Fix & Flow Plumbing was called to investigate water appearing in the utility room near the water heater. Upon inspection, technician Michael Lamb discovered water entering through the interior foundation wall at the penetration where the main 2-inch line passes into the home. This line supplies both the fire suppression system and the home’s domestic water.
Our team used an inspection camera to confirm that the water was not coming from a pressurized pipe failure but rather from groundwater or rainwater infiltrating around the unsealed penetration. To verify, we shut down and drained the home’s water system; water continued entering, confirming the intrusion was external.
Michael excavated outside the home to expose the pipe and found that once below the pipe elevation, the intrusion stopped. This confirmed that groundwater was entering through the unsealed penetration in the foundation.
A temporary repair was performed by cleaning the pipe entry points and sealing both the interior and exterior foundation surfaces with quick-set hydraulic cement. After curing, the area was tested by flooding the exterior excavation with water. No further intrusion was observed. The trench was then backfilled, and the landscape restored.
The Result: The immediate water intrusion has been stopped, restoring a dry utility room and preventing further damage to the home. However, this is a temporary solution. Because no proper sleeve exists through the foundation wall, the long-term repair requires installing a new Schedule 80 pipe sleeve with proper waterproofing to ensure permanent protection.
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