I orginally got picked up to move the washer and dryer from the upper floor to the location shown in the picture. Needless to say I have found some water penetration/cracking in the floor. It actually looks like there is a man made trough for water to flow in. When I tap on certain areas of the concrete floor it sounds hollow.
Any comments/suggestions?
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Inter
Can you explain a bit about each picture?
thanks
I guess the most important picture is the one that has a red line and a blue. The red line indicates where this so called trough is located. It looks like someone ground a half moon into the floor to maybe gather water?? The blue indicates the area that was damp when I removed some crapped floor leveller and old stick down tiles.
The other picture that shows the stack is where I plan to place the washer and dryer. I have to install a floor drain and move the water supply for the units as well. From water I know the home has NO footings and just a monolithic slab.
1900
developments where groups of houses were built by the same guys weren't around so much, so you had many different people and experience putting these houses together. Consequently you see many different "things" .
The drain channel? I've seen those several times. Usually had a logical reason. Old washer / heavy dbl soapstone laundry tub area to a drain or catch basin of sorts area. If concreted later, maybe a known seasonal basement wet area while dirt, then a channel to carry the water away. Lower wet area in the concrete floor and an attempt to drain/evaporate it away.
many old basements had a thin layer of concrete as there was no real reason to be there. Maybe keep the vegetables and canning cool.......so a 4" slab wasn't necessary. Water seepage can erode the base, settling of base happens when not compacted. Tap around the slab (or tile or other solid surface) and the difference in sound indicates as you found, hollow below. Will it be a problem? Could be.
deciding on what to do with all these should be compared to what you got in your wallet or back.
or both.
where is that stack in comparison to the main sewer? I have found collapsed cast iron, clay and even hollowed elm sewer lines.