Flooding problems, could i use a Sump Pump outside?

Question

my back yard flood when it rains(most recently when fay sat on top of me for days) and water comes in my back florida room, could i install a sump pump somewhere near the foundation of my florida room? do they work outside? if not what can i do to get some drainage, ts gustav looks like hes headed our way so i need to do something. please help

Answer 1

Yes, you can install an outside sump pump. They can be installed as deep as you'd like by using a plastic culvert pipe vertically. Your pump can then be dropped down inside the culvert. These can be cut to the length you desire with a simple hand saw.

If you leave the top of the culvert pipe even with the ground surface, acting like a yard drain, you can expect alot of leaves, dirt, branches and other debris to enter with the surface water. This debris can potentially clog the pump impeller.

You should use a sewage grinder or a sewage ejector type pump. They are capable of grinding soft leaves and pumping out solids as large as an inch and a half.

Check with your electrician about an acceptable outdoor electrical outlet to use or have him hard wire the pump to an approved circuit.

You can find more general info on pumps, pump options and pump types on http://www.b-dry.com/sump-pumps.html

Best wishes!

Answer 2

With as much water as a tropical storm drops  there really is not much you can do except try to divert the water to the local storm drain system. You can do this by running your gutters into corrugated pipe and draining them to the street. If there is not already pipe there, it can be a big job with a lot of digging to put the pipe underground. A french drain system of tiles or perforated corrugated pipe can be installed around foundations to divert excess water. These systems should be under approx. 6" of gravel or other material that will drain quickly and run the same place as your gutter system. Of course you will want to make sure that all of your landscape is sloped away from the house. Sump pumps are used for draining crocks or other collection areas,and dont function well as constant pumps, they will work but burn up quickly. Hope this helps and..........Batten Down Those Hatches!

Answer 3

The best thing you can do is invest in some drainage.  Either do it yourself or hire a contractor to come in and trench your yard along your florida room and through all the low spots of your property.  then have them either have the water run someplace like a drainage ditch out front or a catch basin that can hold the water until it has time to be soaked into the earth.  have him install corrugated plastic pipe and back fill the trench's with pea gravel.  this will increase your drainage significantly.  you can pour a layer of dirt on top of the pea gravel and plant grass seed.  and no one will ever know.