Sump pump questions - Page 3 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Dee8go · #31 06-14-2007, 11:50 AM

By the time you get to the bottom of this issue, HD, your screen name may stand for "HyDrology Expert," not just Harley Davidson Expert.

Zeus · #32 06-14-2007, 11:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Howitzer

Quote:

Originally Posted by BobK

Another thought: Where does the sump pump dump the water to? Is the same water just recirculating back to the sump pump pit?

Gawd

, thanks for mentioning that! I forgot to state the obvious.

x2. I should know as mine does exactly that in the Spring.

Line is clogged. I should fix that over this summer.

mpolli · #33 06-14-2007, 01:40 PM

The chlorine test idea is great also. I don't know how you do such a test but that should tell you whether it is city water or not.

Mike

hdexpert · #34 06-14-2007, 03:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by John Doe

If you are going to spend $295 on leak detection, I would recommend getting a soil engineer out there instead who will locate the leak, can make sure you weren't lied to on the disclosures statement and can make a recommendation as to what needs to be done to correct or mitigate if anything. I am heavily involved in two foundation cases right now, and people waste so much money on french drains, landscapers, ect....without first getting a soil engineer when he can come in there and identify the problem and provide a solution. I got a bill from one for @$500 last week so it isn't really cost prohibitive. If he says you were lied to and something needs to be remediated, you will already have an expert's report in case you consider litigation.

my .02.

I'll look into a soil engineer, thanks for the tip and advice!!!

hdexpert · #35 06-14-2007, 03:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Howitzer

Be glad your basement is not leaking and the sump is doing its job, if there is an aquifer you are at the mercy of Mother Nature my old house had several but with forward thinking we tiled the areas and diverted the water to a county drain that was luckily closing by.

If you have a storm drain you can run tile into that which is the best case because your sump becomes a back up in the event of a plugged storm drain.

Tour problem may also be as simple as some grading or landscaping around your house to move water away from your house.

There is a storm drain at the corner of my property.....my sump pit empties to the curb a few inches from it. My grading is great on both sides.....a swail seperates me from both my neighbors.

hdexpert · #36 06-14-2007, 03:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by John Doe

You know how much I pay attention to Hud statements, but wouldn't you have to disclose existence an aquifer? (I really don't know so am asking)

There wasn't a disclosure at the closing.....anyone know if I have a legal leg to stand on?

Medmech · #37 06-14-2007, 03:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hdexpert

There is a storm drain at the corner of my property.....my sump pit empties to the curb a few inches from it. My grading is great on both sides.....a swail seperates me from both my neighbors.

A swail? it sounds more like water table. A few inches in elevation can mean everything and talking about running sump pumps is taboo.

hdexpert · #38 06-14-2007, 03:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zeus

hdexpert - sounds like you have an artisian well.

My neighbourhood is an older one, all well and septic and the water table is high. I have a sump pit, but it only fills a bit in the spring, when the snow melts. Apparently though, some neighbours have artisian wells - which means the well will constantly fill and hence requires constant evacuation.

Did the previous owner/estate agent mention this? I would ask them and get a concrete answer. If this is the case, I would definitely have a backup system and perhaps a water sensor alarm as well.

No mention of this at the closing but my agent is trying to find some info out for me as we speak.I'm looking at the basement bulldog backup system.

hdexpert · #39 06-14-2007, 03:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MS Fowler

Here are a few more thoughts.
Take a sample of the water in your sump to someone and have it tested for Chlorine. Maybe your local water company will do this. The presence of chlorine would indicate treated ( municipal ) water rather than ground water.

Another possible source could be a leaking blow-off valve for the water heater, although you'd notice that lack of hot water.

House built in 1978, hmmm. Could it have the blue polybutelene ( spelling?) water line from the main to your house? Is there a patch of really green grass that always seems to grow even when the rest of the yard is dry and dead? Does that patch of green grass coincide with the water line from the street to your house?

Water meters inside and outside your house probably show different numbers, as they were probably installed at different times. What you need to do is check the water used in specific time period on each meter--looking at the difference between the two readings on each meter--that should agree.

