Crawlspace Sump Pump in 5 gallon bucket

Before every inspection, I like to speak with the homeowner about what they know about their basement or crawlspace. Somewhere in that conversation, I nearly always ask, "Do you have a sump pump". I'll hear back, "Yes, but it doesn't work; or Yes, but the crawlspace or basement is still wet". I'm always amazed by some that consider a crawl space sump pump in a 5 gallon bucket a viable option as a "sump pump". Don't get me wrong, its an honest answer to the question.I'll start with why a sump pump in a 5 gallon bucket is not really a viable option. For starters, it is such a small cavity, that nearly ALWAYs the float switch gets hung on the sidewall of the bucket pit. If it has a diaphragm switch, then it will never build up enough water in the bucket to collapse the diaphragm on the sump pump, unless the whole crawlspace floods. If whatever switch the pump has never activates, it will cause the pump to never turn on to pump out any water. Very rarely do I see a pump in a 5 gallon bucket operate properly. Second, since the pump is placed in the ground only about a foot deep, it only pumps surface water that makes its way to the pump. This water bleeds in around the perimeter of the crawlspace, pools and puddles in low spots, and eventually floods the crawlspace until it reaches the bucket. Third, very rarely is the bucket drilled for water infiltration, so the bucket will float up out of the ground from water pressure. Fourth, if the bucket is drilled, it rarely has a good gravel backfill that will prevent silt from entering the bucket and clogging the pump's impeller. Fifth, it has no lid to prevent silt or mud from surface water filling up the bucket and clogging the pump. Trust me, there are many more reasons why a 5 gallon bucket is a bad idea to house a sump pump. A 5 gallon bucket was never meant to be a sump pump basin.

If you have a pump in a 5 gallon bucket, give us a call 1-877-409-2837 or SIGN UP ONLINE for a FREE CONSULTATION. Also, visit our website to see our many options of permanent sump pump solutions @ www.americanbasementsolutions.com/sumppumps.html

Thanks for reading the thoughts of a crawlspace sump pump inspector,
Larry Ralph Jr.

Crawlspace Sump Pump in 5 gallon bucket

EZ Breathe cannot pump water

I recently was on a call where I ran into an EZ Breathe Ventilation System in a crawlspace. This is not a review of that ventilation system. I just wanted to show the ignorance of installing this system without addressing the water problems occurring in the home.

I do not know who installed this EZ Breathe Ventilator in this crawlspace, but they did a poor job of securing the system, and completely did not address the real problem in the home. There were 2 sump pumps installed next to the system of which neither were operating due to installation error. These 2 sump pumps had no drainage installed to divert the water over to the sump pumps causing the entire crawlspace to back up with water until it poured over the top of the lid. The sump basins were not drilled with holes to allow water infiltration from the sides either. The sump basin in the bottom left hand corner had floated up out of the ground about 14 inches. The other sump pit was installed at an angle throwing the pump against the sidewall of the pit causing the float to stick and the pump to malfunction. They threw in a couple of pits, pumps, propped up a EZ Breathe and left. The entire crawlspace has flooded several times since their installation. You can see the "tub" ring of mud at different layers on the EZ Breathe system. There really was no point in installing this ventilation system UNTIL the water problem was addressed properly.

The purpose of writing this post is to warn homeowners of just a simple pump and EZ Breathe solution. If your crawlspace floods, you will need more than this "quick fix". I doubt this occurs all the time, but watch out for this type of solution. Give us a call 1-877-409-2837 or SIGN UP ONLINE for a permanent solution to a wet crawlspace.

Thanks for reading the rambling thoughts of a crawlspace inspector,
Larry Ralph Jr.

EZ Breathe cannot pump water

sump pump check valve installed wrong

This picture shows a check valve that is spraying water back into the basin because the pump is sitting crooked in the pit. The pit was full of gravel that fell into it and the pump appears to have been thrown together real quick. The pipe is placed into the fitting at an angle it wasn’t designed for. I ran across this picture the other day and thought I would rant about check valves.

It’s surprising the amount of basement and crawlspace sump pumps that DO NOT have a check valve on them to begin with. Most of these pumps recycle the same water constantly. This will shorten the life of the pump. Typically they are installed by the homeowner, but I have seen a plumber or two forget or supposedly “Not know” about the purpose behind a check valve. A check valve keeps water that is ejected by the pump from back flowing back into the sump pit.
The most common mistake made when installing a check valve on a sump pump is installing it upside down. Every check valve has a flow arrow and even if it doesn’t, it’s common sense how it should work if you look inside it. This mistake is only made if the installer isn’t aware of the flow or they get in a hurry and forget to look at the flow arrow as they are putting it together.
If you need someone to install a check valve or a sump pump correctly, give us a call at 1-877-409-2837 or visit our website at www.americanbasementsolutions.com/sumppumps.html.
Thanks for reading the rambling thoughts of a sump pump inspector,
Larry Ralph Jr.

sump pump check valve installed wrong