Flooded Cellar
 

About once a year, my parents get an inch of water in the cellar. Here is
the situation.

Cellar is (no surprise) below ground. We had five inches rain yesterday
(surprise). Ending up with one inch in the cellar.

Sump pump aparently died, so Dad went out to buy another one. Got the
"another" one plumbed in, and the drain to the street is clogged.

We ended up with the pump running through a flex hose, out to the street.

Questions: What is a good water level alarm, preferably battery power. So
that Dad will know that the sump is dead, preferably before the water is an
inch deep?

Second: How to keep a line from the cellar to the storm sewer clear. We
suspect it is very old cast iron, and tree roots are blocking it. What can
we pour into the drain to kill or slow or rot tree roots?

I'm sure there is a lot of wisdom out there in news group land, and I thank
you in advance.

--

Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
www.mormons.com

"Stormin Mormon" wrote in message ...
About once a year, my parents get an inch of water in the cellar. Here is
the situation.

Cellar is (no surprise) below ground. We had five inches rain yesterday
(surprise). Ending up with one inch in the cellar.

Sump pump aparently died, so Dad went out to buy another one. Got the
"another" one plumbed in, and the drain to the street is clogged.

We ended up with the pump running through a flex hose, out to the street.

Questions: What is a good water level alarm, preferably battery power. So
that Dad will know that the sump is dead, preferably before the water is an
inch deep?

Second: How to keep a line from the cellar to the storm sewer clear. We
suspect it is very old cast iron, and tree roots are blocking it. What can
we pour into the drain to kill or slow or rot tree roots?

I'm sure there is a lot of wisdom out there in news group land, and I thank
you in advance.


The solution to your blocked sump pump line is to run a new one. With
a failing cast iron pipe with tree roots, that is the only viable
solution.

Stormin Mormon wrote:
About once a year, my parents get an inch of water in the cellar. Here is
the situation.

Cellar is (no surprise) below ground. We had five inches rain yesterday
(surprise). Ending up with one inch in the cellar.

Sump pump aparently died, so Dad went out to buy another one. Got the
"another" one plumbed in, and the drain to the street is clogged.

We ended up with the pump running through a flex hose, out to the street.

Questions: What is a good water level alarm, preferably battery power. So
that Dad will know that the sump is dead, preferably before the water is
an
inch deep?

Second: How to keep a line from the cellar to the storm sewer clear. We
suspect it is very old cast iron, and tree roots are blocking it. What can
we pour into the drain to kill or slow or rot tree roots?

I'm sure there is a lot of wisdom out there in news group land, and I
thank
you in advance.

Alarm:
http://www.homedepot.com/prel80/HDUS...73-Water_Alarm

You will likely need to cut and past that address. This is only one of
many available. It is just under $10 at Home Depot but others like it
should be available almost anywhere. As you requested it is battery
operated, but you may want to consider AC power. Keep in mind that it only
works if someone remembers to replace the battery; something very easy to
forget when it is something like that in the basement.

As for the pipe; don't try to fix it. You may be able to clear it, but
that would only be a temp move it would only do the same thing again.
Replace it with a water tight plastic pipe. They cause less problems since
the old iron ones tended to leak just enough to attract tree roots.

--
Joseph E. Meehan

26 + 6 = 1 It's Irish Math

The 10$ alarm from the Borg doesnt have an alarm you will hear well. It
is quiet. You need the alarm upstairs.
Stormin your a locksmith, HVAC Pro, Apliance repair Pro, you mean you
never heard of yearly rodding! Alt Hvac rods you regularly.

I am now sixty six years old. When I was a teenager I spent many
hours helping with attempts to clear the maple tree roots from
the sewer line at mother's ancestral home by rodding and/or
pumping in lye dissolved in water. We never did get around to
hiring somebody to dig it up and replace it since we found than
an annual visit from Roto Rooter would cost about the same as our
estimate of the interest which could be earned on the money
required for the digging and replacing job. We sold the place in
1997 so it is no longer our problem.


Stormin Mormon wrote:

Second: How to keep a line from the cellar to the storm sewer clear. We
suspect it is very old cast iron, and tree roots are blocking it. What can
we pour into the drain to kill or slow or rot tree roots?

I'm sure there is a lot of wisdom out there in news group land, and I thank
you in advance.

As for the pipe; don't try to fix it. You may be able to clear it, but
that would only be a temp move it would only do the same thing again.
Replace it with a water tight plastic pipe. They cause less problems since
the old iron ones tended to leak just enough to attract tree roots.

YOu could run polyflex, or, if it's a straight shot to wherever it goes,
even the next size smaller PVC down the inside of the cast iron,
after rooting it out. That would save digging a new trench.