Thread: Found this today

Yes! You are right is a Gasoline engine powering a backup sump pump in a basement. I can hear the conservation now,

Husband: Honey look now our basement will stay dry!
Wife: Will that asphyxiate us and kids?
Husband: Maybe... I will just crack a window.

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Well at least the noise will keep the rodents out of the basement.

You mean "smoke crack by the window"!?

No, that galvanized pipe is the exhaust, and it appears to be vented up and out through the wall. (No other reason for a pipe that long). It will bounce around and burn the dryer hose, but no one will be killed, IMO.

There must be a pressing need to keep the pumps running in that place.

This is awesome! Based on my experience with small engines the galvanized pipe is on the fresh air intake side of the engine. So the plastic vent would be on the exhaust side. My question would be if the engine will even run long enough, with the air intake restriction, to melt away the vent line.

I think this guys engineering degree should be revoked.

I just went out to the shed and looked at my tiller and chipper and both of them look like you could tap in galvanized pipe to the exhaust.
The intakes on both have different configurations for the air filter, and neither had anything close to pipe threads on them.
That flex pipe looks unrelated to the sump.

Looks like a good set up for when there is a power failure. Obviously, it would have to vent to outside or have windows open in the basement.

I guess I am a bit new to the Home Inspection business but it seems that running a gasoline engine inside of an occupied dwelling would not be wise. I don't exactly know how I would write this up but I would have to say something.

I agree with you about the pipe threading but if the air intake and the gas tank are on the side of the engine facing us then the exhaust port would have to be on the other side of the engine? Maybe that is why he bolted the extra bracket onto the head bolts. So he could duct tape the flex pipe up off of the muffler.

Originally Posted by Tim Fuller

I guess I am a bit new to the Home Inspection business but it seems that running a gasoline engine inside of an occupied dwelling would not be wise. I don't exactly know how I would write this up but I would have to say something.

I agree with you about the pipe threading but if the air intake and the gas tank are on the side of the engine facing us then the exhaust port would have to be on the other side of the engine? Maybe that is why he bolted the extra bracket onto the head bolts. So he could duct tape the flex pipe up off of the muffler.

I would hope so!

rick

I basically look at my young client and told him to get rid of it. His dad said "that contraption is the first thing to go".

Glad to hear it. I was beginning to think that I was about to learn something new about home inspecting.

I have seen folks do some odd things with small engines and some of them are quite imaginative. They just ought naught be done indoors.

They make battery powered backup sump pumps for just such an ocassions. I have seen them installed but I tell the client if a sump pump is THAT critical then they may want to ask the sellers about the details of why it was installed.....(if there is a big hole in the hole in the wall then they don't need to ask)

The also make water powered pumps that require no electrical or other power.

How do those bad boys work? Never seen a self-powered pump...

Not a self powered pump, a water powered pump. Hook it up to the city water supply and the flow of water from the inlet pipe does the work of moving water from the suction side and both fresh and sump water discharge as waste to outdoors.

YouTube - Ann Arbor Home Inspector Water Powered Sump Pump

Thanks for the info....can add that to my list of reference links.

Originally Posted by Jim Luttrall

The also make water powered pumps that require no electrical or other power.

I thought you meant one of these...
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