Found a hole in the sump pit drum, water coming up
#1
04-28-13, 11:48 AM
Found a hole in the sump pit drum, water coming up
My sump pump goes off every 15-30 mins on dry days. My house is set pretty high so I don't understand why the basin fills up so much. Recently here in Chicago we had a pretty bad storm come through and caused a lot of flooding. Luckily my pump kept up and didn't have any failure. But water did start to seep in from the floor joints of the basement. First time this ever happened, but it was a very rare occurrence it rained 7 inches in a matter of hours.
Today I decided that I should install a back up pump so when I went and looked into the pit I noticed that the basin was filling up with water even though no water was coming in from the inlet pipe. I put my had down and felt water coming up from a tear in the drum of the pit. It was a tear not a pre-drilled hole. About the size of a dime. Water was basically shooting up from that hole and slowly filling my basin. My question is do I replace the sump pit drum? Or do I leave it? If I replace that drum or fix it where will that water go?
Today I decided that I should install a back up pump so when I went and looked into the pit I noticed that the basin was filling up with water even though no water was coming in from the inlet pipe. I put my had down and felt water coming up from a tear in the drum of the pit. It was a tear not a pre-drilled hole. About the size of a dime. Water was basically shooting up from that hole and slowly filling my basin. My question is do I replace the sump pit drum? Or do I leave it? If I replace that drum or fix it where will that water go?
#2
04-28-13, 01:47 PM
Group Moderator
Think of your basement more as a boat. Water does not come in from just a pipe. It can be all around and pressing on all sided. When you had the heavy rains the water table around your house rose and the lowest weak point was the crack in your sump. Most sumps actually have holes in the side to intercept the water as low as possible. It's not so important how the water gets into the sump as long as you get rid of it. You want to pump the water table around your house down as low as possible.
#3
04-28-13, 02:16 PM
I get that part. But it hasn't rained in a few days and water is basically gushing in from the small hole in the floor of the sump drum. I can try to plug that hole and stop it from filling my pit. But my concern is where is that water coming from in the first place? Is it ground water, and if I replace the sump drum or plug the hole will that water come through my basement floor joints?
#4
04-28-13, 02:29 PM
Group Moderator
NO, don't try to plug the hole. You want water to get into the sump pit as easily as possible.
Yes, that's probably groundwater coming in. Water moves slowly through the ground so it could be water from rain several days or weeks ago. If you plug the holes in your sump the water will build up and come out somewhere else... like your basement. The whole idea of the sump and the drain pipe leading to it is to get the groundwater as easily and as fast as possible to the sump so you can get rid of it.
Yes, that's probably groundwater coming in. Water moves slowly through the ground so it could be water from rain several days or weeks ago. If you plug the holes in your sump the water will build up and come out somewhere else... like your basement. The whole idea of the sump and the drain pipe leading to it is to get the groundwater as easily and as fast as possible to the sump so you can get rid of it.
#5
04-28-13, 04:25 PM
in that case do I put more holes in the bottom of the pit? The single dime sized hole has a gush of water that basically reaches about 3-4 inches high. If I drill additional holes it would help get that water into the pit and pumped out.
#6
04-28-13, 04:30 PM
Group Moderator
Is that a sealed sump pit .... in other words does it have a bottom as part of it or is it rock ?
I would definitely put more holes in the sides. You don't want any excess water under your foundation. You want it to drain into the pit.
I would definitely put more holes in the sides. You don't want any excess water under your foundation. You want it to drain into the pit.
#7
04-28-13, 04:30 PM
Group Moderator
Additional holes would help relieve the pressure and get the water into the sump quicker so you can pump it out.
#9
04-28-13, 04:49 PM
Group Moderator
They don't usually use sealed drums for sump pits.
A sealed sump pit would be more used for a sewage lift system.
Do you know where that single incoming line comes from ?
A sealed sump pit would be more used for a sewage lift system.
Do you know where that single incoming line comes from ?
#10
04-28-13, 05:26 PM
no I don't, I just know that when it rains water come in from that line. Why wouldn't the drums be sealed, all the sump pits I saw today at Home depot were sealed from the bottom.
