Basement flooded again

[milltech]

Well my sump pump failed again and I had 2'' of water in my basement. No big deal as there is nothing down there except water softner and pressure tank. Been thinking about finishing it but will not even attempt without a battery back-up system.

You guys have any suggestion's to insure a dry basement?

 

[ruger1800]

If your basement is on a hill, you can drain without a pump. otherwise install 2 pumps with battery backup.

 

[photoshooter]

Pay a pro. We were barely getting by with one little 1/3rd horse pump. had to call in a friend with a portable pump last year when I saw the single one wan't keeping up. We were hand bailing from the storm pump into the pit for one that took care of the clothes washer just to keep the storm pit from over-flowing

Replaced it with a new 1/3 horse Zoeller - and a 1/2 horse Zoeller battery system - deep cell rechargable. During the deluge this week, had one time when the main pump couldn't keep up (not a failure - just too much dang water at once).

The battery pump is the fail safe. It kicks in if the main pump can't handle the flow. So two pumps were working on it for about an hour.

Also, make sure the pump is connected to a discharge line that gets the water far enough away from the house. We had them re-trench the line and run it out - downhill - toward a storm drain. No sense in just throwing it a few feet away from the house and have all the water filter right back into the sump pit.

 

[Mr. Habib]

I can't believe all of the wet basement stories on here. I don't have a pump or any kind of internal drain system in my basement, and even with all of the rain lately, I have never had as much as a drop of water in mine. There must be a lot of builders in IN that don't understand drainage.

 

[cbseniour]

As a claims adjuster ( retired) for 20 + I've had a lot of experience w/ basement flooding. If I can help you in any way short of manual labor of course pm me.

 

[SmileDocHill]

You really should look into a water powered backup pump. They work great IF
-you are on municipal water
-you have decent water pressure
They serve all the functions of a battery power backup but do not rely on ANY electricity. My concern with a bat. backup was that it really just gave you a window of time to come up with yet a 3rd option before the battery went dead.

 

[Martin Draco]

You really should look into a water powered backup pump. They work great IF
-you are on municipal water
-you have decent water pressure
They serve all the functions of a battery power backup but do not rely on ANY electricity. My concern with a bat. backup was that it really just gave you a window of time to come up with yet a 3rd option before the battery went dead.

^^^THIS

1) Make sure you buy a quality primary pump like a Zoeller because it's not something you want to "save money" on. When buy a pump look at the specs to ensure you have one that will meet your demands. So many people burn pumps out frequently because, even though they spent the money on a brand name, they didn't get one that meets there demand. The discharge pipe needs to be measured (length and diameter). Read they sizing specs and instruction VERY carefully!!!

2) Make sure you have the pump on a dedicated circuit (prefferably 20 amp) WITHOUT a GFCI. I see homeowners all the time that have all sorts of things plugged into the same circuit as there sump pump or plug the pump into GFCI and both are a huge fail during a storm!!

3) They city water pumps are great in case of a power outage. If you go with a battery back up pump, be sure to keep it maintained and test it frequently. Many battery back-up pumps can't keep up for very long during a storm.

4) If there is room in your pit you can install another electric pump for back-up on a SEPARATE dedicated circuit. If there isn't enough room you can install a separate pit next to the existing one.

5) You can install a WaterBug censor to let you know when the water level starts over flowing. If you have an alarm system for your home, the alarm company can install a censor that work with your alarm system.

6) MAKE SURE your discharge line from the pump is free and clear. Obstructions in the line will cause your pump to burn out.

 

[jclark]

You really should look into a water powered backup pump. They work great IF
-you are on municipal water
-you have decent water pressure
They serve all the functions of a battery power backup but do not rely on ANY electricity. My concern with a bat. backup was that it really just gave you a window of time to come up with yet a 3rd option before the battery went dead.

OFT.
Battery back-ups are fine, but you have to monitor the battery. That's why I will always try to sell the water driven pump to homeowners.

 

[Jack Ryan]

Well my sump pump failed again and I had 2'' of water in my basement. No big deal as there is nothing down there except water softner and pressure tank. Been thinking about finishing it but will not even attempt without a battery back-up system.

You guys have any suggestion's to insure a dry basement?

I think if you search the key words "basement, flooded, or sump pump" you'll find a lot of ADVICE.

