Blocking a cellar drain.

[Morrisman]

A friend of mine has a cellar, and in that cellar is a drain, that used to be for washing out as it was once a pub.

Several years ago the local authorities did some messing about with the local river, or drains, and other water sources, and ever since then the cellar gets wet in heavy rain. Not every time, sometimes it get nothing, even in the huge downpours, sometimes an inch of water in light rain.

Anyway, a year or two ago we mixed up a bag of ready mix concrete and filled the drain hole.

It didn’t work, water still comes up a small pinhole where the fix didn’t quite fix the problem.

Any ideas what could be used? The water only seems to come up in that one small pin hole now, but I’m wondering whether to smash our repair out and use a better mix of something, as new concrete doesn’t really like to stick to old concrete.

 

[Shox Dr]

If its just a pin hole, cement slurry might cure it. If it just runs away, add silver/kiln sand to the slurry. PVA will help

 

[Kram]

I've no expereince, PU resin would probably be best if it can be thinned enough to soak in?

If the drains have a problem or blockage worth getting them out to clear it before something floods. Ex pub, so quite likely drains are blocked with fat and food from wash up.

Reminds me of a guy from work, his house had a small cupboard with a toilet in it, no sink, he decided it would be much better as a cupboard, removed and blocked it up, himself, I dont know what he used but he seemed quite pleased with his diy skills at the time.
Months later the other toilet had a proper blockage, they called out a plumber. It was unblocked, so was the cupboard, with sewage flooding his hallway, lounge and kitchen. Thats the story he used anyway, he took quite a bit of time off to clean up

 

[gaz1]

hot tar will do it

 

[Shox Dr]

I've no expereince, PU resin would probably be best if it can be thinned enough to soak in?

If the drains have a problem or blockage worth getting them out to clear it before something floods. Ex pub, so quite likely drains are blocked with fat and food from wash up.

Reminds me of a guy from work, his house had a small cupboard with a toilet in it, no sink, he decided it would be much better as a cupboard, removed and blocked it up, himself, I dont know what he used but he seemed quite pleased with his diy skills at the time.
Months later the other toilet had a proper blockage, they called out a plumber. It was unblocked, so was the cupboard, with sewage flooding his hallway, lounge and kitchen. Thats the story he used anyway, he took quite a bit of time off to clean up

In the past when I have thought this might cause a problem. Ive used a test bung to seal the pipe. Stuff some paper on top and a coat of mortar to finish off. If access is required, its not too big a job to break it out.

 

[pedrobedro]

We had a cellar in our last house and it let water in. I found a drain in the corner that had been blocked with a quarry tile so I lifted the tile and got my arm in as far as I could to clear the accumulated silt and the water ran away freely. For the next few years the other houses in the row were getting water in the cellars but ours remained relatively dry.

 

[Morrisman]

Thing with this one is water coming up it, nothing needs to drain down it, it's just a storage cellar now. I thought of using epoxy resin, drill a hole there the pin hole leak is, to give is some area, pour resin in, cross fingers.

I have no idea where to get hot tar, but I do have over a gallon of polyester resin in the shed.

 

[8ob]

Not much in the way of glues/resins will stick to damp or wet concrete, my choice would be fast drying cement. Something like jetcem which goes off in half an hour. https://www.abcdepot.co.uk/everbuil...MIs9Hh8Mm76wIVj-3tCh2Ptgq7EAQYBCABEgJjePD_BwE

Bob

 

[Morrisman]

Not much in the way of glues/resins will stick to damp or wet concrete, my choice would be fast drying cement. Something like jetcem which goes off in half an hour. https://www.abcdepot.co.uk/everbuil...MIs9Hh8Mm76wIVj-3tCh2Ptgq7EAQYBCABEgJjePD_BwE

Bob

I had planned to leave it until warmer days come, which might be next year at the rate we are going.

 

[brightspark]

dig a bit out and round it use sbr not pva .mix it with a bit of cement to a paste and paint it round get a small tub of tanking slurry from wickes mix it with some sbr and paste it on when dry give it another coat job done . it will withstand 50 psi pressure from behind and will not blow off . look up sovereign tanking instructions that's what u will apply and it sticks to wet concrete or brick and dries just patched a few holes in my pit with it

 

[the snooper]

Screwfix, waterproof cement a tenner, just mix with water, i used it for water
coming under the first course of bricks in my garage, been bone dry since

 

[Afterimage]

Molten lead might be good for filling a pinhole.

 

[bigegg]

Thing with this one is water coming up it, nothing needs to drain down it, it's just a storage cellar now. I thought of using epoxy resin, drill a hole there the pin hole leak is, to give is some area, pour resin in, cross fingers.

I have no idea where to get hot tar, but I do have over a gallon of polyester resin in the shed.

Blackjack damp proofing compound is basically coldset tar.
From screwfix.


I'd be worried that hydraulic pressure is going to force the bung out, regardless - eventually.

 

[brightspark]

Blackjack damp proofing compound is basically coldset tar.
From screwfix.


I'd be worried that hydraulic pressure is going to force the bung out, regardless - eventually.

that's why you use tanking slurry and sbr bonding agent just make sure it doesn't get on your hands it takes weeks to scrub off

 

[Hopefuldave]

that's why you use tanking slurry and sbr bonding agent just make sure it doesn't get on your hands it takes weeks to scrub off

Amything tarry, get a pair of the blue PU disposable gloves and a bottle of baby oil, squirt a load in and all over your hands then put the gloves on and tape around the wrist - chill out watching the telly for an hour or so, take gloves off and wash hands - works!

Dave H. (the other one)

 

[Shox Dr]

Amything tarry, get a pair of the blue PU disposable gloves and a bottle of baby oil, squirt a load in and all over your hands then put the gloves on and tape around the wrist - chill out watching the telly for an hour or so, take gloves off and wash hands - works!

Dave H. (the other one)

is the rubber suit optional

 

[Hopefuldave]

is the rubber suit optional

But it's the height of fashion, and i have to say it looks and feels fantastic on...
(Baby oil rots rubber though - "water based lubricants only")

Dave H. (the other one)

 

[northwest]

Molten lead might be good for filling a pinhole.

I would be cautious of this, if there is any water at the bottom of the hole you could find the lead coming back up at you. Been there done that. When I was about ten or eleven IIRC.

 

[Shox Dr]

I would be cautious of this, if there is any water at the bottom of the hole you could find the lead coming back up at you. Been there done that. When I was about ten or eleven IIRC.

Not wishing to take it further of topic.

I was nearly blinded by this very pair of bullet pliers when I was around the same age. They used to get hot, dunking them in water cooled them down. I was well aware of the dangers (no safety glasses it was the 70s) thought it had all evaporated. Did another pour and boom. A piece the size of a 10p coin welded itself to my left (dominant) upper eye lid. I saw it coming just wasn't fast enough to move. Boy did that smart, still have a faint scar to this day.

 

[Morrisman]

Molten lead might be good for filling a pinhole.