Basement flooded! Woo hoo!

[13Gigatons]

Sump Pumps should be replaced every 5 years.

 

[bruceb]

Water level alarm is a good idea.
Battery backup for sump is a good idea, but in this case his pump had power, but pump itself was bad.
Water entering foundation must be fixed. That will involve excavating around it, weeping tiles and gravel and proper installation of waterproofiing membrane on the foundation walls.
You should also buy and keep a spare sump pump or even one that can be placed outside the home to help in an emergency.

 

[Flipped Gazelle]

You called him at 2am for an "emergency call" that's an hour+ drive... probably woke his wife, kid, etc.... then call him and tell him LOL Nevermind? You're lucky he didn't show up and face stab you.

Read the OP again. The guy didn't even give CoW's Dad the chance to say anything. If Mr. Fixit says, "aww, man, I've already driven 42 miles" and CoW's Dad says, "yeah, dude, I'm sorry, send me a bill for the call" then everything's OK. But Mr. Fixit just swore at him and hung up.

 

[child of wonder]

Water level alarm is a good idea.
Battery backup for sump is a good idea, but in this case his pump had power, but pump itself was bad.
Water entering foundation must be fixed. That will involve excavating around it, weeping tiles and gravel and proper installation of waterproofiing membrane on the foundation walls.
You should also buy and keep a spare sump pump or even one that can be placed outside the home to help in an emergency.

Exactly what we're thinking.

I want to get an alarm for the new sump pump and a backup pump with a battery backup. Should only cost a couple hundred bucks but could save WEEKS of misery.

 

[Analog]

I have a 120VAC primary sump pump, a 120VAC secondary sump pump and a 12VDC battery backed sump pump. In 8 years, never had to use the 12VDC pump, but my backup kicked in (which sets an alarm because its at a slightly higher water level). The primary's float switch failed. I repaired the switch, and was good. I don't mess around, and a little prevention is worth it IMO.

 

[bruceb]

Sump pumps should be checked monthly. This would entail doing:
Check of the filter or inlet screen for clogs.
Check the output hose is clear.
Check unit has power.
Test the float switch and pump to see it turns on and pumps water.

 

[waggy]

the plumber was wrong. though i understand why he got upset.

call back and offer the $200

 

[Anubis]

Sump Pumps should be replaced every 5 years.

ORLY?

ours has been running for nearly 15 and is used near daily as the washing machine and utility sink in the basement empty into it

 

[CADsortaGUY]

ORLY?

ours has been running for nearly 15 and is used near daily as the washing machine and utility sink in the basement empty into it

lol, yeah mine still works and is atleast 15 years old. It's on my list to replace but when it runs 10 times a day(slightly less during the winter) it's hard to say if the newer ones will take that sort of abuse.

 

[Vette73]

Yep first thing I did with our house was buy a backup from Harbor freight. Got it, tested it, and put it back in the box just in case. Less then $80

 

[PingSpike]

I read an article the other day on MSN or something about water damage. It said that one should watch the dishwasher every time you run it to ensure there are no leaks. That's right, I should sit next to the dishwasher during its cycle reading a book for 2 hours on the off chance a leak may occur. They should have just told me to wash my dishes by hand.

Apparently I'm also suppose to clean my drier vent hose every week or something too. Which I do, because I am unemployed, have no hobbies or personal relationships and possess a mutate gene that allows me to survive without sleep so I needed something to fill my days anyway.

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

ORLY?

ours has been running for nearly 15 and is used near daily as the washing machine and utility sink in the basement empty into it

That's just scary.
Not the pump lasting for 15 years but that it serves as a pump for the washing machine and utility sink. How far out in the boonies do you have to be for this setup not to be against code?

 

[bruceb]

A pump may last that long. It has rubber seals in it and they like to be kept moist and soft. If it doesn't get used, they dry out, then can't make the suction the pump requires. The pump Anubis mentioned may not be for sump, but may be what is known as an ejection pump. Commonly used where bath / toilets are below the level of the drain pipe leading to the sewer / septic.

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

A pump may last that long. It has rubber seals in it and they like to be kept moist and soft. If it doesn't get used, they dry out, then can't make the suction the pump requires. The pump Anubis mentioned may not be for sump, but may be what is known as an ejection pump. Commonly used where bath / toilets are below the level of the drain pipe leading to the sewer / septic.

You're right, I just took him at his word and assumed he knew the difference.

 

[Anubis]

That's just scary.
Not the pump lasting for 15 years but that it serves as a pump for the washing machine and utility sink. How far out in the boonies do you have to be for this setup not to be against code?

i live in town actually, the sump pumps into the sewer line.

