Sump Pump

[Tom Bender]

It runs on rare occasions due to the trickle from the A/C, but most times the perimeter foundation loop absorbs that so the pump has run maybe 20 times in it's 34 years. It failed so I bought a new one, connected and tested it. Unfortunately I wiggled the piping a bit too much and it came apart up in the floor joist space, showering me with that old scummy sump water. I'll repipe it. Planning third trip to the store for parts.

[Rich Engelhardt]

Planning third trip to the store for parts.

Pretty much right on track for anything with a plumbing component.

[Paul F Franklin]

Ugh. Of all the DIY stuff I do, and that's pretty much everything, plumbing is my least favorite. There always seem to be unwelcome surprises no matter how much I try to anticipate issues. And since good local full service plumbing supply places are long gone, finding anything out of the ordinary is a challenge.

[Lee Schierer]

It runs on rare occasions due to the trickle from the A/C, but most times the perimeter foundation loop absorbs that so the pump has run maybe 20 times in it's 34 years. It failed so I bought a new one, connected and tested it. Unfortunately I wiggled the piping a bit too much and it came apart up in the floor joist space, showering me with that old scummy sump water. I'll repipe it. Planning third trip to the store for parts.

Every plumbing job requires three trips to get parts.

[Ralph Okonieski]

I normally make 4 trips: 3 to buy, 1 to return the extra stuff i bought just in case the sizes were wrong.

[Bill Dufour]

Try to pull flex pipe to replace the old stuff. As few joints as possible.
Bill D

[George Yetka]

Plastic union/fernco coupling above the sump pit will help to take it apart next time. If it runs that infrequently try raising it an inch. Then you may never need it. At that point I would dump 5 gallons in every 6 months to make sure it works.

[Bill Dufour]

PEX A tubing is pretty flexible and much less likely to kink then the black plastic stuff. Of course it costs a lot more. For a sump pump you can do the connections with hose clamps rather then buy the expensive crimper tool or expander.
Bill D.

[Tom Bender]

Success and it's better than before. Just ran 1 1/2" pvc again.

[Tom M King]

Every plumbing job requires three trips to get parts.

DIY or pro. It's a universal rule.

[Jim Becker]

Every plumbing job requires three trips to get parts.

And at least two stops to return what's not needed/not correct...'cause you can never get everything from just one store.

[Bill Dufour]

I always use a credit card when buying "stuff" at the hardware store I may return un-needed. No need to find the receipt to return stuff. Home depot has toughened up and requires receipts for refunds. used to be no receipt got you store credit only.
If you buy on credit they save the transaction for you. So losing the receipt is not a problem.
Bill D

[Jim Becker]

I always use a credit card when buying "stuff" at the hardware store I may return un-needed. No need to find the receipt to return stuff. Home depot has toughened up and requires receipts for refunds. used to be no receipt got you store credit only.
If you buy on credit they save the transaction for you. So losing the receipt is not a problem.
Bill D

HD does not require receipts for refunds if you used a credit card for the purchase...their system matches up your purchases with the product codes of what you are returning.

[Jerome Stanek]

My Home Depot asks if you want a printed reciept an rmail or both.

[Brian Elfert]

Plastic union/fernco coupling above the sump pit will help to take it apart next time. If it runs that infrequently try raising it an inch. Then you may never need it. At that point I would dump 5 gallons in every 6 months to make sure it works.

I did the Fernco thing for the sump pump at my first house so I could remove/replace the sump pump. The city did inspections to make sure nobody was dumping sump pump discharge into the sanitary sewer and they required hard pipe so it could not be moved back to dumping in the sanitary sewer easily.