Barbel Bob Posted July 1, 2009 Share Posted July 1, 2009 Hi,I know this is a bit of a long shot on you being to help however.............I have what looks like an air vent at the front of my house under a window close to the floor on the exterior wall, this last week water has been coming out of it!!!! We have no idea where from or whom to call out to diagnose the problem??? or even if it is a problem or just some sort of overflow?Any ideas on what this could be? it has not happened before in the last 2yrs we have lived here.ThanksJulie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chancer Posted July 1, 2009 Share Posted July 1, 2009 Overflow from the ballon d'eau chaud? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Théière Posted July 2, 2009 Share Posted July 2, 2009 Fosse septic? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyh4 Posted July 2, 2009 Share Posted July 2, 2009 or even air conditioningpersonally I vote for the water overflow Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anton Redman Posted July 2, 2009 Share Posted July 2, 2009 How big is the vent ? Is there a chimney or a chimney best in the wall at that point ? Any chance of a photo ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chancer Posted July 2, 2009 Share Posted July 2, 2009 Yeah aircon could be a likely suspect.I once stayed in a very downmarket hostel in Isla Los Rocos Venezuela, my room was airconditioned and when I arrived at least, dry.In the morning my backpack was floating in the flood that seemed to have no source, eventually I found water running down one of the partition walls, on the (leaky) roof stood the aircon condensor with drain tube. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barbel Bob Posted July 2, 2009 Author Share Posted July 2, 2009 Hi,We do not have a fosse or air conditioning, the wall it is on does not have a chimney breast, will take a photo and post.Thanks for taking the time to help so far!Julie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barbel Bob Posted July 2, 2009 Author Share Posted July 2, 2009 Photos show the vent and water leaking onto the roadside...............also note the wall looks wet, first time i have noticed this! [IMG]http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/ll263/dordogne1/P9010005.jpg[/IMG][IMG]http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/ll263/dordogne1/P9010006.jpg[/IMG][IMG]http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/ll263/dordogne1/P9010007.jpg[/IMG] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dog Posted July 2, 2009 Share Posted July 2, 2009 The air vent looks blocked with earth and there is obviously a build up of water in there.First thing is to let the water out - dig a knitting needle in to clear vent.It could be a void under the whole house so may be difficult to pin point what is leaking into it.Certainly lift floorboards in that corner of the room. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chancer Posted July 2, 2009 Share Posted July 2, 2009 Its dog pi55 [:D]If you look carefully you can see another trace higher up where a bigger dog has already marked his territory.Or just possibly you may be suffering from the same type of rising damp that over the years nearly caused my gable end wall to collapse, you arent by any chance on the return route from a café or bar are you? [6]I suppose it could also be something as mundane as a leaking pipe under the vide sanitaire, turn off all taps, cisterns etc and check your water meter is not still registering a discharge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeinfrance Posted July 2, 2009 Share Posted July 2, 2009 I Given the rains and storms it might just be water that entered else where exiting. Yo may have similar vents elsewhere on the building where the water might enter and this is just the outflow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barbel Bob Posted July 2, 2009 Author Share Posted July 2, 2009 [;-)] As this has been happening now for about a week then i dont think its a dog! ( Wish it was though) You can actually see the water slowly coming from the vent, its not a lot but enough to stay wet all day even in these temps!We have not had any rain for weeks as far as i can remember?The area where the leak is has concrete floors.I will try clearing the vent with a knitting needle, and check the water meter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Théière Posted July 2, 2009 Share Posted July 2, 2009 'I suppose it could also be something as mundane as a leaking pipe under the vide sanitaire, turn off all taps, cisterns etc and check your water meter is not still registering a discharge'That gets my vote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIG MAC Posted July 2, 2009 Share Posted July 2, 2009 Solid floor however is the vent at or below floor level? are you sure you dont have a screeded timber floor?The provision of a vent in this kind of location usually suggests a sub floor void, maybe you have a filled in cellar / priests hole!Water creeping out could be as a result of a spring rising due to excessive rain? or a water leak subfloor. As water is creeping I suspect this to be groundwater if you shut off all the taps in the house then place a long screwdriver against the stopcock (Blade end) and then hold the handle firmly against your ear you should be able to hear little if there is no leak in the system and a distinct rushing sound if there is. If its a heating pipe leaking then the make up device will be constantly topping up or you will physically need to if a sealed system, vented you will notice the FE tank keeps replenishing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Le Plombier Posted July 2, 2009 Share Posted July 2, 2009 I had a client with an identical problem last yearI checked the property for leaks internally and concluded there were no leaksThe advice you have been given on turning off all water and checking the meter is good advice, the first thing I doMeters are calibrated and very sensitive instrumentsIf you have no water leak then I suspect a blocked drain, this was the case with the problem I encounteredWe finally found a grease trap buried underground and totally blocked, this was cleaned and the problem dissapearedDo you have any drainage from kitchens or bathrooms in the locality, have you ever had the fosse emptied and the drains flushedIf none of these your problem is groundwater, unlikely given the recent weather or some sort of construction faultMy money is on a drain blockage or a leak, if you have been in the property a long time with no problem I would be surprised if it was anything elseLe Plombier Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIG MAC Posted July 2, 2009 Share Posted July 2, 2009 Actually having thought about this a little more, check your fosse if you are on one.It may be that you have a leak in soil line. If LP's recent weather comment is correct (I wouldn't know I haven't been over since Easter) then a blocked rainwater drain equally unlikely so foul is likely the guilty party if a drain issue. Wants checking as this kind of leak can undermine footings besides who wants a house floating on poo?LP equivalent should be able to do an air test on line. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barbel Bob Posted July 2, 2009 Author Share Posted July 2, 2009 Hi,Went out with a knitting needle moved some of the debris and the water came gushing out, immediately switched water off and husband traced a leak to an old dis-used water softener machine!!! God knows how longs it been leaking for it to soak under the floor and out onto the street. Feel mad as we had a leak last year from the pipe that comes into our house feeding the water, and this went undetected for a month or so ! Then we recieved a 1000€ bill [:(]Plumber en route!Thanks everyone Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIG MAC Posted July 2, 2009 Share Posted July 2, 2009 Check your insurance policy escape of water from a fixed appliance is what you are looking for (But in French) you may find that the leak has undermined floor slab, caused damp etc, I have dealt with some of these and claims can run to thousands. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnOther Posted July 3, 2009 Share Posted July 3, 2009 Last year, when I had a leak on my side of the meter and was losing approximately 1m3 per day, my insurance said that they would pay for the leak to be located but not for ther repair.In the end I decided that the best long term solution was to replace the entire pipe from the meter to the house which is what I did.Fortunately I'm not on mains drainage so my water only costs about €1/m3 and the bill for the wastage was some €300 when it could have been 3x that if I had been [:'(]In the process I discovered that there was also a significant leak on the other side of the meter and how long that had been there for I have no idea but all it required was a retightening of the connector on the incomer and by fixing it myself I probably saved SAUR a darn sight more than the €300 my leak had wasted !In some respects France is still akin to a 3rd world country but it all adds to the charm and adventure don't you think [Www] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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