How do I keep my wife from telling me I told you so?

[matthewsx]

Definitely thank her (maybe with a nice meal) for thinking about your project, no sense in denying what a smart and wonderful person she is to notice something so small.

Somebody on here recently installed a water powered sump pump for just such an emergency. Wouldn't work if you're on a well with no tank but as long as you can rely on water pressure might not be a bad addition.

John

 

[woodchucker]

so if you live where there is town water, get the sump pump that attaches to the water as a backup.
if not, get one of the battery backed up units, and hang a couple of marine batteries on the backup.. they last longer than car batteries.
edit, and get a flood alarm.

Buy your wife a nice dinner and wine, and say thanks for saving my seats.
No matter what you do you are going to lose any other way, so just fess up and move on.

 

[westerner]

44 years under the same management here and I still have my scalp cause I never think of these things on my own much

This is the sort of thing a $120/hr "therapist" would say. Well done. I am gonna shamelessly steal the notion.
Thank You, Sir

 

[EricB]

All the sump pumps in the world will do no good if you don't first get the water moving away from the structure.

 

[alloy]

Yeah I know I'm screwed. But not tonight. She came home and went into the house, my camera alerted me she was here. So rushed into the house and headed her off at the pass.

So (I think) for tonight I'm good. I vacuumed about 30 gals of water up. Not sure if I can get it all tomorrow but will try.

I like the idea of a welder, although I can't weld worth beans. Wonder if it can be set up as a back up generator? She might go for that

 

[Dhal22]

I've been a plumber for 36 years and I've never seen a properly installed Zoeller pump fail. They are tanks. Your best protection is a redundant ( water powered) pump or battery backup.

540 FLEX®Water Powered Backup - Zoeller Pump Company

The 540 Flex® is there when the rains start, and emergencies pop up. A power outage can cause sump pumps to be rendered unusable, exposing your basement to the risk of flooding. With the 540 Flex® as the backup pump, you’ll have the peace of mind that your home is protected.

www.zoellerpumps.com

 

[EricB]

I've been a plumber for 36 years and I've never seen a properly installed Zoeller pump fail. They are tanks. Your best protection is a redundant ( water powered) pump or battery backup.

540 FLEX®Water Powered Backup - Zoeller Pump Company

The 540 Flex® is there when the rains start, and emergencies pop up. A power outage can cause sump pumps to be rendered unusable, exposing your basement to the risk of flooding. With the 540 Flex® as the backup pump, you’ll have the peace of mind that your home is protected.

www.zoellerpumps.com

Zoeller pumps don't fail but the built in float switches sure do. I replaced so many of those in my sump that I finally went with a Level Guard solid state switch.

Plumbing

 

[alloy]

Zoeller pumps don't fail but the built in float switches sure do. I replaced so many of those in my sump that I finally went with a Level Guard solid state switch.

Plumbing

I wish I'd had known that before buying a new pump.

I didn't throw away the zoeller so I'll check the switch out. If I can fix it I'll have a spare pump. Might even put the 2 of them together, that would double my flow rate.

Of course doesn't do any good if the power goes out again.

 

[EricB]

When the first pump (switch) failed I bought a new one and took the old one apart to find out what had failed. I replaced the switch and had a spare pump until the new pump (switch) failed. After four switches I went with a separate float switch. I was on the second of those when I stumbled across a Level Guard. That was 7 years ago.

I have a Basement Watchdog battery backup pump. It uses a deep cycle battery so it will run the pump for three days. I've had to replace the battery about every 6 years. I have a 5500 watt generator just for the pump. I've only had to use it twice for that in 14 years. I also have moisture alarms everywhere I have a water source.

My wife claimed the upstairs so everything important to me is in the basement. The sump pump it the most important appliance in the house!

 

[JPMacG]

Yes, I agree, get a battery backup pump. It is a completely redundant system. If the main pump fails the battery backup comes on when the water rises a little above the switch actuation level for the main. You will need to replace the deep cycle battery every 5 years or so and they are around $200. But worth it. It has saved my basement from flooding several times.

It is also wise to have a spare sump pump in storage. If there is flooding in your area you will not find one in the stores. They will be sold out.