When my house was built there was little in the way of modern conveniences. While my 1889 farm house did have three fire places it didn't have plumbing or electricity. At some point these features were added along with a sump pump and weeping tile system These are installed in new homes as a preventative against water penetration and as remediation in old homes such as mine. The system consists of perforated piping (weeping tile) on the outside of the foundation that directs ground water to a sump, which is a shallow pit in the basement that collects the water. The sump pump sits in the sump and periodically empties this water to the outside of the home. Maintaining the pump is essential for having a dry basement. I’ve experienced two floods, once from a power failure and the other time from a blocked float. Luckily my basement is unfinished and the damage was minimal. However, several people I know have had major damage from a sump pump failure. Rehabilitation could easily cost a homeowner $20,000 plus. Here's a video I did showing you everything you need to know about maintaining your sump pump.
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