To avoid these ads, REGISTER NOW!

waterproof underground penetrations

al704

Member
Joined
Jun 10, 2014
Messages
24
Preparing to run 3 underground sch 40 pvc from house to detached garage. I have 2 1.25 pvc and 1 2" pvc, my plan was to bore 3 seperate holes (large enough to allow foam to expand around pipes the full thickness of the wall) below grade in the block basement wall of the house and seal around the pipes with waterproof expanding urethane foam and then coat the outside with a liquid roof coating for a little extra protection. Wondering if I can get a watertight seal if I bore one hole large enough for all 3 and leave enough space between them for the foam. Any ideas of the the best way to go?
 
To avoid these ads, REGISTER NOW!

Leaflessshadetree

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 1, 2013
Messages
7,147
Location
Don't ask.
3 separate holes. Hydraulic cement (from both sides). Coat the outside with foundation sealer (a rubber membrane won't hurt for extra protection).
I also like to angle the pipes slightly down (so the outside is a little lower than inside).
Not sure it helps that much but I do it.
 

gregtwojeeps

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 30, 2013
Messages
5,096
Location
Ky
Yep, this ^^^^^ Same way I have done below ground foundation pipe penetrations for 45 years randomly. A internet search will show all sorts of "through the wall penetration" devices such as compression sleeves etc. Never felt a need to spend that extra money though, when Leaf's method has always worked for me . . JMO

P.S. Try to leave a 1/2 in. hole around the pipe for the HYD. cement to go in to. It works better thicker, (not thin, but mixed to a thick peanut butter consistency) rather than leaving only a 1/8 -1/4 in. of cement thickness. I think its "bond" strength is stronger, when it is made thicker. It will push in to the hole and lock in behind the hole in the block, like a toggle bolt. Don't mix more than enough HC for one pipe hole at a time, as it sets up FAST. Let it dry, then use the foundation sealer all over the HC job. JMO
 
Last edited:

Smoker

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 4, 2009
Messages
167
Location
San Antonio
Personally I wouldn't put any horizontal conduit penetrations below grade in the house. Every PVC conduit ive come across in the last 20 odd years eventually leaks and fills with water. It'll then drain into your house. Why not stub it up and come through above grade?
 

theoldwizard1

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 22, 2011
Messages
43,125
Location
SE MI
The only way to guarantee no leaks is to bring the conduit up and go through 12-18" above grade.
 

gregtwojeeps

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 30, 2013
Messages
5,096
Location
Ky
Yes, above grade pipe entries are best always if possible. But where is the OP's outside grade ? If it is at the basement wall height, then he will have to bore the rim joists band, then LB back down to get in his breaker box. Doable, but a bit more work... but may be worth it to him ? Outdoor pic of PVC's proposed entry point in to basement would be good.
 
Last edited:
OP
A

al704

Member
Joined
Jun 10, 2014
Messages
24
Personally I wouldn't put any horizontal conduit penetrations below grade in the house. Every PVC conduit ive come across in the last 20 odd years eventually leaks and fills with water. It'll then drain into your house. Why not stub it up and come through above grade?

one pipe is a water service , one is waste water from garage to sewer line in house. Not to sure it's a good idea to run heat tape underground from above grade to frost line
 
OP
A

al704

Member
Joined
Jun 10, 2014
Messages
24
Yes, above grade pipe entries are best always if possible. But where is the OP's outside grade ? If it is at the basement wall height, then he will have to bore the rim joists band, then LB back down to get in his breaker box. Doable, but a bit more work... but may be worth it to him ? Outdoor pic of PVC's proposed entry point in to basement would be good.

Entry above ground would be 16" below rim joist, penetrations are for water service, sewer and natural gas. Flex tubing will be run inside the PVC for the natural gas, pex inside pvc for water service
 
To avoid these ads, REGISTER NOW!

roc_on_the_rocks

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 14, 2010
Messages
1,526
Location
South central Indiana
Entry above ground would be 16" below rim joist, penetrations are for water service, sewer and natural gas. Flex tubing will be run inside the PVC for the natural gas, pex inside pvc for water service
I might have a need to do something in a near future, so I'm very interested on the topic. How do you plan to seal between the inner and outer pipes?
 

gregtwojeeps

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 30, 2013
Messages
5,096
Location
Ky
one pipe is a water service , one is waste water from garage to sewer line in house. Not to sure it's a good idea to run heat tape underground from above grade to frost line

Well, you have two services that have to enter the basement UG, so in my opinion if you have two penetrations UG to make anyway, use the same good skills while putting those two pipes UG...to make the other PVC pipe enter UG...

Just be sure your lawn slopes away from the house at the UG basement PVC entry points, and that no gutter drops are dumping close to the PVC entry points. Remove all possibilities of standing water at the PVC entry points. Do your penetrations seals the best you can and prime/glue the heck out of every UG PVC coupling joint and watch your trench back fill...no rocks right against the PVC pipes. good luck. :thumbup: JMO
 
Last edited:

larry4406

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 27, 2006
Messages
19,123
Location
Northern Virginia
Well, since you have to dig down to penetrate the buried wall, keep going till you find the house drain tile system (assuming it has it). Then tee into the draintile and bring this riser up to the elevations of the wall penetrations. Make your penetrations as discussed above. Then fill with gravel to the penetration height, cover with geotech (filter) fabric and then topsoil to final grade. This gives a preferential drainage path for groundwater so it won't challenge your wall penetrations.
 
Last edited:
OP
A

al704

Member
Joined
Jun 10, 2014
Messages
24
I might have a need to do something in a near future, so I'm very interested on the topic. How do you plan to seal between the inner and outer pipes?

If I end up with water leaking thru the outside PVC I'll try the waterproof expanding foam between the inner and outer pipes
 

stangfan52

New member
Joined
May 15, 2016
Messages
4
I saw a post on a contractors forum that stated that not all hydraulic cement expanded while curing, some shrinks like standard cement so make sure to check for expansion if you decide to go that route
 

lqchar

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 6, 2016
Messages
45
So in following this thread, with the penetrations underground through cinder block, I understand the lines are to be run through a pvc sleeve? So for running direct burial wire and water line, would you use hydraulic cement for the sleeve and then what would you use between/around the sleeve and wire and sleeve and water line?
 

Jlbc212

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 7, 2013
Messages
1,530
Location
Northeast MA
I used hydraulic cement around the sewer line which passes through the concrete foundation. It was water-tight for several years before water seeping through became an issue. Water only seeps through when the frost in the ground is just at the right height at the beginning and end of the winter. I tried resealing the outside of the penetration with gobs of roofing tar, but that proved unsuccessful. I may have to dig it all out again, but don't know what to use to seal it as the hydraulic cement failed after several years.
 

jfish

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 26, 2012
Messages
342
Location
Tacoma WA
link seal

I've installed hundreds of underground building penetrations and repaired just as many leaking penetrations.

Link seal is the only 100% guarantee that you won't have to worry about for the foreseeable future.

Link seal is a brand name, there is also another company making the same system under another trademark.

Good luck!
 

willymakeit

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 27, 2009
Messages
1,242
Location
Springfield Mo.
What jfish said. This works.
Core the approiate size hole per link seal.
You need to watch the back fill on the remaining pipe with the correct bedding. Pvc can break and leak at joints and will follow the pipe path.
 
To avoid these ads, REGISTER NOW!
Top Bottom