Failed Sump Pumps... (window, heaters, install, mold)

[MoMark]

I noticed during heavy thunderstorms earlier this week that I didn't hear the tell-tale sounds of the sump pump coming on automatically in the background noise and when I looked out the window down the slope where the sump pump water exits, I saw no water coming out....
Today I went under the house through a side entrance and lo and behold, 4" of standing water and the sump pump is broken...It's only a year and a half old!!!!
Not only that, but I had vapor barriers installed under the house too and now the northwest part of the crawlspace is under that water...I'M SO PISSED!
So I've been studying sump pumps again and trying to figure out what to replace it with and I'm thinking of one with a back up battery so when the power goes out, it will still work.
Then I have to figure out how to dry out the crawlspace after the water is pumped out (they come Saturday to replace the pump).
I'm wondering now if the pump broke during the ice storm when we had no power for a week and the temperatures were in the teens...?
I talked to my neighbor across the street who took his family to the Bahamas instead of sticking around to deal with the ice storm and of course, his water pipes burst and he had flooding. They knew it would happen and took off anyway.
I stayed home and kept portable propane heaters going to keep the house warmed. But I think my sump pump bit the dust and I didn't realize it. I'm so afraid of a mold issue developing. Luckily it's been 75F-80F the last few days and the trees and bushes are waking up. My vents are open, but I'll need to keep the side panel off for a month and just hope the place evaporates to get dry
Darn I hate stuff like this!

[capricorn13]

I inherited my parents home which was plagued with flooding during heavy rains, but my father never wanted to remedy the situation. I installed two sump pumps with a battery backup which took care of the problems. I really feel for you.

Perhaps the following will be helpful to you. Good luck!!

http://www.sump-pump-info.com/

http://www.askthebuilder.com/195_Sum...uardians.shtml

http://www.sump-pump.xynfo.com/sump-pump-problems/ (broken link)

http://www.whe.org/whsecurity/info_sump_pump.asp (broken link)

[MoMark]

Originally Posted by capricorn13

I inherited my parents home which was plagued with flooding during heavy rains, but my father never wanted to remedy the situation. I installed two sump pumps with a battery backup which took care of the problems. I really feel for you.

Perhaps the following will be helpful to you. Good luck!!

http://www.sump-pump-info.com/

http://www.askthebuilder.com/195_Sum...uardians.shtml

http://www.sump-pump.xynfo.com/sump-pump-problems/ (broken link)

http://www.whe.org/whsecurity/info_sump_pump.asp (broken link)

Thank you very much! I'll check those sites out!

[Delaneyland]

Hey Mo,
I don't know what your failure was, but I replaced one at my neighbors warehouse last year that also failed. The problem with his (and many others I've seen) is folks install sump pumps with hard impellors instead of trash pumps with flexible impellors. The difference being trash pumps will pump anything up to what its rated for i.e. rocks, sticks, sand, etc. It doesn't take much sand to destroy an impellor or lodge in the pump chamber where the impellor is, thus burning up the pump. Thankfully impellors are a real easy fix but a trash pump is a better option (in my opinion) if there is any chance at all of getting contaminants in the water being pumped. Just my $.02.