June 8, 2009

             Lenny's all wet:  My sump pump has been running continuously, because a constant stream of water is running into the pit.  Do you think I have an underground water issue?   Or do you think it's my drainage?

            We've had lots of rain lately, so I tend to think it's surface water.  But let's address the underground situation first.  If your home were situated on some sort of underground clay layer that was carrying water towards the house, it would probably run most of the year, instead of just the rainy season.

            Instead, I think you're dealing with rain water coming out of your-and, perhaps your neighbor's-downspouts.   Make sure that plastic flex pipe (the solid, non-perforated black stuff) runs the water stream well away from the foundation and out to the street or down a slope.  Remember that we dig the hole bigger than the house when we build, so that first four or five feet out from the foundation is quiet vulnerable to moisture intrusion.  Other wet impacts can come from overwatering flowers and bushes, soil sloped the wrong way, or leaks in the sprinkler valve box. 

            There are a couple of other reasons that a sump pump might run continuously.  If there is a leak any where in that riser pipe, the water will drop right back into the hole to be re-pumped over and over.  Also, if the pump is tipped out of level or it's float-the thing that turns it on and off--is stuck, the pump will never quit.

            Ken wants softer water:   What do you think of the salt vs. no salt debate when it comes to water softeners?

            I'm a traditionalist.  The chemistry of the good old sodium (salt) ion exchange method is so simple, and the new softeners are so trouble free, that I'd advise you to stick  with this most trouble-free system.  In the old days, you had to decide on your own how often and when the system would regenerate itself, like M-W-F at 2 a.m.  Now, a computer measures how many grains of hard water has passed through, so it decides when and how long to run the exchange.  It saves you lots of money on salt.   By the way, use the rounded tablets instead of the cheaper and rougher material.

            Bob has plumbing troubles:  There is a black, grayish stain on the linoleum near the toilet in the basement.  It won't come off.  What's up here?

            That's a water stain trapped between the glossy and colored layers of the vinyl.  You have no choice but to replace it.  Chances are the water is coming from one of two places.  The shower may be leaking on to the floor because the curtain gets left outside the stall, or the toilet may be leaking around its base.  This is quiet common in basements since the concrete floor can be a little out of level or wavy.  When you reset the stool after the new floor goes in, it may be helpful to install two wax rings instead of a single.

            David's doing his Mr. Mom thing:   My daughters throw their bath towels in a heap in the corner.    They start to smell and get mildew.  How can I get them to smell sweeter (the towels not the girls)?
            I've had good luck by pouring a couple of generous dollops of full strength ammonia into the wash along with the detergent.  Maybe you can show the girls how it's done.  Good luck!