There's at least one thread where I suggested it was DUMB TO INTENTIONALLY BUILD A HOUSE WITH A BASEMENT WITH THE FULL KNOWLEDGE IT WILL REQUIRE A SUMP PUMP. Of course as usuall I quickly learned I was just an old Fudd totally with out knowledge of all the new and improved water pumping technology now available. I’m still of the opinion if you already have one, you deal the best you can but if you are building new and you dig the basement to find it full of water the next day, just fill it up.

 

[Miller Tyme]

Didn't have a choice, the county required a sump pump in my house, and after a couple of power outages I just said screw the county, I cut the floor and ran a 2" overflow pipe to a floor drain..........problem solved.

 

[kevman65]

Depending on the age of the home the drainage isn't the issue and the builders aren't the problem. Most homes are built with the 20-50 year rule for rain and thus drainage. We're seeing 100 year rain records in the southern half of the State.

Now as to the question, it has been answered here already, water powered back up pumps. If you're on a well then you need a back-up generator not battery back-up and I would still go with a water powered for a back-up pump.

If you are getting water in your basement then every time it rains you will get more. The ground is saturated and the water table has risen to almost the surface in most areas south of Indianapolis. Its going to take a few weeks of relatively dry conditions for things to settle to normal.

On your sump pumps, you need to stop buying them at the hardware or farm supply stores. Most of those are light to medium duty and burn themselves out fairly quick. Step up to a heavy duty pump.

Good luck and keep the canoes ready.

 

[fullauto 45]

I had a company called Olshan water proof my basement. They installed a drain system that goes to the sump and away. The ground around here is a swamp and it has been dry even in the floods last summer. They guarantee the work for the life of the house, and it is transferable to new owners.

 

[confused89]

Is there anything I can do to stop sepage though my basement wall. I have a small section where water is bubbling the paint and mold has started. I was thinking about maybe drilling holes in the block walls and filling them with an expanable foam. Would this work on stopping the water or is there a better way?

 

[woowoo2]

Is there anything I can do to stop sepage though my basement wall.

Hydrolic cement.

 

[88GT]

Is there anything I can do to stop sepage though my basement wall. I have a small section where water is bubbling the paint and mold has started. I was thinking about maybe drilling holes in the block walls and filling them with an expanable foam. Would this work on stopping the water or is there a better way?

Seepage is usually cured by controlling the surface water before it gets below grade. Surface coatings on your interior block/wall don't actually stop the water intrusion, they just keep it from migrating all the way through. While it might be good cosmetically, it doesn't keep all the other effects at bay. I've seen a basement block wall bowed to the point where I could place my hand, held horizontally between the blocks without touching the blocks. Poor drainage can also cause uneven settling which can mean serious foundation issues down the road. Treat the problem, not the symptom.

The key is to move the water AWAY from the home before it gets below grade. Re-surfacing the landscaping next to the home so that it slopes away from the home and/or correcting guttering/downspout issues are usually enough since those are the most common culprits. But that assumes a rather flat topography. If the home sits on a hill with one side higher than the other, the side of the home uphill will need additional work to keep the water out, waterproof fabric, exterior drain, etc.

 

[Ronald]

Is there anything I can do to stop sepage though my basement wall. I have a small section where water is bubbling the paint and mold has started. I was thinking about maybe drilling holes in the block walls and filling them with an expanable foam. Would this work on stopping the water or is there a better way?

Might not be applicable here but make sure your gutters are clean! My gutters were clogged and overflowing; the water then pooled around the base of the house and seeped in. I now have gutter guards and 60" downspouts leading farther out into the yard and haven't had a problem since.

 

[SirRealism]

I have 4 downspouts that empty on the ground (with plastic extensions to take them out 6' beyond the house), but I also have two that are buried. Do the buried downspouts require maint? One of them is in a spot that would be impossible to drain on the surface, due to the slope.

 

[88GT]

I have 4 downspouts that empty on the ground (with plastic extensions to take them out 6' beyond the house), but I also have two that are buried. Do the buried downspouts require maint? One of them is in a spot that would be impossible to drain on the surface, due to the slope.

Yes, at the very least they need to remain unblocked.

But probably more importantly (IMO) concerns the conduit material. Old drainage tile was a common source years and years ago. But it was prone to breakage with the result that once water hit the breakage point, it simply spilled into the surrounding ground. If it was close enough to the house, bad ju-ju follows. My house has some semi-serious foundation settling because of it.

If it's a more recent install and corrugated plastic or even PVC pipe of sufficient size was used, you're likely okay.

Caveat: roots will wreak havoc on underground gutters just as easily as on home plumbing. Bear this in mind when planting if you have the option.