Add a battery backup to the sump pump in an invited low-lying Eureka home

Many older homes in Eureka's low neighborhoods near the bay rely on a single sump pump to keep crawlspaces dry through winter storms, and power outages arrive with the same storms that bring the water. A battery backup keeps the pump running through an outage so one bad night does not mean a soaked, moldy crawlspace. Standard: FEMA P-312 Homeowner's Guide to Retrofitting, pump and backup-power practice; SDG 11 Sustainable Cities and Communities. Proof: Before/after photos plus a recorded power-cut test Method (FEMA P-312 Homeowner's Guide to Retrofitting, pump and backup-power practice; SDG 11 Sustainable Cities and Communities.): 1. Confirm the invitation with the occupant and locate the existing sump pump and its outlet. 2. Photograph the pump pit and existing wiring before starting. 3. Install the battery backup unit per its instructions, connecting the backup pump or power module beside the main pump. 4. Test by unplugging main power and confirming the backup runs and moves water. 5. Show the occupant the alarm and the battery check routine. 6. Photograph the finished installation and the successful test to record proof. Done when: Before/after photos plus a recorded power-cut test

Where

Invited homes, west-side neighborhoods near the bay, Eureka, CA 95501

Pay

$380 proposed

This packet is not funded yet, so this figure is a proposed price and not money waiting in escrow. If a buyer funds it, approved proof settles that price onchain. If nobody funds it, approved proof earns provable credit toward the work instead of cash. You see which before you claim, never after.

Proof

Before/after photos plus a recorded power-cut test

This is exactly what gets it approved. Nothing settles without it.

Level

intermediate

Open until

2026-09-03

How this work is done

A documented method, so this packet comes out the same whoever does it. Typically 45–90 minutes. Method of record: FEMA floodplain + green-infrastructure siting screen

Bring

• GPS phone
• tape/ruler for deposition depth
• metals field kit (if sediment screen in scope)
• boots + gloves
• camera

Steps

1. 1. Confirm post-event conditions are safe; navigate to the site; record GPS.
2. 2. Photograph deposited sediment / affected area.
3. 3. Measure deposition depth at representative points.
4. 4. If a sediment contaminant screen is in scope, run the metals field kit and record values.
5. 5. Note debris, hazards, and the extent (sketch).
6. 6. Enter depth, any analytes, hazard notes, GPS, photos into the proof record; sign.

If it does not match the plan

• Unstable ground / submerged debris / contaminated water -> document from safe footing; do not enter.
• Elevated metals in deposited sediment -> flag before any reuse; recommend lab confirm.

What counts as done

• Deposition depth recorded at representative points
• Metals screen recorded (if in scope)
• Debris/hazard note + extent sketch
• GPS waypoint + timestamped photos

Proof is measured against these, not judged by taste.