Ok so I know basements do get damp, but there is a limit. We thought we had fixed it when we fixed the down pipe. Well it was fixed for average rain and the basement was drying out nicely. However a couple of days ago we had torrential driving rain. And well basement is now back to square one.

This is going to be a process of elimination.

• Fixed drain down pipe
• Morted sealed lower walls.

The mortar was mixed by hand in a bucket and then sealed by hand and troweled over to give finished look. Once it is dried and set, we can sweep the path and will tidy it bit. When it has gone off it will change colour to a lighter grey and ready for painting.

Morted and sealing lower wall where I think most of the water is getting in. Will paint eventually, probably in a week or so, if I can afford the paint.

Okay update.

Couple of days later, the mortar has harden but needs a week or so to go off. We have a steady rain (not heavy and driving like it was the other week) and I notice this…

I think there is still a decent leak somewhere on the down pipe join …

The wet patches on the mortar where water would be getting into the basement. So I could be on to something… Anyway it is one less place it gets in. But I must get round to putting a couple of vents in.

29th Oct 2011
Find any paint that you have lying around and because it will help seal it till we can afford to buy the proper colour.

Actually I think it is paint for the deck??? but it was multi purpose so better than nothing. It is darker but will seal the mortar.

11th November 2011
Since I have done the mortar and painted it which would have helped seal it all… we have had a couple of decent rains and down pours. So far (touch wood) I haven’t seen any more rivers in the basement…this is a good sign as well I would guess that was where 90% of it was coming from. So hopefully, and I only mean hopefully… the problem could be solved… (touch more wood). But realistically it is far to early to tell.

12 September 2012
Conclusion: Since we live on a hill the water drains down the hill and has to go somewhere. Which was our first thought anyway. Basically to stop it as it is we need a to dig a drain.

Once this is done I very much doubt any water will seap to the work area. Mind you even when it does, it is not that bad, just noticeable. And it is only when it is heavy driving continuous rain.

Since I have kind of decided we are putting in a raised wooden floor I can leave it and let the water drain away naturally. If I was to put in a concrete floor then we would have to consider the drainage.