The pump Anubis mentioned may not be for sump, but may be what is known as an ejection pump. Commonly used where bath / toilets are below the level of the drain pipe leading to the sewer / septic.

that's exactly why we have it, we had the washer going UP to the line but that failed more then once and after that it went to the pump,

yea technically its an ejection pump but functions as both

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

i live in town actually, the sump pumps into the sewer line.

It should. Ideally the sump pump should be located in the lowest point of the basement and tied into the interior weeping tiles if they exist. The clean out cover should be metal and secure against children.

What makes dumping the laundry water into the sump against code is overloading the duty cycle, damage to the pump from detergent and fibers, the possibility of siphoning and, critters due to standing water.

Ejection pumps are made differently and have a different type of closed tank system. Using a sump for this type of double duty is against code everywhere I've ever heard of, at least in the lower 48.

 

[Anubis]

interesting, it is in the lowest point and tied to the correct walls, floor drains drain into it from most of the basement, its in its own little room with its own door, open pit style pump can get fully submerged. came with the house. plumber is the one who suggested sending the washer there.

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

interesting, it is in the lowest point and tied to the correct walls, floor drains drain into it from most of the basement, its in its own little room with its own door, open pit style pump can get fully submerged. came with the house. plumber is the one who suggested sending the washer there.

I've also seen plumbers totally destroy the structure of a house to run pipes. Bottom line, that particular plumber gave you bad advice. Save a nickel now or spend big bucks when the system fails.

 

[Drako]

It should. Ideally the sump pump should be located in the lowest point of the basement and tied into the interior weeping tiles if they exist. The clean out cover should be metal and secure against children.

What makes dumping the laundry water into the sump against code is overloading the duty cycle, damage to the pump from detergent and fibers, the possibility of siphoning and, critters due to standing water.

Ejection pumps are made differently and have a different type of closed tank system. Using a sump for this type of double duty is against code everywhere I've ever heard of, at least in the lower 48.

Sump pumps are OK for "grey water" in most situations, and are perfectly legal as far as I know. If it's sewage you're talking about, then that's a different beast entirely.

 

[rh71]

I had no idea what a sump pump was before this thread... we have sumps around town, a handful of them the size of half football fields, but nothing "in our backyard". What do yours drain into... is it a sewer line or into a big sump like that? I don't even know of an existing system at our new place that would help us in a situation like yours.

 

[Jeff7]

Or .. how about.... You attempt to fix it FIRST... and then call the repairman... you know... like most normal people do?

Most MEN don't panic like a pansy chick and call the first repairman in the book at the first sign of a simple issue.

Well for one thing, it sounded like the OP's dad just wanted to update the repairman on what had transpired in the meantime; the repairman jumped to the conclusion that this was a "never mind, please turn around, and we won't pay you" response, and immediately reacted emotionally. A kinder, non-asshole response would have been, "I see. Do you still want me to stop in? I do still need to charge you the $200 minimum for starting to drive out."

Second, if it's a semi-emergency, you could call for professional help first, and then while that help is en route, attempt a fix on your own. If it works before he gets there, you're out the minimum service fee. If not, then you've already got the professional well on his way.



OP - definitely look at some kind of outside solution. The sump pump will only remove water from under the foundation. It won't do too much for water that is coming in through the walls. At my parents' house, their solution was like what BoomerD recommended: Install a proper drainage system. A deep trench was dug around the front and side of the house, and the bottom few feet of it were filled with crushed stone. That prevents the dirt around the house from becoming saturated, since the landscaping done at the time of construction was such that the ground slopes toward the house on three out of four sides.

Before the trench was dug, the basement would get about 1.5" of water in it when it would rain for a few days straight - the sump pump would sometimes be overwhelmed, but even so, water would still come in through every crack which was below ground level. (At the 1.5" point, it would be deep enough to flow over the threshold of the back door.)

Since the trench was dug, the sump pump hasn't seen any action.

 

[Marinski]

I had no idea what a sump pump was before this thread... we have sumps around town, a handful of them the size of half football fields, but nothing "in our backyard". What do yours drain into... is it a sewer line or into a big sump like that? I don't even know of an existing system at our new place that would help us in a situation like yours.

usually just drains out of a pvc elbow that comes out the side of the house.

 

[RavenSEAL]

Pics or its not that funny

 

[13Gigatons]

ORLY?

ours has been running for nearly 15 and is used near daily as the washing machine and utility sink in the basement empty into it

Your taking a chance that it will fail at the worse possible time. Better yet to have two sump pumps and battery operated pump as well.