Water leak into crawlspace


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Old 02-17-09, 10:15 AM
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Water leak into crawlspace

Every year after it has been raining for a few days, I have water leaking into my crawlspace but where and how it comes in is a little tricky to solve.

In one corner of the crawlspace, there are two electricity conduits that supply power to the furnace, water is leaking out of the base of these conduits. As best as I can trace it, the conduit comes under the foundation wall from the outside and resurfaces in the crawlspace.

During the rain, I walk all around the house to see where water may be gathering but nothing visible, all rain gutters are divering water away from the house, so I am little loss as to how to solve this.

Is this a case for an electrician, plumber or landscape contractor?
 
  #2  
Old 02-17-09, 10:53 AM
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One thing to check would be to dig a hole. Use a post hole digger if you have one as the hole doesn't have to be wide, just deep enough to see if you hit water. If you hit water at 2 to 3 feet then you simply have a water table problem. That is the ground water level rises at that time of year enough to cause the leak. Let the hole you dig set over night to see if it fills by morning.

Step one,
Bud
 
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Old 02-17-09, 01:15 PM
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Originally Posted by Bud9051
One thing to check would be to dig a hole. Use a post hole digger if you have one as the hole doesn't have to be wide, just deep enough to see if you hit water. If you hit water at 2 to 3 feet then you simply have a water table problem. That is the ground water level rises at that time of year enough to cause the leak. Let the hole you dig set over night to see if it fills by morning.

Step one,
Bud
Actually the ground in general will be damp after heavy rain, if it rains a lot, some water might bubble up elsewhere.
I thought that this was caused by my underground rain pipe broken somewhere. I bought the house a few years now and have been trying to pinpoint root cause so I can have the right remedy.

What's next if water table is the cause?
 
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Old 02-17-09, 03:14 PM
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water leaking in around the electric doesn't sound good and needs to be carefully investigated to be sure they don't become a hazard. I don't know why a wire would be coming under or through a crawl space wall to your furnace??? Anyway identify it, and seal from the outside where the water is coming from.

As for what to do with a high water table, that's a tough one. You could consider a good size sump installed a couple of feet into the crawl space floor to catch the water before it surfaces, but trying to pump ground water is a big task.

Stop that leak and keep chasing the other wet spots.

Bud
 
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Old 02-17-09, 03:35 PM
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Originally Posted by Bud9051
water leaking in around the electric doesn't sound good and needs to be carefully investigated to be sure they don't become a hazard. I don't know why a wire would be coming under or through a crawl space wall to your furnace??? Anyway identify it, and seal from the outside where the water is coming from.

As for what to do with a high water table, that's a tough one. You could consider a good size sump installed a couple of feet into the crawl space floor to catch the water before it surfaces, but trying to pump ground water is a big task.

Stop that leak and keep chasing the other wet spots.

Bud
Hi Bud,
Thanks for your reply.

How would you suggest I go about identifying where the water gets in? Would you get an electrician, a landscape contractor or a plumber?

The water that infiltrated to the top isn't much to worry about a sump pump, would a French drain on the perimeter help, I wonder?
 
  #6  
Old 02-17-09, 05:30 PM
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Of your three choices I'd look for someone in the contracting/landscaping area. A French drain will need a place to drain to, and if your water table if high ??? If you have any low areas to drain to it my work.

GL
Bud
 
  #7  
Old 02-23-09, 10:12 AM
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I'd suggest you call a crawl space repair company instead. Fixing crawl spaces is what they do.
They usually have the knowledge of all 3 and will be better prepared to detect and fix it, whatever the problem might be: grading, leakage or drainage issue.

Good companies also offer free estimates, so it won't even need to spend any money to get an expert opinion.
But don't get one, get at least three and compare.
 
 

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