Oh my gosh! It’s so cold outside with a raw wind that could most likely be causing the spring song birds to hide. It also happens to be my birthday today. That, however, does not give a pass to what needs to be addressed. I went out to check on the huge branch of the deep purple lilac that has been twisted to the point of almost detachment. When I turned to go back around to the driveway, I realized the huge collection of water around the sump pump as it egresses the house next to the house foundation. That was not suppose to be there. The underground line that the sump pump is attached to was frozen to the point that the water had no where to go but pump out onto the yard.
I snapped a photo of the sump pump area and sent it with a text to Complete Basements . . . “is this going to cause a problem that I can’t see at this time?” I soon got a return call. The proximity of the sump pump to the new basement window and the window well is less than two feet . . . “yes it could be a concern if the window well fills to the point that the basement window would allow water to run down into and down the interior basement wall.” Shucky darn! Dennis and I managed to hack a spot through the ice-covered yard area where the sump pump drain surfaces. Dennis went to Fleet and Farm for a bag of salt to be emptied on the surface of the drain. I decided my yard was not as important as my sewing studio. I did the ole farmer, Raymond Wendlant, solution. I begin digging a trench to take the water away from the foundation of the house and sump pump and allow it to run to the north. Thankfully there is a slight incline. I could have used a pickax but made good use of our ax to break through the ice layer until I hit soft dirt.
We have had a winter of having no snow cover – to having rain with extreme cold temperatures allowing a layer of ice that was then covered with 11 inches of heavy snow. The surface of the yard on the north side of the house is as hard as a rock. It is very easy to see how this freezing of the drain line has frozen. It is the first time in twelve years of having the sump pump installed. Monday I will be contacting Complete Basements with the question as to why there cannot be a rubber boot in place where the sump pump PVC pipe comes to the surface to allow for a temporary dis-connect to the under ground and allow for a secondary hose to be attached.
We are about to put together my “Happy Birthday supper.” As we are pooped, it may well be fried eggs and Spam with toast. It is still a wonderful day for my 74th birthday. Logic and stamina pull through to get through some tough challenges.