitumen Rubber. You may have to dig quite deep to make sure that the external brick wall is totally covered with the bitumen seal. My second suggestion is to find an exit point for the water to go out of. Is there a spot where the water can naturally drain out so that water does not pool or gather under the stairs?

My final suggestion is to apply the first solution to the brick structure and then flatten the area and create a slope with a pit at the end. Inside the pit install an Ozito 350W Dirty Water Submersible Water Pump which will activate as soon as the water in the pit lifts the mercury switch. The water will then be pumped out preventing water from flooding the area.

Kindly ensure that a licensed plumber is consulted regarding solutions two and three, as these involve plumbing work that must be conducted safely and in full compliance with all relevant local regulations and codes.

Let me call on our experienced members @Dave-1 and @Nailbag for their recommendations.

If you have any other questions we can help with, please let us know.

Eric

[Nailbag]

Hi @JCreno 

When it comes to water ingress within any home, it must always start with addressing the issues externally before seeing what is then maybe required on the inside following @EricL recommendations. I often work with experienced plumbers with these issues and tackling the source of any water ingress no matter the scenario is pretty much a building industry standard. Though photos of the concrete stairs would assist in understanding the structure, essentially sealing the steps if this is the source, would be my first plan of attack.

@EricL may be able to provide more insight here as far as a Bunnings product, otherwise getting a few quotes from concrete resurfacing companies would be where I would research.

Nailbag

[Dave-1 · Accepted solution]

Good Evening @JCreno 

I have the same issue as you do with your steps, my first thought when I saw your photo was "Hey thats my pic" lol

Having considered the same types of things that @EricL and @Nailbag have mentioned when I was chasing the leak and what I could do I ended up going with @EricL's second suggestion, funneling/steering the water to a lower point and out from under the house. I am on a hill also, which was handy drainage wise.

Scraping out the broken rubble so you get a soil based surface would be a start in steering the water away from your gamesroom, creating a low point that exits through the brick wall might be an option. Even a Reln 65mm x 7m Slotted And Socked Stretch Ag-Pipe in a 200mm trench that goes through the wall and outside so it drains naturally and you backfill the trench with 8mm gravel would stop the water coming though to the gamesroom.

Dave

[JCreno]

Decide on your idea thankyou