Mike Hartigan wrote:

In article ,
says...
"Mike Hartigan" wrote:

This pump failed 3 days ago. I didn't have time to replace it
immediately, so I just kept an eye on the water level until I had a
chance to buy a replacement. Over the 2 days it was out, I made what I
consider to be a startling observation. The water level rose during
the first day, as expected (the pump runs frequently when it's working,
so rising water didn't surprise me). However, it appears to have
topped out at about 12" from the top. This caused me to wonder if I
would be better off raising the height at which the pump starts so that
it starts only when it exceeds this 'natural' level. I'm speculating
that this could result in a considerable savings in both electricity
and wear and tear on the pump.

It is probably the drain tiles around the footings filling up with
water. When you do get a pump going, instead of a trickle there will be
a flood of water coming out for a while, until they drain. The 4" (or
so) pipes around the foundation will hold a fair amount of water.


Does that mean that if I let go for a few days that the water would
begin rising again?

Usually, yes. Depends on the water table, and drainage of surface
water, but yes, left unpumped most basements will flood.