and more rain

[ksmith]

The power went out around 3am--I was awakened by two worried pups who came into my room to complain about the beeping UPS. It was raining, as it had been for the last day or so. Ground was saturated. I have a basement.

I dug out a flashlight and batteries. Candles. Shut down the Mac. Went downstairs a few times, and witnessed just how quickly a sump pump well can fill up. I shifted a few things around, but really, there was nothing I could do. According to the ComEd automated call-in line, power was supposed to be back up in my area by 6am. At 4 am, the pump well was full and some seepage was coming up through the floor.

No, my basement isn't finished, but there is a lot of stuff stored down there. Then there are the appliances. Thus did I lie awake and ponder the concept of the sump pump, seepage, and, sunny optimist that I am, the prospect of replacing the washer/dryer/furnace/hot water heater/etc.

Amazing how silence can keep one awake.

Anyway, power came back on at about 520ish. Sump pump kicked on, and has been cycling ever since. The seepage proved minimal. The house smells a little musty, but the cycling A/C is taking care of it. I'm wide awake.

I will be looking into a battery-powered back-up pump as soon as the smoke, figuratively speaking, clears.

One weird thing--my wireless doorbell keeps ringing. It went off a few minutes after the power went off. It went off again a few minutes ago--I thought one of the neighbors had come over to ask how things were, so I went to the door. No one was there, but the bell went off a couple more times while I looked around. The humidity may have something to do with it--maybe something got wet. I took out the batteries to shut it up. I'll worry about it later.

Coffee.

Comments

[trolleypup.livejournal.com]

In an emergency, a UPS should be able to run a sump pump for a bit.

[kristine-smith.livejournal.com]

!!!

I did not think of that.

I think my unit can run my Mac for 15 minutes or so. I'm guessing a pump pulls more power--I should look into it.

And get the battery back-up.

And sometime in the distant future, call Permaseal.

[pbray.livejournal.com]

>>Thus did I lie awake and ponder the concept of the sump pump, seepage, and, sunny optimist that I am, the prospect of replacing the washer/dryer/furnace/hot water heater/etc.

:-( I've been there, and spent similar sleepless nights. Glad to hear that power has been restored, and that you didn't have to deal with a flooded basement.

[kristine-smith.livejournal.com]

The worst aftereffect was the musty odor, which I attribute to dog hair that's worked its way into the ductwork. I should have the ducts cleaned.

I'll add it to the list.

The joys of home ownership. :-P

[alfreda89.livejournal.com]

I've been thinking off and on of getting a gas-powered generator. You see, down here many houses have their sewage flowing through a pump. It's like a 55 galleon drum set into the ground, leading off to the city lines.

Of course the city did not sink the lines deeply enough (it ain't called Rock Hill for nothin') so we all have pumps.

I hate pumps.

[kristine-smith.livejournal.com]

That would worry me.

[alfreda89.livejournal.com]

It doesn't worry me, precisely, but it is at the back of my mind. When the garage is finally unpacked, I will discuss it with W.

Of course, we need to replace a circuit board in the hot tub, and the garage door opener, which were fried by lightning in June. Priorities, priorities....