Household Sump is Bone Dry

[Pegasus]

Several weeks ago, I discovered that our household sump pump is bone dry. It's never been like that in the 14 years since the house was built. We did have a rather dry summer, but even after several very heavy rains lately, there is NO water in the sump pump well. In summertime, we do use a de-humidifier in the basement, but that has never had the effect of emptying the sump well before. Is this anything to be concerned about? We're in SW Ohio and have heavy clay soil, if that's relevant. Many thanks!

[Cass]

I am in the SW Ohio area also between Cincy and Dayton.

It is a good thing if the pit is dry. I'm not sure why it went dry but anytime there is no water in the basement that is good. Are you on a well?

Recient construction in the area could alter an underground stream or even the water table.

[master plumber mark]

dont complain too much about a bone dry pit

probably something has shifted in the soil in your area


its much better than the opposite problem




I got a church nearby that literally has 4 sump pumps
runnning 24 hours every day

with a aquanot II as a backup




just keep an eye on it

[Pegasus]

Thanks, Nych. I guess I won't worry about it. We have a lot of cracks in the concrete basement floor from past flooding...and those cracks still always look like they have moisture around them. So I wondered if something was clogging the route to the sump pit...and worried that water might come up thru the floor instead. I believe that our lot was built over a pond or swampy area. It was the last lot to be built on in our subdivision and we have two stonewalled sunken 'pits' with old willow trees in them. Add that to the fact that I don't trust the builder to have properly lined the gravel under the concrete basement floor...and you can see why I'm concerned that water could suddently burst thru the cracks in the concrete floor. It's just so weird to NOT have ANY water in the sump pump reservoir.

I am in the SW Ohio area also between Cincy and Dayton.

It is a good thing if the pit is dry. I'm not sure why it went dry but anytime there is no water in the basement that is good. Are you on a well?

Recient construction in the area could alter an underground stream or even the water table.

[prashster]

There are many routes to the sump pit. If yr house has corrugated pipes in a gravel bed under the slab, then it's unlikely they'd ever 'clog'. They're perforated along their entire length, and there's several of them leading to the pit. ALL of them would have to be clogged along their entire length for the water to be prevented from entering the pit.

You're probably just lucky to have dry soil now.