install pump basin in crawlspace-high water

we recently moved into an older home that is about 50 feet from a canal, and the area has a high water table. the crawlspace had lots of cracks and fissures in the floor that allowed groundwater to seep in. if left alone the water would climb to about 3-4 inches deep, throughout the crawlspace. the foundation is block with a poured floor. it appears that the crawlspace floor is about 4 inches lower than the water table. i have filled in all the cracks with hydraulic cement, and have slowed the water down by 95%. i now want to put in a sump basin, with a permanant sump pump. as soon as i start cutting out the concrete to put the pit in , water will be everywhere. Has anyone ever done a job like this ? i'd like the pit to be atleast a foot deep. i was going to use a spackle bucket as the pit, and just cement it in with hydraulic cement. any tips or advice would greatly be appreciated.

 

working in water,,, what you're trying to do is pump out the ocean,,, better try for an alternative plan,,, we've tried this in nj near the ocean,,, that's why few houses have basements.

btw, a spackle bucket's only 5gal - regular sump's 30gal.

 

i'm only looking to pump out any water that enters the crawlspace. the bottom of the sump will be sealed. i'm not fooling myself to think that i will stop water from entering. i just want it out, so it doesnt sit there and fester. i'm going to locate the sump in the low spot where water already pools. the water table here is about three feet below ground, and my crawlspace floor is about 3 1/2 feet below ground. i will always have water. just looking for some do's and dont's from people who have already attempted it.

 

why would you seal the sump bottom ?,,, when we install'd sumps, we'd drill (approx) 100 3/4" holes to allow wtr INTO the sump plus 4" holes for the ads drainpipe,,, the 'low spot' should be in the btm of the sump which's surrounded by clean 3/4" stone,,, you CAN raise the sump & have the pump 12" below the floor which is probably the solution we would've chosen.

not knowing how much wtr, 1 pump may NOT be sufficient,,, we always us'd zoeller w/automatic float switch's, btw,,, yes, they're a bit more expensive but what's $20-$25.

good luck !

 

as the floor of the crawlspace is lower than the groundwater level outside, i have to keep the sump bottom sealed up. if i were to cut a whole in the floor now, the groundwater would rise up to a depth of around 4-6 inches throughout the crawlspace as it seeks its own level.it would be like as you stated earlier, trying to pump out the ocean. the pump would be going 24x7.

i want a sealed sump basin, so that any water that does leak in from various places in the floor, can fill the basin and be immediately pumped out.

i'll be cutting and chiseling this weekend, i'll let you know how it turns out.

 

irrelevant at this point,,, but consider this - how're you going to keep the sump from floating up on top of the water ?,,, i've seen conc swimming pools pop out of the ground when left drain'd,,, sump's light as a feather compared to 1 of those.

cut the holes - anything less is just fooling yourself,,, no matter what, the water's there,,, to adjust the height of the pump ( intake ), place conc blocks IN the sump,,, that's how you ' adjust ' the pump.

your ' basin ' IS the sump,,, either that or i've completely miss'd the point you try to describe.

 

i'll try to describe it. my crawlspace is essentially a boat floating in the groundwater. the groundwater level is about 6 inches higher than the crawlspace floor. if i were to dig a sump, and leave it open,( or unsealed) i would be inviting thousands and thousands of gallons of water into the crawlspace. the sump pump ( or 10 sump pumps) would be going 24x7. the bay is only 50 feet or so away.

i know full well that i cant stop the flow of water into the crawlspace. i just want a sump pit so that the water that does enter can collect and be pumped out when it reaches a certain level. as it is now, only a hundred or so gallons a day leaks into the space. i.m better off doing nothing than to dig a pit and leave holes in it.

you bring up a great point about a sealed pit floating up....maybe i'll try a small concrete catch basin. local cement supplier sells em.

thanks for your input

 

but even the conc sump'll float depending on how much water it displaces,,, ships're made of steel but float because the total weight of the ship's less than the weight of the water the hull displaces.

adjust the height of the pump/intake to where you're comfortable w/the height of the water.