Water filling up extension footings - coming from cavity.... Drainage pipes, concrete, footings and foundations. Post your questions and find answers here

[DIYRaymond]

Hi all, new here but thought I would post to try and get some advice.

I am currently building a kitchen/diner extension to the back of my house and have just finished digging the footings. So far so good.....

However, I woke up this morning to find one end full of water (too much to come from any rain we have had).

On closer inspection I have found that the water is actually leaking out of the wall of my existing house. After having a good look it has started to flood out, its coming from inside the cavity wall of the kitchen below the dpc and is flowing straight into the footing trench.

I cannot understand why this has happened or what has caused it, not do I know how to rectify the situtation. I expanded the hole to try and let the water out but it has shown no signs of stopping yet.

There are no pipes around there that could have burst and I have checked the nearest ones anyway. I also have no damp problems in the house so this has come as quite a surprise to say the least.

Has anyone had ny expierence with such a problem?

Thanks

[thedoctor]

Because foundation trenches to houses are backfilled, sometimes in an entirely hap-hazzard way ) eg soild just kicked in with broken brick rubble etc) water can pass down wuite easily into them all round, and under, the house. The integrity of the construction is not comprimised as the house sits on solid concrete on soolid ground. This is why building regulations are so important. The DPC stops any water rising up the masonry to the house interior. When a trench is dug next to an old foundation trench water sitting in the existing foundation trenches is often released and given the length width and depth of trenches, this can be a considerable amount of water. You do of course need to make the obvious checks in that you have not burst a water main or a land/sewer drain.