Damp plywood over at-grade slab in center of townhouse

[Anonymous]

It's far more likely the water is coming down than up.

[Anonymous]

Are the neighbors on the other side of the wall having the same issues? That will offer some clues either way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s on an interior townhome wall. Can water drain between the two houses somehow? There’s no damage at any of the upper levels indicating anything coming from above. Are the foundations separate? Could water somehow be coming between what looks like a solid structure?

Is there no crawl space or anything underneath? Are you in DC? Asking because I didn’t think we could have houses on just slabs in our climate, and I think it matters as far as whether your foundation drains are a potential issue.

I’m in the dc suburbs and we have a lot of houses built on slabs in my area.

[Anonymous]

Maybe a home inspector could figure out the problem? It would be an unbiased, non selling opinion. Just a thought.

[Anonymous]

Underground stream or spring. High water table.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Underground stream or spring. High water table.

Only affecting one small area in the house? Unlikely.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Underground stream or spring. High water table.

When you hear hooves, think horses not zebras.

If it's anything underground, it's a pipe. Most likely it's water coming down from above and working it's way through the house.

[Anonymous]

Call a plumber for free estimate for water leak.
At least they will tell you if it is plumbing issue.

[Anonymous]

How long have you been in your home? Recent renovation?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s on an interior townhome wall. Can water drain between the two houses somehow? There’s no damage at any of the upper levels indicating anything coming from above. Are the foundations separate? Could water somehow be coming between what looks like a solid structure?

I would say most likely water is coming down that wall.

If there is a small leak, the water can travel pretty far through the house. It will often run along a horizontal framing member until it hits resistance and drips. I would try to peek inside that wall, often you can take off a wallplate for an outlet or light switch and look behind it. I would be looking for, in order, a plumbing leak, an air conditioner leaking condensation, and a roof leak.

[Anonymous]

Update: it took many tries before I found the right help. Wasn’t a waterproofing guy, not a foundation person, not three roofers, and four plumbers said no since there were no exposed pipes. Finally Mallick Plumbing in Gaithersburg agreed to come out, made a hole in the wall, found the incoming water pipe leak quickly and fixed it. Leaving the area open to dry out then we will replace the floor, add an access panel where the hole is, and close this very annoying chapter of home repair problems. The side benefit is our water bill will decrease. It was a very steady leak at a joint between plastic and copper. The floors may not look perfect after but it’s mainly underneath the range. Whew! People here were right, it was from above, not below.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Update: it took many tries before I found the right help. Wasn’t a waterproofing guy, not a foundation person, not three roofers, and four plumbers said no since there were no exposed pipes. Finally Mallick Plumbing in Gaithersburg agreed to come out, made a hole in the wall, found the incoming water pipe leak quickly and fixed it. Leaving the area open to dry out then we will replace the floor, add an access panel where the hole is, and close this very annoying chapter of home repair problems. The side benefit is our water bill will decrease. It was a very steady leak at a joint between plastic and copper. The floors may not look perfect after but it’s mainly underneath the range. Whew! People here were right, it was from above, not below.

Congratulations some people are more creative and skilled.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Update: it took many tries before I found the right help. Wasn’t a waterproofing guy, not a foundation person, not three roofers, and four plumbers said no since there were no exposed pipes. Finally Mallick Plumbing in Gaithersburg agreed to come out, made a hole in the wall, found the incoming water pipe leak quickly and fixed it. Leaving the area open to dry out then we will replace the floor, add an access panel where the hole is, and close this very annoying chapter of home repair problems. The side benefit is our water bill will decrease. It was a very steady leak at a joint between plastic and copper. The floors may not look perfect after but it’s mainly underneath the range. Whew! People here were right, it was from above, not below.

Did the four plumbers said no to coming out and looking at it or they came and couldn’t figure it out?

[Anonymous]

Sometimes home repairs are like detective work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Update: it took many tries before I found the right help. Wasn’t a waterproofing guy, not a foundation person, not three roofers, and four plumbers said no since there were no exposed pipes. Finally Mallick Plumbing in Gaithersburg agreed to come out, made a hole in the wall, found the incoming water pipe leak quickly and fixed it. Leaving the area open to dry out then we will replace the floor, add an access panel where the hole is, and close this very annoying chapter of home repair problems. The side benefit is our water bill will decrease. It was a very steady leak at a joint between plastic and copper. The floors may not look perfect after but it’s mainly underneath the range. Whew! People here were right, it was from above, not below.

Did the four plumbers said no to coming out and looking at it or they came and couldn’t figure it out?

They refused to come out.