Sump pump problem - outlet frozen

[djheater]

I've live here three years and this is the first time this has hapened. Coincidentally a neighbors dog tore off the flexible portion of the outlet hose last week and my wife patched it back on.

I think the real problem is that the 3' flexible portion rises from the rigid pvc outlet portion to dump into a 4 inch pvc pipe that comes up out of the ground next to my deck. Not sure if this leads to storm drain or where...

The problem probably occured when my wife fixed it and left more rise in the hose than was there before, the water stayed in the hose and froze, though it's a crappy system anyway and needs to be fixed.

Thoughts on fixing it? Clearing the line? We're under a winter storm warning in Aurora IL through tomorrow how long can I leave it? Can I drill into the 4" pvc and make an entrance for the flexi hose to keep it pitched? That would mean chiping away the frozen dirt to allow me space to work.

Home ownership is FANTASTIC!

Crappy drawing but in perspective!

 

[boomerang]

How about buying some heat tape? The kind you put on the roof or in your gutters. Wrap it around the flex hose for now and try to do something more permanent or semi-permanent when we get a thaw.

You'd need an outlet nearby or a length of extension cord obviously.

As far as how long can you leave it, well, how often does it run? If I understand correctly, the water is not going to be able to be pumped out.

We have a sump pump that never runs. It wouldn't be a problem for us. The neighbor on the property next door says his runs 24/7. It would be a huge problem for him.

 

[olds]

You need Hugh "Polar Bear" Rowland.

 

[DrPizza]

Short term solution: I'd apply heat tape & do something to insulate the pipe. I wouldn't spend much money or put a lot of effort into what will probably be a temporary fix; the only money being the heat tape. Maybe try sliding a large garbage bag under it, dumping on a lot of Styrofoam packing peanuts, and wrapping them up to give it a 2 or 3 inch barrier from the outside air. Of course, I don't have much of a clue how much heat the tape really generates, or if it has some sort of thermostat to prevent overheating.

 

[Fritzo]

Originally posted by: DrPizza
Short term solution: I'd apply heat tape & do something to insulate the pipe. I wouldn't spend much money or put a lot of effort into what will probably be a temporary fix; the only money being the heat tape. Maybe try sliding a large garbage bag under it, dumping on a lot of Styrofoam packing peanuts, and wrapping them up to give it a 2 or 3 inch barrier from the outside air. Of course, I don't have much of a clue how much heat the tape really generates, or if it has some sort of thermostat to prevent overheating.

I'd go with this too.

They put our pipe 8' underground...which keeps a constant 55F.

 

[Biggerhammer]

Duct tape the dog around the exposed portion of the pipe. May not thaw the pipe but you'll feel better about it.

 

[skyking]

heat tape for pipe is designed to go against the pipe, and then wrap the whole thing with some closed cell insulation. I'd put a piece of plastic over the assembly after that to keep water out. It has a built-in thermostat to prevent overheating.
Repair the situation in the spring by cutting off the rigid pipe a few inches from the wall, attaching a 45 degree bend on it and dig the pipe a foot below grade. Install another 45 bend and insure the pipe has some fall toward the 4" pipe. It will never hold water again, and does not need to be any deeper than that. Cut the 4" PVC and install a tee in it at the proper level, install a bushing to adapt the rigid to the 4" tee. Glue the piece you cut off the 4" in the top of the tee to get it above ground. Install a cap loosely without glue.
It is likely a cleanout for that line and you want to maintain access to it.

 

[SagaLore]

Run an extension chord to it and use a blow dryer to heat the pipe.

Wrap the pipe in heat tape and some foam. Add some more dirt around it and put an enclosure over it (like a box).

I don't think it would be too bad if you put a little bit of antifreeze into the pit, as long as where it drains isn't something an animal drinks out of.

 

[ebaycj]

Yeah for Aurora, IL.


Realistically, you can just take the flex part off for now, it's really only important if we are getting like 6" of rain in one day (or having 12-18" of snow melt all in one day).

The only thing that flex pipe is doing is moving the water away from your foundation so it doesn't go back in to your sump (eventually). Basically it needs to rain for like a week straight (or monsoon like conditions for a day or so), the ground needs to be completely saturated, for the flex pipe to help you at all. You should not have enough water in the winter for this to make a difference.

How often has your sump pump been running lately (that is the real question)?

Personally, I'd just remove it for the winter (until things start to REALLY thaw), then put it back on at the end of February / beginning of March.

 

[djheater]

I built a box of styrofoam to cover the whole area and placed a heating pad on top of a garbage bag on top of the outlet. Will let let run for a few hours and start up the pump again.

The sump usually doesn't run in the winter, I think there was just enough melt to start it... I didn't notice it at all yesterday. But I'll have to keep an eye on it. I have rain barrels set up on that corner in warmer months and may not have effectively redirected the downspout when I took them down for winter....