#11
04-28-13, 05:36 PM
Group Moderator
They have no holes in the store because they can be used either as sewage (no holes) or sump (you drill the holes). It's easy to add the holes but very difficult to plug them. When dealing with a sump system you want the water to get in as easily as possible so you can pump it out.
#13
05-21-13, 10:41 AM
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itr1197,
Did you get an answer to your question? I have the exact same problem. My sump pump goes off every 5-10 minutes even when there is no rain. I have lived in my townhome for over 20 years and this has been happening only for the last couple of years. And, I, too, found an opening in the base of the drum where the wall of the drum meets the floor. My handyman said you can't close the hole or there would be pressure on the foundation. I assume this water is coming from under the house. No water is coming in from the inlet pipe. If you got an answer, that would also answer my question.
Did you get an answer to your question? I have the exact same problem. My sump pump goes off every 5-10 minutes even when there is no rain. I have lived in my townhome for over 20 years and this has been happening only for the last couple of years. And, I, too, found an opening in the base of the drum where the wall of the drum meets the floor. My handyman said you can't close the hole or there would be pressure on the foundation. I assume this water is coming from under the house. No water is coming in from the inlet pipe. If you got an answer, that would also answer my question.
#14
05-21-13, 07:23 PM
Group Moderator
There really isn't an answer to the problem. A sump pit is installed to remove ALL water that is under the floor. If you plug the holes in the sump pit....the water will continue to rise until it comes out between the floor and the walls in your basement.
There could be a reason why you have so much incoming water. I don't have the answer though. It depends on your terrain.
You don't have to answer these questions....they are just food for thought.
1) Are you in a low lying area ?
2) Has anything changed in your area that could cause more groundwater ?
3) Have you checked with any neighbors to see if they have the same water condition ?
4) It is possible that a pipe has ruptured in the area causing the extra water.
There could be a reason why you have so much incoming water. I don't have the answer though. It depends on your terrain.
You don't have to answer these questions....they are just food for thought.
1) Are you in a low lying area ?
2) Has anything changed in your area that could cause more groundwater ?
3) Have you checked with any neighbors to see if they have the same water condition ?
4) It is possible that a pipe has ruptured in the area causing the extra water.
#15
05-21-13, 08:14 PM
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Thanks, PJmax. I will check those out. There are 4 townhomes attached and I do think my one neighbor next door has the same problem but the other 2 do not (I am one of the middle units).
If I have to investigate further, do you have any suggestion as to what type of professional should look at it -- plumber, engineer, City engineer (I live in a suburb)?.
If I have to investigate further, do you have any suggestion as to what type of professional should look at it -- plumber, engineer, City engineer (I live in a suburb)?.
#16
05-23-13, 12:35 PM
Your sump is normal, there is nothing wrong with it. Im guessing that your home is a newer one built within the last 40 years. Sump pits have been around in new construction since approximately 1950 or so. Before the age of plastics they used to construct them from brick, clay tile, concrete etc. My parents sump pit is an open ended clay sewer pipe with a gravel bottom. I helped a friend put in a battery backup pump in a pit constructed of unmortared brick and ive seen them made of poured concrete, galvanized culvert and othere stuff. The whole purpose of the sump and drain tile to the sump from under and around your basement floor and foundation is to collect water and git it outathere before it damages your basement, just like previouse posters have said. If you are getting more water inflow than usual check your downspouts, grading and any changes to land in the area that would change water movement. It could be that we have just had a wet spring and that is creating more ground water than in years past. I live just outside the greater chicago metro area and it is wetter than usual here. Good Luck!
#17
05-31-13, 09:27 AM
When I bought my house 10 years ago, my sump pit only had one slit and water came in slowly. During a heavy rain event, I saw water coming in where the wall meets the floor. I drilled about 8 1/2inch holes low around the sides of the drum. This let much more water come in much faster. With this set up, we were able to go thru Irene (9 inches of rain), and Sandy (6+ inches) with zero issues.
I have 1 1/2 inch pipe coming out of my basement, and my pump puts out 2400 gph. During Irene it actually ran continuosly for about an hour at the end of the storm, but the water level remained steady for the most part.
I have 1 1/2 inch pipe coming out of my basement, and my pump puts out 2400 gph. During Irene it actually ran continuosly for about an hour at the end of the storm, but the water level remained steady for the most part.
