Interesting that D11 is seeing her Dad in a different light. Children are pretty perceptive; just takes some time.
Oh no! Sump pump horror. I feel for you.
If the pump didn’t fail, the deluge of rain water and snow might have overwhelmed the drain and backed up into basement. If memory serves, you only have some minor weeping of water on one wall, which would hardly cause what you are describing.
However, it is possible that the pump has failed. I’m not sure about the “sticking your hand in the pump” idea. Do you mean the drain outlet?
I am picturing a sump pit - a depression or pit in the low spot of the basement floor. In this pit, sits the pump, which has a drain hose to the outside, usually just pumps out to ground level which then flows away.
A few suggestions: If space permits, have two pumps. One is a backup in case of a failure of the primary pump. In this scenario one on pump is deeper than the other and runs, the other would seldom run.
It sounds like the dehumidifier unfortunately doesn’t restart automatically after a power outage. That is a rather troublesome and common status of modern equipment and appliances. With your cabin being mostly not attended too when rented, you might consider investing in a UPS - an uninterruptible power supply, a battery which produces AC power during a power failure. That would keep your dehumidifier running and on until the power was restored, as long as the outage was not too long. I’d definitely power the sump pump(s) as well from the UPS.
My UPS is a 3000W 120/240V true sinusoidal AC output. I feed three different circuits in my house - computers and entertainment equipment (TV, surround sound, etc.) are protected and do not experience flickers or power outage. I do not have a sump pump, but if I did it would be powered from this.
However, I do admit I do not know the frequency or duration of outages experienced by your cabin. Perhaps, this is a one of, and my idea is overly conservative and unnecessarily risk avoiding. It’s kind of goes with my career.
Hopefully the subfloor panels will dry and can still be used.
I guess 2020 had one last kick for you. Here’s to 2021, and all the good it is bringing!
D
Feelings are fleeting. Be better, not bitter. Love the person, forgive the sin.
