Water Main Penetration Leak in Cinder Block Basement

Hello all.

I have a cinder block basement with a plastic/rubber water main entering the house through a hole in the foundation.

Last winter we had a very heavy snow and a quick thaw. During that time, a water leak developed around the pipe.

I cleaned around the pipe as best I could and filled it in with "Great Stuff". Over top of that I sprayed quite a few layers of Leak Sealer (forms a a kind of rubbery seal) then silicone on top of that.



It looks sealed well enough, and that is the only time I've had a leak before or since. However, going into winter, I am concerned that the water will still leak into the outside of the foundation wall and could force its way other places in the cinder blocks, doing damage I may not see as quickly.

Our plumber recommended excavating to find the pipe outside and patching the exterior wall with hydraulic cement and tar, so I began digging down to find the pipe (around 3 ft below grade).

However doing some research online I have seen lots of conflicting opinions about hydraulic cement and exterior patching. The preferred treatment seems to be a polyurethane injection from inside, but I also read that is not suitable for cinder block foundations.

I am no expert and would appreciate the forum's help and guidance. What is the best way to ensure no water gets in?

Thanks in advance!

Welcome to the site. Always fix it from the outside if possible. You also want to check your perimeter dran to make sure it is clear and moving water away from the house. It is just beside the footing a few inches below your pipe.

I have never seen a rubber main. Plastic in temperate climates? Sure but it transitions into copper at the stem (foundation) wall. In addition, the line is ALWAYS wrapped with protective pipe tape to guard against corrosion and/or penetrations from aggregate in the concrete.

Plastic in contact with concrete, unwrapped, is a formula for leaks.

Your situation is not what I would expect ... unless it is peculiar to cold country. However, did your "fix" actually solve the leak or just put a temporary bandaid on it? I would strongly recommend you dig it out now, before a freeze, dig out your temporary fix, and see if the leak is still there (probably).

Consult with some cold country plumbers and see what the best exterior to interior transition might be. Apply pipe wrap. Then, I would certainly fill the block with cement (not concrete) to the hole and reparge the exterior, using a multi-part sealing system.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EcZ2Nw6jq2k[/ame]

usually there's a penetration liner thru which the pipe passes,,, great stuff's not the right mtl but it'd be a pita to remove,,, fix it outside as recommended,,, IF you can find some leftover hlm5000, that would work GREAT ! no roofing cement, tho protect hlm from backfill damage & compaction w/sheet foam