I have a walk out basement home here in west Michigan and over the past few years we have started to get water in the basement. It's often coming through the mortar cracks in the block walls but it has also come up through the cracks in the floor slab.
I had figured that installing a sump pump in a pit in the floor would help move the water out when the spring rains come. Bought the crock, researched the process, took the suggestion that the hole should have 4" on each side of the crock. I then drilled about 75 holes through the concrete in a circle, busted the concrete out to expose the earth beneath the slab and got water with the 1st shovel. The water keeps coming from beneath the slab and it pulls sand with it so it is undermining the slab.
I back-filled it to stop the erosion but I am wondering if there are tricks to doing this? I have been thinking about trying to sink a sleeve in that would stop the hole from caving in while I dig down, set the crock and then back fill the 4" gap around it with gravel as suggested. Once the gravel is in place then pull the sleeve out.
Sounds easy but this is a 28" dia hole that has to go down 2 feet. Any suggestions will be appreciated!
Thanks!
I had figured that installing a sump pump in a pit in the floor would help move the water out when the spring rains come. Bought the crock, researched the process, took the suggestion that the hole should have 4" on each side of the crock. I then drilled about 75 holes through the concrete in a circle, busted the concrete out to expose the earth beneath the slab and got water with the 1st shovel. The water keeps coming from beneath the slab and it pulls sand with it so it is undermining the slab.
I back-filled it to stop the erosion but I am wondering if there are tricks to doing this? I have been thinking about trying to sink a sleeve in that would stop the hole from caving in while I dig down, set the crock and then back fill the 4" gap around it with gravel as suggested. Once the gravel is in place then pull the sleeve out.
Sounds easy but this is a 28" dia hole that has to go down 2 feet. Any suggestions will be appreciated!
Thanks!