This spring, our sump pump is actually going off pretty regularly. Which is great, because it means we have moisture in the ground. The last two springs, I think it went off only once or twice, aside from when we drained the hot water tank into it.
Which brought to my attention some damage to the drainage hose outside.
I think it might have gotten stepped on, while frozen… and it was likely me who stepped on it! 😀
So I went into town to see if I could pick up some replacement hose. Something longer, so that I could direct the hose towards the garden by the old kitchen, instead of having it drain next to the well.
At the hardware store, I was very happy to find sump pump hose kits with 24 ft hoses!
Except… well… see for yourself.
They are very different diameters!
On reading the package, I realized that this hose kit is intended to attach directly to the sump pump itself.
That is not what we have.
I found a very knowledgeable employee to help me out. Unfortunately, I didn’t think to take any photos before I left, so I had to try and describe to him what we had instead.
We’ve got this semi-rigid hose cobbled together, instead. The diameter of this hose, however, should fit the hose kit. It was on the other side that the size is somehow modified so the larger diameter flexible hose could be attached. I had looked at it before and saw that it was clamped very close to the wall, but could not see what it was clamped too.
I still can’t really see.
Something has been wrapped around the end, and then the larger hose was clamped in place.
That “something” looks, for all the world, like batting. Like quilt batting, or aquarium filter batting.
Whatever it is, it’s been there long enough to be covered in crud.
In talking to the guy at the hardware store, he picked several different attachments that I might need, and a plumber’s adhesive that I would need if I had to use one of them. Once I get working on this and remove the broken hose, I should have the pieces needed to attach the hose kit, if it’s a different size. Or, if the end coming out of the wall is the size I’m seeing from the basement, and doesn’t have something weird done to it on the outside, I might be able to use what came with the kit itself.
He said I could return anything I don’t end up using, but that’s not going to happen. Even if I don’t use the pieces, they are things that will come in handy in the future and will not go to waste!
Plus, just in case, I picked up two hose kits. If things are bad enough, I can replace the cobbled together hose that’s inside the basement now and replace it with the flexible hose that should have been there in the first place. If I do end up doing that, one hose will not be long enough to run along the side of the house and reach the garden.
With that in mind, I asked the guy at the store if I could attach the hoses of two kits together, mentioning in passing that right now, the hose is draining next to our well.
That got a rather dismayed and understanding “oh, dear!” as I continued to say why I wanted to have longer hose!
He then found me the piece I would need to attach the hoses together, should I need to.
I was one very happy customer by the time I left the store!
When it comes time to actually start working on the hose, I’ll have to make sure to have the sump pump shut off in the basement. It would not be good for it to turn on while I’m working on the house outside! 😀
So this is a task prepped for, but will have to wait for another day. At least we’re all ready to get it done, though. Other things had priority for today, which will be in my next post. 🙂
The Re-Farmer
The Re-Farmer 