Dirt Basement

[PhiloFarnsworth]

I have searched the new requirements and have not found any requirement specifically dealing with my question. I assume that the previous requirements hold concerning dirt basements, that is that, if they are typical and accepted in the market, there is no specific problem. But I am curious if anyone would question the following situation:
The subject is an older farmhouse in a market where partial dirt basements are typical and well accepted by the market. The basement is bone dry, even after a week of rain. But the heat pump has been placed on top of a stone-filled hole in the dirt portion of the basement. I have included a photo.


Would you call for any action or just disclose and move on?

 

[Tom D]

only had it happen once. when this house was built it was common. gotta decide how much $ this has on marketability. if common, then none. crawl spaces have dirt floor don't they, except they don't have the heater sitting there. did you ask the underwriter? was not an issue with that FHA underwriter.

 

[Vermonter]

Not uncommon here, but usually a concrete pad rather than crushed stone.

Is it just me or does that look like a sump pump in the crushed stone (to the right of the furnace)?

 

[PhiloFarnsworth]

Not uncommon here, but usually a concrete pad rather than crushed stone.

Is it just me or does that look like a sump pump in the crushed stone (to the right of the furnace)?

Indeed it is, put there, I presume for the condensate

 

[Mr Rex]

The little white pump to the left is a condensate pump.

 

[PhiloFarnsworth]

The little white pump to the left is a condensate pump.

Yeah, my bad, noticed that right after i sent it. It is, however a sump pump in the bucket. Probably put there "just in case". We had a good five days of heavy rain here until the day before I inspected it and everything looked bone dry to me (unusual for old stone basements). Probably just a precaution.

In any case,I think I'm not going to throw any flags over this, as long as the client is fully aware of whats there.

 

[Mr Rex]

The gravel acts as a drain field for the sump pump kinda like a dry well but with a pump.

 

[Mr Rex]

What is the 6 inches or so of material directly in contact with the gravel?