First, check to make sure that there are no place where the ground has setteled and letting water in directly against the foundation. Make sure that your gutters are clean and the downspouts are shooting the water away from the house. You may want to consider putting a waterproofing on the inside walls. I like Damtite. It is a good product.
Sump pumps are usually installed in specially constructed pits that are submerged under the slab or in crawl spaces. The source is usually underground water that enters the pump through drains connected to the pit itself. The pump sits on this pit on a pedestal and is designed to pump the excess water out onto an area away from the foundation of your home. To answer your question about Source: In short the source is usually underground water or water collecting under crawl spaces.
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I suspect a loose electrical connection that would have not started to pump or a float activator or pressure sensor defect that would not have triggered operation of the pump.
Go outside and look at the soil that is it up against your foundation walls.
It should be 4-6 inches down from the top of the walls and gently sloping away from the foundation.
If the soil is up (or over) the top, that could be the source.
While outside looking at the foundation, whether it be block or poured in place concrete, look for where the waterproofing membrane stops.
You should be able to see it.
If you can't, shovel out a bit of soil in a small area to find it.
if there is an area where the soil is above the membrane, water can find it's way in at that point.
if rain has moved soil up against the foundation (through the years) along an entire wall, and it is above the membrane, the soil must be regraded away fro the wall(s)
With your current problem, I hope it has stopped raining. Get the pump fixed.
Once it is working properly and the basement floor is dry again, wait for the next rain and go down there and observe. Look for the water's path of entry.
If you were flooded, it shouldn't take long to spot the entry point.
If power is getting to the pump, then test to see if you can manually get to pump to turn on by raising the float (if your pump has one). If it does, something is interfering with the float. If it doesn't, then something is wrong with the pump. Either the motor needs servicing, or the electrical connection is broken. If you have a pressure sensor that activates the pump, that may need replacing. Since you have a sump pump, then that cause for the flooding is probably not anything
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aside from the pump not working. You may want to consider having two pumps, one that can work as a backup, in case your primary pump fails, and also looking to see if you need a pump with a bigger capacity to handle big storms.
I suspect a loose electrical connection that would have not started to pump or a float activator or pressure sensor defect that would not have triggered operation of the pump.
The obvious thing to do would to be to check out the walls (inside) and look for staining from top to bottom.
Is there a window or windows in your basement?
Check those for water infiltration. ...»
Go outside and look at the soil that is it up against your foundation walls.
It should be 4-6 inches down from the top of the walls and gently sloping away from the foundation.
If the soil is up (or over) the top, that could be the source.
While outside looking at the foundation, whether it be block or poured in place concrete, look for where the waterproofing membrane stops.
You should be able to see it.
If you can't, shovel out a bit of soil in a small area to find it.
if there is an area where the soil is above the membrane, water can find it's way in at that point.
if rain has moved soil up against the foundation (through the years) along an entire wall, and it is above the membrane, the soil must be regraded away fro the wall(s)
With your current problem, I hope it has stopped raining. Get the pump fixed.
Once it is working properly and the basement floor is dry again, wait for the next rain and go down there and observe. Look for the water's path of entry.
If you were flooded, it shouldn't take long to spot the entry point.
Then attack it from that standpoint.
Hope this helps.
to Stephen B - there are no windows.
The rain stopped and I still have about an inch of water that keeps on coming back..I just dont know from where.
thanks to all.