Need some suggestions on basement drainage

[lzicc]

I wish there was some way of finding out where the other end is. I don't want to get into an expense of hiring someone to try to find the end. There has to be a way of doing this. This might sound stupid, but I though about putting some smoke bombs in the end of the pipe to see if the smoke comes out somewhere else. Maybe use a fan to force it into the pipe. If there is a trap somewhere or if part of the drain is full of water, that won't work.

 

[lzicc]

Where do you buy bentonite? I've never heard of it.

You can plug it with portland cement and water, no sand, or get a bag of bentonite, it swells about 10 time its size when wet, then cap with cement.

Dave

 

[Midniteoyl]

How deep is the pipe?


Idea: use a speaker and mechanics stethoscope. Play music (preferably big bass) in the open end, and listen along the ground with the scope. Should be able to at least get a general idea of where it goes. Read somewhere once of someone doing just this to locate a PVC drain pipe and he swears he was off by less than a foot over 500ft away.

 

[lzicc]

I thought about that also. I'm glad that I am not the only one that thinks up stuff like this. I do have one of those mechanics stethoscopes, just need to find it.

How deep is the pipe?


Idea: use a speaker and mechanics stethoscope. Play music (preferably big bass) in the open end, and listen along the ground with the scope. Should be able to at least get a general idea of where it goes. Read somewhere once of someone doing just this to locate a PVC drain pipe and he swears he was off by less than a foot over 500ft away.

 

[dave1949]

Where do you buy bentonite? I've never heard of it.

Well drillers and pond installers use bentonite.

 

[bucktaker]

any plumber can scope a drain, or you can rent it. Dont cap it without knowing its purpose you will just force the water to come out somewhere. Better to find out why its there and just divert the water or your problem will not go away.

 

[quicksandfarmer]

Next question to ask is, 'why didnt your drain drain the water away?'

This was my first thought. I think you're fooling yourself thinking that plugging that pipe solves your problem. If your foundation drains were working the water from the pipe wouldn't be a problem.

Second thought: Even plugged, the water coming through that pipe has to go somewhere. Probably not far from where it goes now if the pipe is old and leaky.

Third thought: that pipe is there for a reason, you plug it successfully and something or someone uphill is going to flood...