berry wrote:

We live in a townhouse and the one next door is somewhat higher than
ours. Previous owners there installed a BIG pool and didn't do
anything much about drainage from their fairly large brick patio.

We had drainage (not really ground water) coming into our dining room
numerous times onto carpet. My husband bought Vulkem and other stuff
and sealed that wall with it - at the base -------between the 2X4 and
the wall.........on the slab. Never leaked again.

But, now the water is coming in over the slab in the kitchen - under
cabinets,dishwasher, etc. What a mess every time it rains.

I don't think it's groundwater as such because this morning we barely
had a half inch of rain, if that, and here comes the water over the
slab into the kitchen.

My husband thinks a french drain outside might cure it. Maybe for
ground water.......but - to me -this is just drainage from the patio
next door. Not all that much rain at all this morning. Gone now.
Heavy, heavy rains and one thinks groundwater --- but a very
light one.........to me that's drainage. The next door owner
is not a good neighbor and wouldn't do a thing --- so we
have to solve the problem from our side. sigh

I'm thinking - take out the parts in the kitchen -- shelves, etc. and
do the same that was done in the dining room. Do the whole
wall on that side.

Anyone had experience with this --- in an attached townhouse or
whatever? Please --- some good ideas. Thanks.



Without seeing the conditions, it is hard to suggest a solution. A
French drain may be a minor
improvement but I would think definitely not a cure. The grade (ground)
is too high around your
slab - that's a problem for another reason, which is termites. Since
you state that water runs
in under the sill with just a small amount of rain, that is clearly not
going to be aided (much) by a
French drain. In order for a French drain to help, the water has to
percolate down through soil
or stone, the stone (hopefully) making the water drain too fast to run
under your sill..
In you situation, it runs under the sill, which isn't much different
than running in under a door.

In my city, a building site has to have an inspection to approve
drainage before building. You
might have recourse there. Also need to look at where downspouts
empty. If nothing else,
even mounded soil can divert the water enough to keep it out of the
house until a better
solution is found.