Basement cables, ducts, and pipes.



Cables, Ducts and Pipes. Dos and Don'ts.

It is actually very simple.

The outside of a cable, pipe or duct are easily waterproofed as they penetrate reinforced concrete.

The inside of a duct is extremely hard and could be very expensive to waterproof inside around cables and so on.



The flange in this photo is made with Denso tape, a cloth soaked with grease that the gas network uses to wrap round its pipes in the ground.  


I saw these expensive solutions at the Build (Bau) exhibition in Munich.

I have seen others as well.

The lesson has to be
  1. Don't use a duct,

  2. Or route the duct so water could not get through.
 



This is a link to a British supplier

You cannot reliably waterproof inside a duct for a reasonable cost.

One solution someone came up with.

After the excess is cut off, it would seem simple to spray expanding foam inside to stop a draught or cold bridge.



August 2024. Researching a solution for another issue, I came across expanding mastics.

One brand is Swellseal.

This links to another here.

I cannot endorse them because I have not tried them. Others may be available.

Also, be mindful, if they rely upon water to swell, if water is intermittent they could all leak slightly before they activate. I have no idea whether they shrink again when they dry. You need to do more research.



 
  external drainage membrane

external drainage membrane






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