Kari Lippert’s Blog

Root mass about 20 feet long

Amazingly, we discovered the source of the problem with the sump pump drainage. Everyone’s first thought when they saw it was that it was a hair ball. Actually, it’s a root ball. There was a small sapling nearby that apparently went after a good source of water. Over the years (we figure less than 10, possibly less than 5), the root mass expanded and lengthened. It is roughly 20 feet in length (no, we didn’t bother to measure it). We hauled it out to the street so it could dry out a bit – it weighs about 100 pounds and the garbage men won’t take something that heavy. I’m hopeful it will we lighter when it dries.

Around the length of three shovels - about 20 feet

If you look very closely you can see there’s a main root (the one being held) that runs to the very end.  I took a picture of the small end and you can see the web that the roots have formed over the years.  Coming soon… landscaping!

The small end shows the root web

Trench along house where access vents are

After several attemps at finding the pipe along the house where the green “clean-out” accesses are, I gave up. I had trenched all the way down the side of the house between the green vent things. No drainage pipe. So I eventually stopped and spent the rest of the week recovering.

My son suggested I trace the drain from where it enters the ground. This is an easy place to find since that’s where the water shoots up when the sump pump is on. Next weekend I said.

Next weekend arrived and I went to work. I started on the inside of the fence which is where the downspout is. I dug down carefully to find the pipe and then dug along the pipe. Not surprisingly, I quickly located the place where the sump pump drain joins in. Now all I needed to do was to figure out where this pipe goes, and then how to figure out where the blockage is. So I dug. And made a new trench.

Found it!

Amazingly (or not if you consider that every expense was spared in the construction of this house), the neighbor’s sump pump and gutters also drain into this pipe. Earlier this spring, when their drainage stopped working right, they ran a new line right on top of this pipe. Who knew it was my drainage too? Well, the T-connecters line up with all the downspouts from both houses.

I was able to use a garden hose and the downspouts to isolate the blockage in the pipe to a section. The longest section to be sure, but we know where to start the snake. That’s this coming weekend’s adventure.

It looks like rain again, so if it it’s hard enough to make the pump cycle, I’ll try to capture a picture of the water spout. Meanwhile, I now have two trenches and don’t need one. I was wondering if anyone might like to have the one without the pipe? It’s free if you come and haul it – shipping and handling would be extra!

Trench on right is for sale - cheap