Closure of basement wall clean out trap

[Brad conrad]

I have a basement wood burning stove. The basement wall is block, and the pipes from the stove make a 90 degree angel to basement wall then goes to a block chimney on the outside. The chimney was stainless steel lined. The clean out trap behind the stove on the block basement wall is not functional due to the stainless steel liner. The way i clean the ash is by removing the 90 degree pipe and reaching in to clean the ash after the stainless steel liner has been cleaned. The gap in the block chimney from the clean out of the stainless steel liner and the old clean out trap is a couple feet - that would have to be filled with cement. The stove is on the wall leading to the front of the house. I had to redo the front lawn due to bugs,tree roots, and very warm last summer. Anyways, since I removed the tree roots - water has been entering the chimney through the old clean out trap - during heavy rain. Happened twice this year.

I do NOT want to mention a couple " four letters" every time - so what would be best route in solving this problem?

In the trap I am not able to dig a hole and fill it with gravel. I thought of taking mixing cement and filling the area-but will that stop the water seeping in. Hoping water does not shoot out the 90 degree pipe.
Also, do not want any free standing water behind the basement wall.

Would buy a tree that absorbs alot of water for front lawn help?

Any advice would be appreciated

Thanks, one NOT wanting to say "four letters"

 

[swagler85]

Usually that water comes from runoff water running to the house. Basement walls are not designed to be swimming pool walls, so anyway to divert that water away from the house should help. That may include adding topsoil to add a slope away from the house. If you just fill the hole and let water sit in there it may build up and freeze or just keep coming in the house.

Also could put a sump pump in there to push water back outside.

 

[KaptJaq]

I agree that the best solution is to get the water away from the house. When you re-did the lawn did the grade change? Does it now slope towards the house instead of away from it? Any downspouts near that spot? I had a wet corner in my basement. Outside there was a downspout that went to ground level then about two feet away from the house. Dug a trench and buried a pipe to take the water to a small dry-well about 15 feet from the house. No problems since.

KaptJaq