Help Needed: Basement Water Problem

[jibsey]

OK I need a plumber experienced in permanent basement floor submersible sump pumps and to hopefully pipe it outside, for the Farmington Valley, or Bristol area. For 40 years no water and now we have it in an unfinished basement. Currently getting it out with small pumps and garden hoses but that won’t work permanently and in extreme cold. Can’t go into septic drainage. I wanted to wait till March but don’t think I can. Any names are very appreciated.

 

[prankster]

I lived on a particularly wet piece of property.a.number of years back.

Under the front porch someone had dug a well just about 1 1/2 to 2 feet deeper than the basement floor. Put the sump pump there, and ran the hose out to where it drained off the property

 

[temery]

Get an inverter & battery (bigger battery more run time). Super easy to install. Our sump pit was too small for a second pump. Was going to expand pit but inverter is way easier

Anyone buying a back up generator at this point should go with a duel fuel (gas and propane) inverter generator. I bought one last year - far more efficient and duel fuel makes it more versatile.

 

[NJHusky]

Anyone buying a back up generator at this point should go with a duel fuel (gas and propane) inverter generator. I bought one last year - far more efficient and duel fuel makes it more versatile.

I was referring to an inverter to just run the sump pump. Takes the DC from a deep cycle battery and turns it to 110 Ac.

If u go this route be sure the inverter is also a charger to keep the battery topped off

 

[TRest]

How much $$?

It was a 2 part job as they also built up landscaping outside, but for two new sections of floor About 10 X 10 feet with 2 new pits, 4 pumps etc about $15k I think. Was an extreme job, had to hammer out both sections of floor and remove a large amount of dirt via buckets because no hatchway access.

 

[CONN78SEJ]

Not going to be much help with names, but is it coming in, or coming up through the floor (foundation crack)? Maybe a curtain or french drain?

Just put a 2.5 - 3 ft deep sump in the basement floor, that will take the pressure off the slab and it will gradually dry out. Don’t get the ball/float setup, it’s crap, get a good Little Giant submersible pump with a bronze housing and diaphragm switch. 1/3 hp with 18ft of head should be enough. You will have to rig up a 1 1/2 in plastic pipe 100 feet or so out into your property area that has the most down slope from your foundation. That’s the cheapest way to do it. A French drain will cost you thousands.

 

[jibsey]

Just put a 2.5 - 3 ft deep sump in the basement floor, that will take the pressure off the slab and it will gradually dry out. Don’t get the ball/float setup, it’s crap, get a good Little Giant submersible pump with a bronze housing and diaphragm switch. 1/3 hp with 18ft of head should be enough. You will have to rig up a 1 1/2 in plastic pipe 100 feet or so out into your property area that has the most down slope from your foundation. That’s the cheapest way to do it. A French drain will cost you thousands.

Thanks.

 

[F101Voodoo]

My only experience was an industrial application involving a leak in a tunnel. The “grout“ wasn’t a mortar type grout, but rather a chemical grout. When injected it looked like, and seemed to have the viscosity of honey, after combining with water and curing it looked like yellowish foam.

I was impressed with the results, and figure something similar would work for a basement.

maybe something like this , if jibsey wants to experiment a little before incurring a big expense. Looks like would be better for a crack along the wall rather than at the floor/wall junction though, and if the basement is hollow block rather than solid concrete it may not work well either. But the basement HAS been dry for 40 years so if this was me I’d try some minimal remediation before going in big.

@jibsey it’s rained a lot lately, but it’s also rained a lot several times in the last 40 years and no problems till now. What changed? Upstream local development/paving causing more run off? (If so see the town engineer) Long shot, do you have a clogged roof downspout/gutter that is causing water to overtop the gutter where it should’t?

The way you just described the “grout” injection is exactly what the stuff and
process looked like here yes a yellowish foam that dries when cured.

 

[FrostyNuggets]

OK I need a plumber experienced in permanent basement floor submersible sump pumps and to hopefully pipe it outside, for the Farmington Valley, or Bristol area. For 40 years no water and now we have it in an unfinished basement. Currently getting it out with small pumps and garden hoses but that won’t work permanently and in extreme cold. Can’t go into septic drainage. I wanted to wait till March but don’t think I can. Any names are very appreciated.

I had good luck with Larry Janesky’s Basement Systems. Triple Sump Pump which has a main pump, an overflow pump that kicks in when first pump gets overwhelmed, and a third that runs on a marine battery if you lose power.

I don’t wish basement issues on my worst enemy, the triple system gave me some peace of mind.

 

[CONN78SEJ]

Just put a 2.5 - 3 ft deep sump in the basement floor, that will take the pressure off the slab and it will gradually dry out. Don’t get the ball/float setup, it’s crap, get a good Little Giant submersible pump with a bronze housing and diaphragm switch. 1/3 hp with 18ft of head should be enough. You will have to rig up a 1 1/2 in plastic pipe 100 feet or so out into your property area that has the most down slope from your foundation. That’s the cheapest way to do it. A French drain will cost you thousands.

The sump should be corrugated and around 18in or 20in across with 4 or 5 inches of crushed gravel on the bottom.