Basement Project

A few years back, it started raining and it felt like it didn't stop for two weeks. Up to that point, we thought we had a dry basement. Slowly water came seeping up through fine cracks in the concrete floor. The water table had become so high that our house was like a boat in water and there were tiny cracks in the hull.

Our historic home had a sump pump which was not attached to a drain tile like most modern homes would have. The sump pump side of the basement stayed dry while the other more finished side (lucky us) took on water.

We pulled out the lavatory and cut out the lower drywall in our basement bathroom. We chose not to repair it right away because we felt like we needed to tackle the water infiltration problem first.

We finally decided to take control of the issue and install a second sump pit and pump on the other side of the basement. Luckily there was the perfect spot for it in the laundry room, so last weekend Bob, P-pa, and Grandpa got to work.

Step 1: Break through the concrete and dig a deep pit. Add stone to the bottom of the pit. Try not to break your back...neither while digging nor carrying buckets of broken concrete or soil up the stairs.

Step 2: Add holes in your plastic liner to allow the water to come into the pit. Wrap the sump pit liner with filter fabric so that dirt and debris can not make it into your pit. We just want the water.

Step 3: Drop the liner in the pit and fill around it with stone.

Step 4: Install your pump. Then add your piping to direct the water out of the house.

I want to thank Bob, my dad, and his dad for all their hard work. I am so pleased with how it turned out. As much as a part of me wants an enormous rain to test it out, the bigger part of me hopes that it never is needed.

Now we have the peace of mind to go ahead and finish off the basement bathroom again. Hooray! Now we just need the time to do it and a couple of capable volunteers. Speaking of...

Here are Granny and P-pa with Cora and Reed before they headed back to Greenville.