I took my shower and bailed that hole again before I went to bed at 10. Couldn’t sleep – worried about the hole filling up and flooding the basement while I slept. I got up again at 11 to check on it and bailed more water. It seemed like the flow had increased.
Back in bed, I set my alarm for 4 am and eventually fell asleep. I woke up before the alarm went off and headed back to the basement. Back to bed and then up at 6 to bail again. I had a little breakfast and then got into work around 7. At 11, I went home for lunch and more water bailing – and got a good surprise. The water hadn’t risen as much as it should have based on the flow of water in. I suspect that the pipes leading in were having an impact and that it was “filling” even though the water wasn’t halfway. I took the level back down – just in case – and headed back to work with some relief. Not relief to be back at work, mind you. Just relief that a flood was less likely.
After work, home again and more bailing. Then it was off to home deport for a new pipe wrench, a coping saw (since I couldn’t find mine) and the all important rubber coupler. I was really dreading this part – once I cut the pipe there was no going back. And if I couldn’t get the end loose from the sump pump, I was going to need to get a new adapter or threaded pipe – and then there was going to be pipe cement and more swearing in my immediate future.
Would things work as I’d hoped? Were the former owners of my house jerks with the pipe cement?
The moment of truth was fast approaching – as was the point of no return.