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#1
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Newbie Q: sump pump
I am consider making offer on a house that has a sump pump (the house
has no basement, just fairly small crawl space; there's a little creek about 20-30 yards behind a house; also a lake about ¼ mile away.) I know nothing about sump pumps, so would appreciate any tips/advise. Specifically: 1. What are the normal maintenance procedures; annual operating/maintenance costs? 2. I'd be very afraid of the sump pump becoming an "owner nightmare." What are the things that could go wrong? Worst case scenario? 3. If, at some point, a new sump pump needs to be put it, how much would that cost? 4. Could the fact that the house needs a sump pump be an indication of bigger moisture-related problems e.g., mold? 5. Anything else I should be aware of? The house is a ranch-style, 4 bedrooms, ca. 1,900 sq ft, located in Littleton, CO (Denver metro), if that matters. TIA |
#3
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Newbie Q: sump pump
You should have this place inspected by a competent home inspector. To
need a sump pump in a crawl space is not typical and I'd want to make sure where the water is coming from, how it;s getting there, etc. If the place is properly graded, you would have to have a very high water table to need a sump pump in a crawl space. And you want to be sure the pump wasn;t added after a lot of moisture problems already did damage, ie rot, mold, etc. It's possible the sump pump is not even usually needed, just there for the once in 20 year exceptional rain, but I'd make sure to find out what's going on, before you buy. As already pointed out, sump pumps are cheap to replace and operate and require no maintenance. |
#4
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Newbie Q: sump pump
Oh, sorry I didn't make this clear in my original post:
I didn't say that the sump pump was located _IN_ the crawl space. In fact, I don't know where it's located. I have just noticed on the listing that the house has a sump pump (something that has skipped my attention up until now), but that's all I know for now. I am going to see the house tomorrow morning. My remark about the crawl space was as an aside, I just meant to add that the house does not have a basement, but only crawl space. As far as making sure that the pump works, is that something the owner has to be checking every day? Do you then need to get down to where the pump is located? thanks again |
#5
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Newbie Q: sump pump
On 12 Jan 2006 13:23:16 -0800, someone wrote:
I didn't say that the sump pump was located _IN_ the crawl space. In fact, I don't know where it's located. I have just noticed on the listing that the house has a sump pump (something that has skipped my attention up until now), but that's all I know for now. I am going to see the house tomorrow morning. A little too quick on the draw then. First see if there really IS a sump pump, and where it is. Ask the realtor what the story is. THEN come back here. Reply to NG only - this e.mail address goes to a kill file. |
#6
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Newbie Q: sump pump
wrote in message
oups.com... As far as making sure that the pump works, is that something the owner has to be checking every day? Do you then need to get down to where the pump is located? Frequency of checking the sump pump is serviceable is governed by frequency of need. (Having unknowingly built on an underground spring, my neighbour's sump pump is running 250 to 300 days a year.) It is no trouble to check. Just remove the sump cover (desirable to stop children playing in the water) and if there is any water there jiggle the float switch. If the pump is OK it will run briefly. If you are nervous, have a spare pump ready to instal whenever the old one may break down. The last I bought cost $25 and installed in one minute. (Connect pump output valve to hose and plug in its electric plug.) -- Don Phillipson Carlsbad Springs (Ottawa, Canada) |
#7
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Newbie Q: sump pump
"Don Phillipson" writes:
It is no trouble to check. Just remove the sump cover (desirable to stop children playing in the water) and if there is any water there jiggle the float switch. If the pump is OK it will run briefly. I have an interesting/sad/morbidly amusing sump related story from my childhood.... We had hamsters that had a cage in the basement. They had babies, and there were maybe 7 or 8 of various sizes in there at the time. The crafty little *******s escaped their cage one day, and I didn't find out for maybe 36 hours. The thing I learned from a vet regarding hamsters though--they can smell water, and seek it out when thirsty. Well, that's the day I fished a number of drowned hamsters out of the sumps. *sigh* Poor buggers. At least the cat didn't pay them a visit. I felt terrible. So, rodent owners--consider sealing the pit if you'll be keeping your rodent pets on the same level as the sump. Best Regards, -- Todd H. http://www.toddh.net/ |
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