Today is of course the day when we observe the birthdays of our great leaders by holding a huge mattress sale. Instead of getting in on the fantastic bargains, I decided to start some work on the train layout.
I went into the utility room to start, and when I entered, I could hear the motor from the sump pump running. only it didn't sound right. Plus, it shouldn't just be running like that.
When I went over to the pit where it lives, I removed the cover and was greeted by the sight of a nearly full sump pit. At least it wasn't raining today.
I couldn't figure out what was wrong with the pump, mostly because I have no idea what to look for. I went to the computer and checked the Lowe's website to get an idea of how much this was going to cost. Luckily, the first pump that appeared looked identical to the one that I'd just removed. I checked the part numbers and it was a match. Plus, it was pretty inexpensive - only about $80...I was expecting a few hundred.
I drove over and bought it and returned home. I put it together, installed it in the pit, and plugged it in. About as simple as it could get. It drained the pit in about 20 seconds, and the motor is nice and quiet.
Now, here's the funny part. If I wasn't going in that room to get ready to work on the layout, I never would have known anything was wrong, and probably wouldn't have gone in there until I needed a light bulb or something. The pit would have filled and flooded the basement like it's never been flooded before. The train layout, in a roundabout sense, has saved the house.
So, train layouts are an essential part of home safety. I'm going to see if I can get funding to start an awareness campaign.
2 comments:
Luckily for me, my laundry takes me down to my basement fairly often so I can see/hear the start of something bad...and to clean up the random dead mouse or chipmonk...
Normally the door to that room is open...but we have a cat now, so it needs to be closed lest he climb into the furnace somehow.
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