I'll take a sample and try to read the chlorine level with my test kit. If this doesn't work I'll find a test site.The line from the street is black plastic. No strange green patches of grass. There is only a meter in the house, not at the street. Thanks for all the help and ideas!!!

t walgamuth · #40 06-14-2007, 10:05 PM

I suspect a leak in your water line near the footing tile. The water will take the path of least resistance so there is no guarantee it will come to the surface. Simply shut off the water at the pit in the street and see if your sump stops running after a while. If there is a pit in the street, which I would think there is. The city should be responsible for everything up to the meter, I would think.

Having a sump running pretty much constantly cannot last for long without buring up the motor unless it is some kind of a premium pump.

You don't want to tarry on figuring this out.

Good luck.

Tom W

Hatterasguy · #41 06-14-2007, 10:24 PM

Some tend to run a lot, although every 7-8 minutes seems rather excessive, as said above have it checked.

My uncle built a house near a small river, or more accuritly on the flood plain of said small river!

His basement is rather large, probably 1,500k sf and he has three sump pumps.

One is a built in back up...

I don't know about your state laws but in CT if you are not given the disclosures its a $300 fine to the seller at closing. One attorney recomends to all his clients to not provide them. However this just seems to cause friction with the buyers.

kknudson · #42 06-14-2007, 10:29 PM

I wouldn't necessarily blame a water leak. The chlorine test might prove this, but depending on how long it takes to get to the pit it may dissapate before you can test it.

Two water meters, probably just a remote reader, and they get out of sync.

Here's an Idea, find the BBox (buffalo Box) which has the exterior valve.
Turn it off for a few hours and see if you still get water in the pit.

You can buy the wrench, or ask your water company if they will come by and turn it off, then back on later.

You could also have an old farm tile running through your house. If it was farm land a lot of drain tiles were laid. Then when they built the house, they don't care or might not have seen it and just cut through it.

Note that I have a similiar issue, during droughts, my sump runs regularly. Not every 7 or 8 minutes, but even in 88 when we had a terrible drought here it ran 10 or 12 times every day.

We haven't had any noticable ran in a week or two, and it is still running at least every hour.

But I know my neighbors back yard was a bad swamp before they "filled" it in.
I heard 6 or 8 18 wheel dumpsters of sand, before they put soil over it.
It still turns into a lake any time we get much rain.

thornton · #43 06-15-2007, 08:08 AM

In Ohio legal disclosure is mandatory at the time you tour the real estate, not at closing. It deals with specific issues including previous leakage in the basement.

It is a standard form approved by the State, and you should have received one from the seller well in advance of closing, probably with the agents disclosure of who they represent.

I live in Cincy, and our sump hasn't gone off in over a month with the drought we're having.

Good luck

hdexpert · #44 06-16-2007, 08:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by t walgamuth

I suspect a leak in your water line near the footing tile. The water will take the path of least resistance so there is no guarantee it will come to the surface. Simply shut off the water at the pit in the street and see if your sump stops running after a while. If there is a pit in the street, which I would think there is. The city should be responsible for everything up to the meter, I would think.

Having a sump running pretty much constantly cannot last for long without buring up the motor unless it is some kind of a premium pump.

You don't want to tarry on figuring this out.

Good luck.

Tom W

We have a winner.....Tom W hit the nail on the head!!! Yesterday morning I checked the sump pit to see what the water flow was like and it was filling the pit every minute!

So, put a call into the water dept. and they came an hour later, did a leak test and determined there was a leak between the house and the street so they shut the water off. I got a few estimates and the problem is being fixed Monday to the tune of $2100. The home warranty doesn't cover it and my homeowners policy may cover part of it. I can't really go after the sellers because the house had been empty for 6 months and they never would of noticed the issue. Oh well, just a case of bad timing I guess. I looked in the pit this morning and there is zero water coming in.....at least that's one mystery solved. Thanks to everyone that posted....I really do appreciate all your help!!! hdexpert

Medmech · #45 06-16-2007, 08:44 AM

Quote:

I can't really go after the sellers because the house had been empty for 6 months and they never would of noticed the issue.

Disagree. If the house is vacant the seller's disclosure should state unknown due to vacancy I think with some minor nudging you can get at least half without going through the mediation process.

If anything its a listing agent f-up.