Reliable Cellar Sump and Pump Drainage in a Barnsley Coal Store
A traditional Barnsley home with a damp coal store, a failed budget sump, and a homeowner who works away for weeks at a time. Here is how we put it right with a properly designed, honestly specified system.
Overview
This project was at a traditional home in Barnsley with an old cellar coal store leading off a larger, generally dry cellar. After heavy rain, water appeared in the coal store and the owner could not see exactly where it was coming from.
The rest of the cellar stayed dry and was used for storage, so he needed to stop the problem before it spread to his belongings. A local builder had already fitted a budget sump and pump, but it was not a purpose-designed system and was not installed in line with BS 8102:2022. Before long it was causing more problems than it solved.
The problem
When we were called in to survey, we found a system that was always going to struggle. The sump pit was very shallow and crudely formed, and the pump did not switch on at the correct water level, leaving the owner to switch it on by hand.
There was no proper perimeter drainage to direct water into the chamber, and the sump itself was full of silt, cable ties and even spanners, any of which could have jammed or destroyed the pump. Because the owner works away from home for long periods, relying on a manual switch was never going to be safe or reliable.
Our solution
We surveyed the coal store, produced a written report and provided an estimate. For the best long-term protection we recommended:
- A twin-pump chamber with battery back-up and a high-level alarm
- A Type A cementitious waterproof skirting up to 300mm around the walls
- A Type C 8mm wall cavity drain membrane with upstand
- A 20mm Type C floor membrane linked to a perimeter drainage channel
- Caber-type decking over the floor membrane for a clean, dry surface
An honest, agreed system
The customer wanted a more basic option. Rather than risk him being sold another poor-quality fix, we designed a simplified system using proper components and set out the pros and cons in writing. Because this is a single-pump system without battery back-up, we documented the limitations clearly:
The installation
We removed the old shallow pit, rusted cover and temporary pipework, then installed a new sump chamber at the correct depth. The pump was connected, the float set for correct switching levels, and the system tested for fully automatic operation.
A new perimeter drainage run was formed and laid with pea shingle, then 8mm wall and 20mm floor membranes were installed and linked to the drainage feeding the chamber. Finally, Caber-type boards were laid over the floor membrane, joints sealed and the surface levelled.
The result
The coal store now has a properly designed sump and pump working alongside a Type C cavity drain membrane system, with a clean Caber-type floor over the top. Any water that finds its way in is collected and pumped away automatically, instead of pooling and spreading.
The homeowner has a dry, usable storage area, clear maintenance guidance, and honest expectations about how the system performs, all of which the previous budget installation never provided.
Need help with a similar issue?
If you have a damp or flooded cellar, coal store or basement in Barnsley or anywhere across South Yorkshire, we can help. We also give honest second opinions on budget systems that have already been installed.
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