There is a small concrete pit right outside our garage containing a sump
pump that keeps our garage dry in the winter. There is a pinhole leak in
one corner, the tiny stream of water that comes in this hole after a heavy
rain eventually fills the pit which in theory is supposed to stay dry while
the drain channel in the driveway feeds the pump which is enclosed in it's
own plastic container. The problem is that long after it stops raining this
leak results in the sump pump trying to drain all the ground water above the
level of the leak. I'm looking for recommendations of products to apply to
the concrete in that corner which will seal the leak, I've heard of paint-on
products. Or do I have to bite bullet and slap some hydraulic concrete all
up that corner to have a realistic chance of sealing the leak?

It sounds like the pump is doing what it is supposed to do, remove water
above its level, which keeps the foundation dry. If you have that much water
coming through the "pinhole", you must have very high ground water. It is
better to remove it than have it sit that close to the house/garage.

Most sump pits have openings in the sides/bottom to allow water to enter. I
doubt that you can stop the flow, certainly not with something painted on
the inside.

"DGDevin" wrote in message
...
There is a small concrete pit right outside our garage containing a sump
pump that keeps our garage dry in the winter. There is a pinhole leak in
one corner, the tiny stream of water that comes in this hole after a heavy
rain eventually fills the pit which in theory is supposed to stay dry
while the drain channel in the driveway feeds the pump which is enclosed
in it's own plastic container. The problem is that long after it stops
raining this leak results in the sump pump trying to drain all the ground
water above the level of the leak. I'm looking for recommendations of
products to apply to the concrete in that corner which will seal the leak,
I've heard of paint-on products. Or do I have to bite bullet and slap
some hydraulic concrete all up that corner to have a realistic chance of
sealing the leak?

Waterplug
"EXT" wrote in message
anews.com...
It sounds like the pump is doing what it is supposed to do, remove water
above its level, which keeps the foundation dry. If you have that much
water coming through the "pinhole", you must have very high ground water.
It is better to remove it than have it sit that close to the house/garage.

Most sump pits have openings in the sides/bottom to allow water to enter.
I doubt that you can stop the flow, certainly not with something painted
on the inside.

"DGDevin" wrote in message
...
There is a small concrete pit right outside our garage containing a sump
pump that keeps our garage dry in the winter. There is a pinhole leak in
one corner, the tiny stream of water that comes in this hole after a
heavy rain eventually fills the pit which in theory is supposed to stay
dry while the drain channel in the driveway feeds the pump which is
enclosed in it's own plastic container. The problem is that long after
it stops raining this leak results in the sump pump trying to drain all
the ground water above the level of the leak. I'm looking for
recommendations of products to apply to the concrete in that corner which
will seal the leak, I've heard of paint-on products. Or do I have to
bite bullet and slap some hydraulic concrete all up that corner to have a
realistic chance of sealing the leak?

On Oct 12, 1:18*pm, "DGDevin" wrote:
There is a small concrete pit right outside our garage containing a sump
pump that keeps our garage dry in the winter. *There is a pinhole leak in
one corner, the tiny stream of water that comes in this hole after a heavy
rain eventually fills the pit which in theory is supposed to stay dry while
the drain channel in the driveway feeds the pump which is enclosed in it's
own plastic container. *The problem is that long after it stops raining this
leak results in the sump pump trying to drain all the ground water above the
level of the leak. *I'm looking for recommendations of products to apply to
the concrete in that corner which will seal the leak, I've heard of paint-on
products. *Or do I have to bite bullet and slap some hydraulic concrete all
up that corner to have a realistic chance of sealing the leak?

The sump is doing what it is suppose to do. Now you need to do
some regarding or moving water draining off the roof away from the
building. This is an outside problem not an inside one.

EXT wrote:

It sounds like the pump is doing what it is supposed to do, remove
water above its level, which keeps the foundation dry.

Actually it's to prevent rain water from going right under the garage door
which is at the end of a driveway pitched towards the garage. Whether it
was always that way or the garage has settled over the years (old house) I
don't know. But given enough heavy rain the garage is in danger of becoming
an aquarium. There is a grated drain right across the driveway to catch the
water and send it to the enclosed pump which sits a pit. The pit is a
concrete box so the pump doesn't have to drain ground water from the clay
soil for days after a rain. I dug a trench beside the driveway pitched away
from the garage and turned it into a French drain, the rain spirits merely
found that amusing.

