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A firefighter in Charlotte told me to always check the hoistway sump after a flood, not just the pit.

He said he's seen water get trapped in the concrete block and rust out the rails from the bottom up. Anyone have a good method for checking that without a full inspection camera?
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3 Comments
nora_taylor79
What's the easiest way to get a look down there? You could try a cheap USB borescope from Amazon, plug it right into your phone. A lot of guys just use a bright flashlight and a small mirror on a stick, like a dentist tool. That old firefighter advice is solid, hidden rust is no joke.
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west.henry
west.henry11d agoTop Commenter
That mirror on a stick idea is asking for trouble. You get one bad angle and miss everything. I would never trust a visual check without pulling the pit cover. If you can't get a camera in there, you have to open it up. It's the only way to be sure.
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rubyschmidt
Used to just check the pit and call it good. That firefighter's story about rust climbing up from a hidden sump got me. @west.henry is right, a mirror feels risky. I bought a cheap endoscope for my phone, and the first time I used it, I saw water the mirror would have missed.
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