I had some issues with flooding in the basement today. I got to use my sump pump until I got the issues fixed. I used a busted up length of an old wort chiller to help hold a garden hose from crimping and a paint strainer bag to prevent large debris from getting sucked up into the pump. It's good to be able to think outside the box and see that the equipment can come in handy elsewhere. Any stories that you can share where homebrew saved the day?
On a side note, does anyone have any good advice for getting oil out of a sump pump? I'm thinking that some soap water won't hurt any of the components. Maybe even go as far as some oxyclean?
The wife and I used my 3 tier system to heat water in my 8gal kettle at the top level. Used gravity through some hose to take a hot shower during hurricane Lily and Rita...very nice. The tankless water heater in the new house takes care of that now, but in the small town I live in (Mermentau), a hot shower during those 2 hurricanes was quite the luxury.
Simple green should work. Biodegradable and busts oil up. We use it at the machine shop I work at to clean floors. Use non diluted, then diluted, then run water. Should be all set!
You think you got problems? My son just bought a repo that had a toilet in the basement that was being pumped UP to low sewer level with a sump pump...now that's ghetto. I poured straight bleach in to the aforementioned sump and also installed a check valve...and oh, I will also remove the toilet. To make this beer related...I would not...I repeat, WOULD NOT brew beer in that sump. : )
Fwiw the sump only runs outside water and laundry water. Not sewage, per se. I'm comfy still using it for brewing after a through cleaning
Dawn or other grease binding detergent should help, then finish with oxyclean once oil is gone. Not speaking from experience, just a guess.
