except for in a good dry spell there is a big puddle of water lying on the concrete yard outside the door, probably about an inch deep x 20 square metres, whats a simple cheap pump to keep handy for keeping the yard fairly dry? 110 (or 240) volt preferably.
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eLuSiVeMiTe
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My experience of pumping. You never get the last bit at the bottom.
May be a losing battle.
Long term sticking drainage in would be the better solution.
May be a losing battle.
Long term sticking drainage in would be the better solution.
I tend to agree with eLuSiVeMiTe, but something I did at the bottom part of my garden was to bury an old oil drum, pipe a standard drain to it and then pump the drum out with a pond pump. One of those with a float switch on it. Just pumps to the main drain.
Yeah, you'd be wasting your time with a pump for an 1" deep puddle. You'll need to create a sump below the level of the yard for it to sit in to be effective. And if you're going to that effort, it might be as easy to just cut a drainage channel and let it drain naturally.
James1979
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I am not a civils person but having once been paid what I thought was a stupid amount of money to spend 12 hours a day pushing water off a deck on a rig with a squeegee for 2 weeks, I can say that I was there because the pump wouldn’t suck the last inch up. They put a drain in which is what I’d do in your situation I think.
Find the lowest point and drill a hole through the concrete there. Poke it occasionally with a stick to keep it clear. Success depends on what the concrete has been laid on top of, but if the base is porous, it will work. Alternatively, from the lowest point, use an angle grinder to cut a groove or channel, whose base runs downhill, to a suitable drain point at the edge of the slab. Use a sloping plank as a guide. I did this about a year ago to the concrete base of a car port that ponded, and problem solved. Occasional sweep with a brush to keep the channel clear. If there's more than one low point, run the channel through both/all low points. Another possibility is using an aquavac, though for 20 x 20 metres and up to an inch deep, it'll need to have a biggish container.
Or wait for a dry spell and watch for the last area to dry out. More accurate that tennis balls (which you would need dry ground for anyway).
slim_boy_fat
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Pete.
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Puddle pumps are designed to pump the floor almost dry but they may be hard to get going in only an inch of water you may have to prime it in a bucket and keep your fingers crossed. Also, using a puddle pump quickly tells you where your high and low spots are - where you put your pump, that is guaranteed to be a high spot. Once you pump the floor dry you ain't getting it going again so choose your spot well.
Best bet is find a low spot and make a sump. If the whole slab is low you could try grout jacking it up but I have no wisdom to impart on that except what I've seen on youtube.
Best bet is find a low spot and make a sump. If the whole slab is low you could try grout jacking it up but I have no wisdom to impart on that except what I've seen on youtube.
James1979
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makes you an expert in some circles
8ob
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I would identify the low spot and cut a 300mm square out of the concrete, dig out a pit with fencing tongs and fill it with shingle. Finish off with a removable grate, let the water filter off through the sub base, can’t get any simpler than that.
Bon
Bon
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Pete.
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If you have a very shallow puddle but over a wide area you can find a low spot with a road compressor and air line. Open the tap and use the air line to blow the puddle away, the lowest spot will puddle up quickly before the water runs back all over.
