Sump Pump Question......

[Meely]

Left the house yesterday and heard that the sump pump in the basement was running.

Didnt think anything of it.

I returned home last night and found the pump still running.

Thankfully, it wasn't damaged from running so long (at least, I dont think it was/is)

I dont know much about these pumps, nor am I mechanically inclined but did what little investigative work I could.

I noticed there was water in the basin under the pump and that the float rod was up thus triggering the pump to come on.I figured since the pump was running, it must be sucking water outside and went to check the drain pipe outside. Went outside and I noticed nothing coming out of the drain pipe.......not even a drop!

Again, I dont know much about these things but figured its a problem with the pump not sucking or maybe the drain pipe outside is frozen and plugged?

 

Any thoughts/suggestions?

 

Thanks for any help,

 

Meely

[Dondorfish]

How much water was in the sump pit? If not much - sounds like the impeller in the pump housing has broke free and is not pumping - this sounds like a stand up pump, with the motor on top ( above the pit lid ) - do yourself a big favour - change it to a submersible pump - they work much better and no problems.

 

 

Tracker ( Don )

[Dondorfish]

The float rod could also be stuck on ( black ball out of the water and not floating on top of the water.

 

 

Tracker ( Don )

[Billy Bob]

I have the same "stand up" sump pump the since I moved in here 29 years ago....personally I find them more reliable but each to his own...and this pump is quite active...I don't like electrical things submerged if I can avoid it.

 

I did put in a back up "water driven" sump pump this year just in case this 29 year old beast dies when I'm home or not home.

 

BTW...years ago I did have to replace the switch on the pump not because it wouldn't turn on but rather it wouldn't turn off....maybe, just maybe this is your problem.....if so it's a EASY fix to replace the switch....take it off (unplug first) and take it down to a plumbing store...they can match it up real quick.....most pumps use the same type switch.

 

Good Luck,

Bob

[aplumma]

Spend the $150.00 and get a Zoeller m53 submersible sump pump and sleep well tonight. The cost of a flooded basement is not worth the saved money. BTW a 29 year old sump pump is well in to the borrowed time of its life and if you divided the cost of the pump versus the time you have used it it is $5.oo a year.

 

 

Art

[crappieperchhunter]

No help from me Meely. But my dad has always had a Sump Pump and my brother as well on his house. Both have switched over to the submersible ones. I think aplumma...ART...is offering you good advice.

[Billy Bob]

BTW a 29 year old sump pump is well in to the borrowed time of its life and if you divided the cost of the pump versus the time you have used it it is $5.oo a year.

Art

 

VERY TRUE......but the pump I have is a BRASS constructed pump and you can't get them anymore......I called Wayne Pumps and the closest I can get is a cast iron one....That's why I'm sticking with the one that came with the house 29 years ago.....many now are only friggin plastic....not good IMHO. If I could get the exact pump I would have installed it this summer......but with the water driven sump pump I am covered on both ends...pump fails, I'm covered...power outage, I'm covered...

[OhioFisherman]

http://www.hydromatic.com/sump/su_50swsdvs.html

 

I have 4 of these, one in my septic system, a basement pump in case of water, a footer drain pump and a spare. The only one I have ever had to mess with was the one in the septic system, the removable float switch has gone bad a couple of times. The first time one went I bought another pump for a spare. Mine are cast iron and all but one over twenty years old. All the same so changing them out would be easy.

[aplumma]

Here is the link to the web page you will find the 53 is fine but if you want the all brass or cast iron you will find them listed also.

 

Zoeller cut sheet

 

 

Art

[Meely]

Left the house yesterday and heard that the sump pump in the basement was running.

Didnt think anything of it.

I returned home last night and found the pump still running.

Thankfully, it wasn't damaged from running so long (at least, I dont think it was/is)

I dont know much about these pumps, nor am I mechanically inclined but did what little investigative work I could.

I noticed there was water in the basin under the pump and that the float rod was up thus triggering the pump to come on.I figured since the pump was running, it must be sucking water outside and went to check the drain pipe outside. Went outside and I noticed nothing coming out of the drain pipe.......not even a drop!

Again, I dont know much about these things but figured its a problem with the pump not sucking or maybe the drain pipe outside is frozen and plugged?

 

Any thoughts/suggestions?

 

Thanks for any help,

 

Meely

[Meely]

Thanks for all the tips gang.

As it turns out, it was an easy and quick fix.

The drain pipe leading from the outside of the house was frozen solid.

I hacked the frozen pipe off close to the house and dry fitted a length of pipe for now.

Ran back down stairs and clicked on the pump and away the water went.

I'll glue everything solid in the spring.

 

Thanks again!!

 

Meely

[Beans]

Awe...The joys of home ownership eh Meely...

 

Btw...congrats on the purchase of the new place...

[Twocoda]

when your doing your glue up in the spring ...might i suggest digging a gradual trench away from the house and place a 20 foot section of socked Big O in it and plumb your sump discharge into the pipe so that the water that does expell from the sump will eventually find itself homeless...since your Big O rolls come in 50 foot lengths ya might want to dig another trench and have your roof water carried away from the house too ...just a thought

[irishfield]

..Meely... make sure the discharge pipe is running down hill BEFORE it goes thru the house wall. This will help it drain while it's still on the warm side of the wall. My old house had two pumps that ran almost 24/7 year round that needed your constant attention.. part of the reason when I built the new house I made sure I picked grade on the property that allowed the basement weepers to drain via gravity..