By Barry Stone
Dear Barry,
According to our home inspector, the house we're buying has water in the sub-area because of a faulty sump pump. The sellers have agreed to have this corrected, but we're wondering if sump pumps are common in houses with raised foundations, or should we heed the presence of the pump as a warning sign? - Gary
Dear Gary,
The presence of a sump pump below a building indicates faulty ground drainage and raises two pertinent questions: What is the source and extent of the ground moisture, and does the sump pump adequately address the problem?
Many homes with drainage problems have sump pumps that were installed by handy homeowners, without the causes of faulty drainage having been professionally determined. To adequately evaluate drainage conditions at the property, have the site and the sump system reviewed by a licensed geotechnical engineer.
. Questions of a Do It Yourself nature should be submitted to our "
This is not very helpful. In my subdivision, there are over 600 homes, all with active sump pumps due to the marine clay layer upon which these homes have been built. My sump pump is very active, and I wanted to know about recommendations regarding how often to replace it (not awaiting the next burn-out and basement flooding) and about battery-backup systems for power outtages. I will keep searching.