# Should I buy this house? Is the water issue fixable? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 30, 2015, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-buy-this-house-is-the-water-issue-fixable/741777 "2015-12-30T23:53:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2016, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-buy-this-house-is-the-water-issue-fixable/741777/41 "2016-01-10T03:41:30Z")
> [@rbroome](#): > > May I ask, what is a water-powered backup sump pump? It operates off city water pressure. So even if there’s no electricity it will keep operating as long as there is water pressure from the public utility. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2016, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-buy-this-house-is-the-water-issue-fixable/741777/42 "2016-01-10T14:15:58Z")
> [@Chessic\_Sense](#): > > Update: Yielding to the advice of my counsel (you guys), we walked away from the house, only losing the $250 bucks for the inspection. It was a heartbreak, but we got back out there, hit the streets, bumped up the price range and found a house can really fall in love with. Got an accepted offer at a fair price, and we’re jazzed to get in there. > > Thanks for talking us out of a probably-big mistake, guys. Seriously. Congrats. I was not part of the chorus telling you to walk away, but I would have been had I seen this thread. You made the right decision, so good luck with the new home! ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2016, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-buy-this-house-is-the-water-issue-fixable/741777/43 "2016-01-14T03:20:49Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > It operates off city water pressure. So even if there’s no electricity it will keep operating as long as there is water pressure from the public utility. Correct. [One example.](http://www.libertypumps.com/Products/Category/SubCategory/Product/?p=76&s=23&c=14) We lost power for about 8 hours during Hurricane Sandy, during which the rain was so heavy that it led to some flooding in the basement - fortunately, the two-steps-down-from-the-rest unfinished portion and only 3-4 inches deep. We lost some items that were stored on the floor there. The water was gone within 20 minutes of the power coming back on. During Isabel about 10 years earlier, we also lost power but did not see any flooding - different rain direction or something, I guess - so didn’t think to worry about it. Now, if both power AND water are off, we’d still be out of luck, but so far that’s never happened. ---
**Author:** ![PunditLisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4af34b/32.png) [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2016, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-buy-this-house-is-the-water-issue-fixable/741777/44 "2016-01-14T23:15:58Z")
Congratulations on dodging a bullet! After living in a house that had major leaks, I vowed never to buy another house that has known water issues. Gravity will not be defied and water will find its way. ---
**Author:** ![rbroome](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/838e76/32.png) [@rbroome](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rbroome)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2016, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-buy-this-house-is-the-water-issue-fixable/741777/45 "2016-01-16T16:53:02Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > It operates off city water pressure. So even if there’s no electricity it will keep operating as long as there is water pressure from the public utility. thanks. I wonder what they do with the water discharge. That is one way to handle the power issue. A backup battery seems simpler and more reliable though. ---
**Author:** ![Isilder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/cc9497/32.png) [@Isilder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isilder)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2016, 11:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-buy-this-house-is-the-water-issue-fixable/741777/46 "2016-01-17T11:36:31Z")
> [@usedtobe](#): > > There have been a few I wouldn’t touch at any price: > > 1. Built on mud sill - no foundation of any kind. (I also saw an ad for a house which stated it had no foundation - and that was NOT built in 1890’s) > 2. Bricks and mortar are not permanent - see “re-pointing”. One house had a 2-storey brick fireplace/chimney. The mortar had failed, and the chimney was falling down - separated from the house by 15" at the top. 1… Log foundations now covered in mud ? But yeah if its a muddy or clay area, then the house shifts… if its sandy loam, it sits in place … 1. Bricks and mortar not permanent ? What do you want then ? What is permanent ? The chimney’s need to be repaired, knock down rebuilt ,etc, anyway, so an expensive foundation is forgone… by the time they are leaning they are too old for use anyway. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-buy-this-house-is-the-water-issue-fixable/741777.md?page=2)