Sump Pump for Driveway

cibula11

With all the snow melting and rain, I have a small "pond" in my driveway. In The driveway concrete slopes towards my garage and property. I have, at any given time, about 3 inches of standing water. Could I use a sump pump to excavate the water to a different location, even though it only stands a few inches deep? I was also considering a garden/fountain pump that would help get rid of the water, but I wasn't sure if I could use this sort of pump.

chris75

I would just broom it off, or pay someone to install a drain for future problems, but you could buy a pump to remove the water. Rigid makes a good sump pump that will bring the water down to 1/8 of an inch.

cibula11

I've thought about adding concrete over the low spots, but I'm afraid it will just chip away as I feather it out to meet the existing concrete.

I just figured I sump pump would be a lot quicker then me going out and shoveling it out.

chris75

If its not entering you garage, then I would just pump it off, but looks like you got shafted as whoever installed the driveway sucked...

LawnGuyLandSparky

Isn't there some kind of drain between the garage door and the bottom of the slope?

terri_and_jj

they make drains that run lengthwise across driveways, up by the garage, but these are usually installed before the driveway is put in.

rather than pull out a sump pump after every rain, wouldn't it be easier and cheaper to just get a pushbroom or long handled floor squeege and push the water away?

cibula11

You can't really broom 3-4" of water. I've tried. The house is really old, so the concrete slab has probably settled over the years. The part where the water settles is the lowest point on my property, so it makes it difficult to install a french drain.

Bondo

Ayuh,......
Does this happen in the Summer,..??
If Not,... Where does it drain too,..??
Is there a Snowbank or some other dam that's blocking it's usual drainage,..??
Is it in the middle of the concrete, or on an edge of the concrete,..??
What's beyond the concrete,..??

cibula11

I'll try to post a picture, but there is a small rocked in area that runs along side the driveway. It does pool up in the summer, but eventually drains. With all the ice build up, it has nowhere to go. I've been pouring the water into a 32 gal container and then siphening it out into my yard. Just a lot of work shoveling water.

sestivers

A fountain pump is supposed to be fully submerged so that it keeps the bearings cool and has adequate suction head. So that would not be a good choice.

However, a marine bilge pump would probably work well.

__________________
Steve

LawnGuyLandSparky

Little Giant makes a nice pump for puddles, connects to a garden hose. Will suck water down to a 1/4 inch. Get one from a garden/pond store and it'll have the 24' cord instead of the 6' cord.

Bondo

Ayuh,....
It sounds like you have a problem,...
The only 2 ways I know of to fix a puddle is to lower the drainage, or raise the puddle....

I've had the best luck, lowering the dainage,...
Raising the puddle usually just moves the puddle farther up the hill......

Is there any way that you can lower the rock drainage area,..?.
More importantly, Can the area that it drains Too be lowered,..??
That way it wouldn't pool up in the Summer either......

concretemasonry

If you pump out the water on the warm winter days, you will still have to figure out what to do when it gets exposed and freezes.