Sucking up water - need some advice

JEB · 24 Mar 2009 at 20:24

Had a bit of a disaster. A hose came off the washing machine under the floor of the house. The middle section of the found under the floor, between the dwarf walls, has a fair bit of water in it, and it stinks!! Don't have much access to it, but have a floor hatch that we can see down into. At the part we can see the water isn't deep enough for one of these dirty water pumps to operate, so I was wondering - has anyone got one of these Vax hoovers that can suck up water? If yes how effective are they, do you think it'd do the trick for this sort of thing? Was thinking I could feed the hose down and reach a fair bit under the section of the floor that is flooded. If someone has one what model do they have, don’t want to spend a fortune on one if I can help it, perhaps £100 or so.
Next question - has anyone used deodoriser or some sort of detergent spray that they can recommend that will then perhaps help neutralise the pong once I get the bulk of the water out?

Le_Petit_Lapin · 24 Mar 2009 at 20:27

You can get little pumps that you attach to the end of a drill, and they take a normal hosepipe. Might suit you better? They're only a tenner or so.

Google "Drill pump". Can't link, competitor.

998cc · 24 Mar 2009 at 20:27

Suck it up through tubing like when stealing petrol from cars.

Le_Petit_Lapin · 24 Mar 2009 at 20:30

Sysco said:
Suck it up through tubing like when stealing petrol from cars.

That'll only work if the exit end of your hose is lower than the entrance end. Which would be a bit difficult if the water is under the ground floor.

998cc · 24 Mar 2009 at 20:33

Le_Petit_Lapin said:
That'll only work if the exit end of your hose is lower than the entrance end. Which would be a bit difficult if the water is under the ground floor.

Good point.

JEB · 24 Mar 2009 at 20:53

Trouble is the water is pretty gunky. I don't think it's clean enough to go through a drill pumb, although for under £10 it may be worth a go. Was thinking a wet hoover with a bit of good suction on it may be better. Got to try to get the water out some-how as the pong will put you on your back!!

bum · 24 Mar 2009 at 21:00

Le_Petit_Lapin said:
You can get little pumps that you attach to the end of a drill, and they take a normal hosepipe. Might suit you better? They're only a tenner or so.

Google "Drill pump". Can't link, competitor.

Sounds like a sex toy to me

LOAM · 24 Mar 2009 at 21:00

firstly what is the water sat on ?

I assume from your post your ground floor is suspended timber, is there a concrete slab over the ground under the suspended joists or is it just bare earth.

Its odd that its still there tbh as water will usually evaporate and be dispersed providing there is sufficient ventilation down there. If you have sitting water that stinks are you sure that its not a broken drain ?

LOAM

JEB · 24 Mar 2009 at 21:06

Its a bungalow and the found has a skin of concrete on it, then the dwarf walls, and about 20" above that insulation and then the floor. The water won't go anywhere as the found is totally sealed, so I have to get it out somehow. It's def not a broken drain, have fixed where the break in the washing machine pipe is, so I know it was definately that which was causing the leak. There is vents on the dwarf walls to the outside of the house but my guesss is it'll take months to evaporate as there is a fair bit of it. The stink is becuase of all the soap-power that's in the discharge water, and that it's by nature grimy pongy stuff at the best of times.
The advice I need really is what I can use to suck it up with.

LOAM · 24 Mar 2009 at 21:11

http://www.tooled-up.com/Product.asp?PID=13941

hose on each end, one end out the window, engage drill

just google "drill pump" theres some around for about £7

Pinter75 · 24 Mar 2009 at 21:13

Get down to Wickes and get their wet n dry vac. It is grey and black jeez is it powerfull! It will suck up water quickly no problem.

Best bit £35 last time I got one :-)

Le_Petit_Lapin · 24 Mar 2009 at 21:13

LOAM said:
http://www.tooled-up.com/Product.asp?PID=13941

hose on each end, one end out the window, engage drill

just google "drill pump" theres some around for about £7

Aww man, thats such a simple idea that you'd think that someone would have thought of it earlier in this thread.

Lopéz · 24 Mar 2009 at 21:14

I have an Earlex Wet + Dry vac and it will suck up that no bother. I think it was about £40 from Screwfix or similar.

LOAM · 24 Mar 2009 at 21:15

Le_Petit_Lapin said:
Aww man, thats such a simple idea that you'd think that someone would have thought of it earlier in this thread.

you did, i just linked him to one

he doesnt need to worry about the gunk tbh, ive emptied ponds with one, it doesnt get any more gunky

JEB · 24 Mar 2009 at 21:21

Lopéz said:
I have an Earlex Wet + Dry vac and it will suck up that no bother. I think it was about £40 from Screwfix or similar.

Now we are talking. Ace - at least I now have a steer on a vac that'll do the trick. I notice there is a Earlex WD1100 model. Is that the one you have?

Thank you.

Le_Petit_Lapin · 24 Mar 2009 at 21:25

If you got a load of hungry dogs and poured a bit of milk into the water/goop mix, they'd have it cleaned up in no time. Dogs will eat anything if you put some milk on it first.

JEB · 25 Mar 2009 at 22:14

Bought one of these Earlex jobbies and it did the trick just dandy. Cheers for the advice.

The IPB · 25 Mar 2009 at 22:19

If you can't suck it up you could try something that will absorb it an neutralize the smell, like kitty litter or something.

Lopéz · 25 Mar 2009 at 22:27

JEB said:
Now we are talking. Ace - at least I now have a steer on a vac that'll do the trick. I notice there is a Earlex WD1100 model. Is that the one you have?

Thank you.

I think mine's a WD1000 but it's in the garage at the moment. Glad it did the trick, I've had mine years and use it for sucking up anything even remotely disgusting.
I only realised last week it can be used as a blower as well

mjt · 25 Mar 2009 at 22:56

bleh you solved the problem already