Another cellar water investigation

The recent storm exposed another source of leaking in my cellar: the foundation walls inside the old coal chute at the front of my house, but I’m curious if anyone has ideas about the ultimate source because I’m a bit stumped.

The water only comes in during heavy rainfall and is about 10′ below ground but there’s not much suspicious on the other side of the wall. Here is a video of the water coming through the wall on Tuesday morning, but it stopped shortly afterwards and none of subsequent rain leaked: https://youtu.be/IbLDVeIQ12A

I’ll try to explain the orientation, but have also attached an image to help. The house is on the corner of the block—the front faces South, the street corner is Southwest (which is also where the old coal chute and leak are), there is an attached building is to the East, and the sewer line runs out the front (Southern side) of the house from the Southeast (opposite) corner. There are no other leaks along the front / Southern-side of the house (e.g. closer to the sewer line).

[house-leak-orientation](//muut.com/u/brownstoner/s3/:brownstoner:VXO1:houseleakorientation.jpg.jpg)

jjnoonan

in General Discussion 3 years and 6 months ago

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JohnHancock | 3 years and 6 months ago

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This happens on our block and many others. DEP will deny this and tell you there’s nothing wrong with their system but they’re a city agency and have no accountability. Imagine dry riverbed, tunnels underneath the street and sidewalks carved out by water overflow from the sewers in the street when those can’t handle the volume of water. Each time heavy rains fall a bit more of those underground canyons will widen and travel farther and deeper along roots, pipes, rat tunnels etc. The water has to go somewhere and it will! Ever looked into one of those big sinkholes in the street underneath the asphalt? They can be huge. You can seal up that location but the water will go where it can.