Basement Update

[ysabetwordsmith]

Power is restored.  Most of water has been removed.  We still need to figure out whether the sump pump needs repair or replacement.  Progress. 

Comments

[siliconshaman]

I'd recommend a float switch and back-up battery as well. Plus look up DC bilge pumps, which would simplify running off a battery [with an AC-DC adaptor to run it off mains.]

Then if the power goes down, it'll still work.

Progress!

[dialecticdreamer]

I'm glad to hear it!

[(Anonymous)]

Yay!

Also, they make alarms that detect water. That might alert to a flood faster in the future. (Not sure how often your basement floods, or to what degree.)

I keep suggesting we invest in some for our basement (which often floods when it rains).

[sporky_rat]

I need to get one of those for when the rain is absurd.

[dewline]

That makes me curious.

Well ...

[ysabetwordsmith]

The basement is routinely wet.

Re: Well ...

[(Anonymous)]

If you have high humidity, you could try a dehumidifier. (We have one, but it does need the bucket emptied every day or so.)

For the alarms, I'd suggest checking how sensitive they are will they alarm at humidity, condensation, or actual floodwater?

...there may also be a way to McGyver a low-tech sensor with, like, cork and cords and noisy stuff, but I would not be the best person to design that...

Re: Well ...

[(Anonymous)]

Many (if not most) dehumidifier buckets have a removable plug at the bottom of one side. Remove the plug, place the dehumidifier next to the sump well with the bucket positioned so that it drains into the well, and the sump pump will save you the trouble of ever having to empty the bucket again.

Re: Well ...

[(Anonymous)]

Good idea! I can mention that to the house engineer and see if he thinks it is a workable idea...

Re: Well ...

[ysabetwordsmith]

I don't mean the air is damp. I mean we live on a reclaimed marsh, and whenever it rains, nature disputes the claim. The other day it was 7 inches deep; I've seen it several feet.

Re: Well ...

[(Anonymous)]

Okay, the alarms would likely work then (barring gremlins etc).

Our problem is that a particular exterior drain, when blocked has its surplus rerouted along the path of least resistance, which happens to be our exterior basement door. Combined with our enthusuliastic thunderstorms this time of year...

Fortunately, we usually catch it before we go downstairs and start wondering, "Hey, where'd this ankle-deep water come from?"

Unfortunately, I seem to be the only one who wants to waterproof the tools and stuff on the floor...good thing weve got a lot of plastic buckets / lids to stick under stuff...

[acelightning]

The house I used to live in had a sump pump that drained the water into a leach field in the lawn. Once in a while the "well" that held the sump pump would fill up and overflow onto the basement floor. Sometimes the problem was the "float" in the well that turned on the pump it worked like a toilet float. We fixed it as often as we had to.