If you have
that much water coming through the "pinhole", you must have very high
ground water. It is better to remove it than have it sit that close
to the house/garage.

The whole neighborhood has poor drainage due to the soil, sump pumps
everywhere, so merely moving water further from the garage accomplishes
little. When it rains really hard or for several days in a row there is
standing water everywhere. All people can do is pump it to the gutter so it
heads to the street drains. Not an ideal solution but it beats needing a
rubber raft to get out to the garage.

Most sump pits have openings in the sides/bottom to allow water to
enter. I doubt that you can stop the flow, certainly not with
something painted on the inside.

It's a *really* tiny hole, roofing cement might do it. But as I said, this
isn't to protect the foundation but rather to keep water right out of the
building.

"DGDevin" wrote in message
...
There is a small concrete pit right outside our garage containing a
sump pump that keeps our garage dry in the winter. There is a
pinhole leak in one corner, the tiny stream of water that comes in
this hole after a heavy rain eventually fills the pit which in
theory is supposed to stay dry while the drain channel in the
driveway feeds the pump which is enclosed in it's own plastic
container. The problem is that long after it stops raining this
leak results in the sump pump trying to drain all the ground water
above the level of the leak. I'm looking for recommendations of
products to apply to the concrete in that corner which will seal the
leak, I've heard of paint-on products. Or do I have to bite bullet
and slap some hydraulic concrete all up that corner to have a
realistic chance of sealing the leak?

"DGDevin" wrote in message
...
There is a small concrete pit right outside our garage containing a sump pump
that keeps our garage dry in the winter. There is a pinhole leak in one
corner, the tiny stream of water that comes in this hole after a heavy rain
eventually fills the pit which in theory is supposed to stay dry while the
drain channel in the driveway feeds the pump which is enclosed in it's own
plastic container. The problem is that long after it stops raining this leak
results in the sump pump trying to drain all the ground water above the level
of the leak. I'm looking for recommendations of products to apply to the
concrete in that corner which will seal the leak, I've heard of paint-on
products. Or do I have to bite bullet and slap some hydraulic concrete all up
that corner to have a realistic chance of sealing the leak?

Whatever you use, it will probably need to be applied to the outside of the sump
to be a lasting solution. Dig down to the leak, clean and dry it, then seal it.
If it is an obvious single hole, even a good quality caulk for use in wet
conditions might do it.

Bob F wrote:
"DGDevin" wrote in message
...

There is a small concrete pit right outside our garage containing a sump pump
that keeps our garage dry in the winter. There is a pinhole leak in one
corner, the tiny stream of water that comes in this hole after a heavy rain
eventually fills the pit which in theory is supposed to stay dry while the
drain channel in the driveway feeds the pump which is enclosed in it's own
plastic container. The problem is that long after it stops raining this leak
results in the sump pump trying to drain all the ground water above the level
of the leak. I'm looking for recommendations of products to apply to the
concrete in that corner which will seal the leak, I've heard of paint-on
products. Or do I have to bite bullet and slap some hydraulic concrete all up
that corner to have a realistic chance of sealing the leak?


there are epoxy paints and putties that are used to fix basement leaks, seal manholes, leaking swimming pools etc. We sell some of them at our web site www.epoxyproducts.com - other folks might have them too. Hydraulic cement will probably not work. - paul oman

Epoxy shield concrete patch and repair by Rustoleum is a great product but
you need to call Rustoleum and verify how it does against water pressure.

http://www.rustoleum.com/product.asp...t_id=650&SBL=1




"DGDevin" wrote in message
...
There is a small concrete pit right outside our garage containing a sump
pump that keeps our garage dry in the winter. There is a pinhole leak in
one corner, the tiny stream of water that comes in this hole after a heavy
rain eventually fills the pit which in theory is supposed to stay dry
while the drain channel in the driveway feeds the pump which is enclosed
in it's own plastic container. The problem is that long after it stops
raining this leak results in the sump pump trying to drain all the ground
water above the level of the leak. I'm looking for recommendations of
products to apply to the concrete in that corner which will seal the leak,
I've heard of paint-on products. Or do I have to bite bullet and slap
some hydraulic concrete all up that corner to have a realistic chance of
sealing the leak?