Sump Pump/Vac Help - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

browna · 06-20-2005, 01:12 AM

After thinking we made it through unscathed thelast two weeks, sometime in the last 24-48 hours, I discovered an hour ago just before bed, that the concrete crawl space on our basement of our house has 2 inches of standing water. The crawlspace is about 4 ft high so one can walk all around in there hunched over, but covers about 500+sq ft.

Luckily anything thats in there is more or less just junk, and anything of value was luckily stored on the shelves we have there. Luckily, since we have a split, it is only 2 inches and didn't get much higher, which would have flooded the entire basement, not just that half.

Not sure if sewer backup (the sewer line is in there, but the top is still on it...there's another pipe in there too, not sure what it is....but the water doesn't look or smell like its bad) or groundwater coming up from under possibly, but the bigger concern is getting that standing water out, then figuring it out where it came from all of a sudden. It happened since Friday night (last checked on it 8pm).

Obviously, all sump pumps and heavy duty wet dry shop vacs are sold out in calgary (a safe assumption, a check on Canadian Tire's website confirmed this), so if someone has a heavy duty solution for me to get the water out, and can lend it to me for a day or so, that would be appreciated. I can come pick it up at the earliest possible time tomorrow.

Please le me know ASAP, as I'll be up at the crack of dawn trying to sort all this out.

Mean Mr. Mustard · 06-20-2005, 02:02 AM

It depends on which area of the city that you live in, as I am sure that I would be able to lend just a regular Wet/Dry Vac, but I don't know if that would be rugged enough to actually help vaccuum all of the water out of there.

You might also want to try some of the rental places from areas that wouldn't be flooded like a few communities in the northwest, but that would be a longshot.

Indi · 06-20-2005, 05:11 AM

I think your best bet would be to hit a safeway or co-op and rent a rug cleaner...that will suck the water up in no time!

I-Hate-Hulse · 06-20-2005, 08:54 AM

Browna, call the Eaton's downtown. As of late last week they had 60L wet dry vacs on sale no less. (had them stacked in the clearance aisle, in hte +15 hallway on the 2nd floor). However, I suspect that they may have had a run on them with Mission being so close. I'll take a look at lunch today.

Claeren · 06-20-2005, 10:35 AM

I have a brand new one (wonder why... lol.. ) you can borrow if you still need it? 5.5hp, 12 gallon beast... works great...

Similiar thing happened to us. We were fine until last night and then all the sudden it started coming up through the floor. Only an inch or so (but it kept coming/replenishing for a while) in an undeveloped basement but still annoying.

I was thinking of renting it out if it rained again (for extra school money) but for a one of my CalgaryPuck brethren...

Regardless, let me know. I am up in the NW, BTW.

We have met before...

Claeren.

browna · 06-20-2005, 03:58 PM

Update:

My buddy and I were able to rent one at Home Depot, as well as one from one of his work friends. (a 60 Litre and a 30 Litre) considering the limited access to our crawlspace, that's all that the logistics could handle in our basement anyways (thank goodness for the laudry room drain).

We estimate we got out about 1800-2200 litres of water out over 3.5h.

Removed the few things we had in there (most were in sealed tupperware bins), and now have to go rent some heavy duty blowers to really dry it up.

More of a PITA then anything, and the house is nice and smelly, but could've been worse, both in discovery (especially since it was only by chance i looked in there last night), and a couple more inches would've covered the entire basemnt and likely knocked out my computer, and entertainment centre, as those power bars are (not anymore) on the floor

We'll likely go buy one when they come back in stock in a few weeks.
Thanks for the assistance anyways dudes.

Claeren · 06-20-2005, 04:07 PM

You should also take precautions towards mold. Look into a light disinfectant. They used to suggest bleach/water but discovered it was as bad for you as the toxic mold... lol...

Claeren.

Mean Mr. Mustard · 06-20-2005, 04:40 PM

Claeren is right, you don't want mold getting in the corners and whatnot especially if you have respitory ailments or anything along those lines. Although it shouldn't be to bad as it sounds like it was concrete and not carpeting or drywall.

I-Hate-Hulse · 06-21-2005, 10:23 AM

For anyone that needs one, Sears downtown has 3 - 45L wet dry vacs available.

Coelah · 06-21-2005, 07:56 PM

Put in a sump pump. I know, doesn't help you now. Put one in though.

3 years ago my basement got flooded as well. The water kept coming in for a week after it stopped raining. Put 2 sump pumps in the worst spots and this year not a drop came in. The pumps were running every 3-4 minutes for a few days and are still running once an hour now, but they did their job.
My neighbour didn't put any in, thinking we wouldn't get that much rain again. He has 4 inches in his basement. He'd just put in new carpet as well. He's p*ssed.