Please stop raining

[Jess from VA]

Started last night, not stopping until Sun at 5PM (so they say) (it only slows down and speeds up, it doesn't stop).

I put a 1/6 horse submersible pump at the foot of the back yard, to a hose over the fence, to the gutter, to my big storm drain.

It ran for four hours before I cut it off earlier as I don't want to suck mud and burn it up.  It used to take about 15 minutes to drain my 220 gal hot tub (do the math).  The pump pushes water almost as fast as if I use my house hose bib/city water pressure.  Taking water in my basement utility room (just a quart per half hour to keep it interesting), right next to the sump hole.  Sump working it's ass off.  It's not overflowing, but I think my drain field to the sump is overflowing).  Looked out back and it's deeper than before, so the pump is back on.

Surf's up.  

https://weather.com/weather/radar/interactive/l/22309:4:US?layer=radar

  

[Rams]

Jess,

Sorry about that, I figured that since KY is experiencing the wettest year on record that you would want to join in on the experience.     We just forwarded the rain clouds to your Zip Code.   Who knew you had enough already..... 

Rams

[Jess from VA]

I've been studying the weather system and radar.

It looks like the same rain has been spinning around up here for two and a half days. 

I pumped water outside and mopped up the basement until 1am, then said screw it and went to bed.

I have had an epiphany.... if you cannot design and build a basement that does not leak water, why do you build basements at all?   

[hubcapsc]

Sorry about your indoor flooding, hope it doesn't get too bad...

We've had large rains through here, probably the same ones
that come your way... the first big one blew out three beaver dams.
The beavers started one dam back and a few days ago that
one got blown out again. Scorched earth gone, no sign left of
them...

-Mike

[Jess from VA]

Mike, I had a complete new french drain system installed in my house about 18 months after I bought it in
1992.  None of this stupid digging out the exterior walls and sealing them; but unloading the (mostly finished and furnished) basement, jackhammering out the concrete floors 18" from the exterior walls, digging down to the footers (all by hand), removing all the failed terra cotta drain tile, replacing with PVC drains and heavy gravel, then dirt back in, then new concrete floor, and a new sump hole and pump.  About 7K$, and a real joy having industrial work done inside the home while you live there.  This pretty much resolved waster issues except a few small leaks over the years, until this year of the deluge.

I have no real damage.... as long as I keep at the mopping up operation round the clock.  

This gets old, and I've lost my sense of humor about it.

The house I grew up in had leaking basement issues (occasionally), but that was a completely unfinished basement and there were drains in the floor (what a wonderful idea), and you'd just squeegee the water to the drains... or better yet, just don't go down there till it dried out.

Sorry about your beavers.  Most people would be glad to see the end of them what with the tree cutting.

[0leman]

Sorry to hear you folks are not enjoying all the moisture we keep sending your way.

When we lived in WY, had a full basement that was dry till we had a really wet (snow pack) winter.  Had problems with water in basement.  When I drilled the first hole to put in a sump pump, had water shooting up nearly 2'.   We too, broke the floor out about 18" from walls, dug out the materials below, put in PVC drain pipe,  fill hole with 2" gravel, and put concrete back down.  This was done by us, not contractors (not much money in those days-took two weeks off).   Put in a sump that ran for two weeks before it stopped.  Base was dry from that time till we sold it 20 years later.

By the way more storms are headed your way.  Sorry.

[Jess from VA]

Almost none of our weather comes from Oregon, it comes from the Gulf.

If I ever have another home, it will not have a basement, or it will be at the top of a hill.

This is the only single family dwelling I have ever owned.  I could write a book on all the mistakes I made in making my selection.  Getting out of the Air Force, I didn't have much money, and selection was pretty limited for me in this uber expensive area.

We live and learn (but often way too late). 

It is still raining. 

[..]

I have owned one home with a basement. Double wall construction for below ground.

Used a sump pump and dehumidifier.  

Ex got the house in the divorce and had to pay me off. 

[Chrisj CMA]

Almost none of our weather comes from Oregon, it comes from the Gulf.

If I ever have another home, it will not have a basement, or it will be at the top of a hill.

This is the only single family dwelling I have ever owned.  I could write a book on all the mistakes I made in making my selection.  Getting out of the Air Force, I didn't have much money, and selection was pretty limited for me in this uber expensive area.

We live and learn (but often way too late). 

It is still raining. 

That's what I thought. Here at the gulf we have been sending and sending and it keeps coming and coming.  Not sorry....gonna keep coming sad to say.

[Oss]

MY dad grew up in Far Roackway NY.  That is east of JFK airport and the small house was the 2nd block from the ocean, It was a very poor but close community.

