Interesting Sump find

**Jeff Gainey** · 08-14-2011, 12:25 PM

I thought I would share my recent inspection with all. House built in 2004, 4000 sq ft, 2 story with finished basement, which I did the initial buyers inspection for.
I am running all the water locations during my functional flow and get down to the sump pump pits. there are 2 installed along with a sewage ejection pit. I open the 2 sump pits and see an abnormal amount of flow coming from the main pit. Even in the battery backup pit the water is cascading down the side with a steady pace. I could fill a gallon jug in about a minute from the flow. The tenants in the home said in the spring the sumps never stopped working.

Hot dry summer with just about an inch of rain 2 days ago. Still I think that is a lot of water running. I leave the pits open for now and go on with the inspection. I go upstairs and turn the water off upstairs everywhere and go back down to the utility room. There is just a trickle of water in both pits. So I think why not try this test again. Two more times-same result. Water flowing when supply is on. The main waste line for the house is about 4 ft up the wall on same north wall as pit location.

I tell the buyers we as home inspectors just get lucky sometimes being in the right place at the right time. Different circumstances would never have found this.

The plumbers found a disconnection in the main sewage line buried underneath the driveway with a camera probe. Seems like they were getting the neighbors runoff as well.

The pictures show the different flows That were present.

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**neal lewis** · 08-14-2011, 01:39 PM

Did you reach in to activate the float??

**John Kogel** · 08-14-2011, 02:29 PM

Good catch, Jeff. I wonder how long they would have continued pumping the neighborhood sewage if you hadn't found that mess up.

BTW, those pumps are working. That greywater would have been spilling out into the basement if they weren't.

**Jeff Gainey** · 08-14-2011, 03:48 PM

Neil, I usually shy away from reaching in for the float switches. I find a broom handle to use which is safer to use. Always worried me about electrical things underwater usually without gfci protection.

John, Yes they were really working. I mentioned to the buyer that if this is normal for this neighborhood, you should have another pump on the shelf nearby and add a water powered backup or the basement in case of power outages.