Removing Well Pump in Crawl Space

6 years ago

last modified: 6 years ago

Hello all!

I moved into a 1959 home about a year ago and it has a concrete crawl space.

We get quite a bit of water in our side lot, and when it starts to build up, we get water in our crawl space.

There's an old well pump (out of commission) down there and it's, of course, piped through the concrete. The pump itself sits about 6-12 inches above the concrete, and then has two pipes that run down into the concrete.

I noticed recently that when we get the high water table in the yard, the water is actually bubbling up through the concrete where the pipes enter the concrete. The hydro-static pressure seems to be pushing water up through a crack in the concrete where the pipes aren't sealed off properly.

The pipes are relatively small, maybe 2 inches in diameter? Haven't measured them, but they're not huge.

My question is two fold:

1. What's the best route to take for sealing this system? Should I simply seal around the crack and leave the pump in place? Or should I cut the entire system out, plug the pipes, and seal over it all?

2. I'm going to be installing a sump pump in the crawl space on this same side in the next few days. It will be a leeching pit with gravel around it to draw in ground water. Should I put it in it's own newly dug hole, or should I dig out the pipes from the well, cut them down below the level of the sump pit, and put the pit over the top of the pipes to directly feed the pit with the rising ground water?

The main reason for question #2 is I'm thinking that if this well that's under my house fills first, maybe it's best to pull directly from the source when it starts to rise?

Thanks so much!!

Matt

Featured Answer

Bruce in Northern Virginia

6 years ago

last modified: 6 years ago

You might be able to DIY the work, but I think you need to find a contractor with the right expertise first. Installing a sump pump iit and pump is usually fairly straightforward. However, you may also have an abandoned well under your house, and I'm not sure how that will affect your project. Once you demo that concrete where the pipes come out you may have a really deep pit and/or a lot more water than you expect.

My sump pump is below the level of my basement floor, and during moderate to heavy rains the pump will run about every 15-20 minutes, and pump about four to five gallons every time. I use two pumps in the pit. The primary pump is A/C only, and the secondary pump has the float set higher and it has a battery backup. My point is that you need to be ready to move a lot of water.

Bruce

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Comments (7)

User
6 years ago
Is this something you really want to DIY....goggle sealing a well...not sure if internet advice is appropriate.

Contact the local well company?

are you a tenant? Owner? If you are the owner, pre purchase reports?
mrbigelow thanked User
mrbigelow
Original Author
6 years ago
I'm an owner. I'm not really sure what's involved, which is why I'm asking here.
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User
6 years ago
My concern is about the water bubbling up. I do not know how that can be remedied over the internet.

when you purchased the home, as part of due diligence, did you have any water system inspections?
mrbigelow
Original Author
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
Jim -- What I'm highly suspecting is that the water table is rising extremely high, and ultimately bubbling up through a crack in the concrete where the well lines come through. I went down there and inspected it even more thoroughly this evening. Decided to cut off the pipes, remove the pump, plug the pipes with some PVC plugs, and then hydraulic cement over everything.

The next step is adding the sump pit. Simple job, but hoping it all works out considering the well is there somewhere.

Oh, and no, there wasn't any sort of inspection with the home. I purchased the home from an estate, and it was a quick sale, so we didn't do an inspection. Part of the bidding war.... :P
formulaross20
6 years ago
Abandoning the well under the house is not a trivial matter. If improperly done, there is the potential risk of surface waters entering the well sometime in the future and contaminating the aquifer below. Then what do you do? I suggest you contact a well professional and/or the local health department authorities on how to properly abandon an existing well. I suspect the answer will require a permanent plug of grout and/or bentonite clay be installed to seal the well. Please don't don't improvise a half-baked solution! Clean, drinkable ground water is something that needs to be protected for future generations.
mrbigelow thanked formulaross20
User
6 years ago
Good luck, please post as you go.