I have a finish basemant. I have a sump pump. In the past three weeks the sump pump is not working. There is a little bit of water as expected in the hole but no more water is getting there. We got some rain this past week and water came out from the basemant floor. The water was located at the same levelas the pump. Could it be possible that the drain that goes into the hole is clogged? (if I add water into the hole the sump pump works) If it is what can I do to fix it? Could this be a foundation problem?
I'm not sure what you mean by "water came out from the basement floor" and "the water was located at the same level as the pump". I also don't know if you have an inside piping system, or an outside piping system, nor do I know whether you have gravel under your basement floor, but if water once came out of a pipe and it doesn't come out any more, the first thing I would check would be the pipe.
Architect (NY) and Home Designer (PA)
Posts: 2570 | Location: Tobyhanna, PA | Registered: 24 October 2005
Sounds like a silt plugged drainage pipe somewhere. If the water is coming into the basement from the area between the walls and the floor. your outside water proofing system, if it exists failed. If its below the floor and the water is coming up into the center of the floor, perhaps through a crack in the floor. The interior system again if you have one installed has failed. either way its going to cost you some money. You need to first find out where the water is entering from. Run a garden hose near the point of where the water is coming into the basement from the outside. It may take a little while, But wait and see if the water begins to run into the basement once again. If so, you need to dig the outside of the foundation away and properly repair and seal the area to prevent water from once again coming in.
Posts: 1123 | Location: New Jersey | Registered: 31 January 2006
It may be as simple as adjusting the pump or float that triggers the pump. Make sure the pump kicks on before the water covers the drain feeding the crock.