When the hurricane of 38 came thru with no warning, they awoke (if they slept at all) to find they were now beachfront property. All the houses between them and the ocean were gone.  The basement had water clear to its ceiling.  My 8 year old father sailed his toy boat from the steps to the main floor as the water drained out over weeks


https://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/great-hurricane-1938-article-1.1194501
They soon lost the house due to mold as well as what was left of the shack (bungalow) in the back yard and ended up moving to the Bronx, six people in a one bedroom apt.

So its all relative my friend, suck it up buttercup and enjoy retirement  I am still years away myself.

[Jess from VA]

I wasn't claiming a national disaster Evan.  

Only some personal torment with my fee simple premises. (and either the highest annual rainfall in recorded history here, or 1880-something)

So far, I can only float boats in my backyard, not in the house (except the bathtub).  


Edit: This just in:  https://wtop.com/weather-news/2018/12/its-official-2018-is-dcs-wettest-year-on-record/

[Oss]

 

I know you remember what we went thru here a few years back Jess
and I was just pokin some fun your way We live at the bottom of a big ass hill just past a dogleg turn.  There is a storm sewer one house away but when water and manhole covers explode with water that is like tits on a bull

On moving day a BIG storm with water flowing down our driveway thru the garage and waterfalling down the basement steps...Wife wanted to move but to where?  We were now broke and starting a 30 yr mortgage. So then the big dig around the foundation, the inside french drain and sump pump over the next decade.

Then a few years later another 500 yr storm with the tornado that passed just a couple of miles south sent manhole covers airborne like rockets and more waterfall in basement as the tsunami crested over the curb and down the driveway into the garage...again, The wet dry vac got hours of use again, We might have burned out that first sump pump then.

So I paid someone who graded the driveway so if you drop a tennis ball at the top it goes off the end of the property not into the garage, dug a big drain the width of said driveway with 4inch pipes all the way to back of property and two more 4inch pipes for the gutters contents, then a 600 gallon dry well in back of said drain, and then for good measure I added a two inch speed bump in front of the garage  Fun to push the Valk over !

Happy to say garage and basement bone dry (so far   )

[Jess from VA]

Well that was definitely worse than my issues.

The drain (built in) at the bottom of my yard is what I must do. (maybe coupled with a dry well)

I just love working with a shovel, but that's the ticket.

I have to wait for the soil to dry out though.

And try to seal the basement leak, but that seems doubtful.

I have a 2 1/2 inch rise into my bike shed.  I ride it in, but clearance is tight and the mirrors and hwy pegs in jeopardy.

[Alpha Dog]

The Weather Channel just ran the story of all the record ( since 1880s ) rain and flooding in Northern VA, and much of the east coast.  Record amounts.  Yikes Wilmington, NC over 100 inches so far.  They also said expect it to hang around.                 Oh boy!

Here in SW Ohio we are going on two years of way above norms, and this year was worse.   This past Saturday we got a 1/2 inch soaking rain.  However driving around I see the farm fields had standing water as the ground is so saturated.   This year every other week we had 3 to 4 days straight of light drizzle and mist.  Not much accumulation but it sure put a hold on riding and outdoor projects I would have liked to have done.  Maybe soon most everything east of the Mississippi will become a rain forest.  Now that will be some kind of climate change.

[RP#62]

Here in Gilbert, we've had a wet fall which has pushed our rainfall totals up over 5 inches so far, with no relief in sight.

-RP

[baldo]

Here in Gilbert, we've had a wet fall which has pushed our rainfall totals up over 5 inches so far, with no relief in sight.

-RP

lolol....wisenheimer...

[Chrisj CMA]

Almost none of our weather comes from Oregon, it comes from the Gulf.

If I ever have another home, it will not have a basement, or it will be at the top of a hill.

This is the only single family dwelling I have ever owned.  I could write a book on all the mistakes I made in making my selection.  Getting out of the Air Force, I didn't have much money, and selection was pretty limited for me in this uber expensive area.

We live and learn (but often way too late). 

It is still raining. 

Jess, were taking a break for Christmas but then batton down the hatches it's coming your way after Christmas.

[Jess from VA]

Heck Jeff, it's coming again tomorrow... for two days.

I spent this afternoon trying to seal up my basement wall/floor joint, and the fan is running on it right now (and all night).

Hail Mary, full of grace.  We'll see.

[Jess from VA]

Well here we go again.  1-2 inches starting in an hour until sometime tomorrow. 

But unknown local areas may get 3-4 inches (there's some happy news).   

Soil completely already soaked.

Basement wall sealed, maybe.

You know, I grew up from 1962 on an island in the Great Lakes, and we never had this much rain. 

I have foul weather gear but have no idea where my life jacket is.

[Jess from VA]

Well, after about another inch, the submersible is running full blast in the back yard again.

I did a good job sealing the wall to floor joint.  It did not occur to me to seal the tiny crack in the floor 9 inches out from the wall, so the seep is way down, but not stopped.  Back at it when it dries out (some day).