exploring an old cistern (underground room) at my house

Found an old cistern under an addition to my house that I tore down, had to climb into it on camera. No idea what to do with it yet. It's only about 9 feet deep, but you wouldn't want any pets or kids falling into it, that's for sure.

[migrainemama]

We use our cistern constantly, 1890s home!! Great video!!

[sfred]

Waterproof with Drylock and use to water the car, plants, etc. This will really piss off the local water department when you get a low water bill!

[Redfiregtag]

Repurposed tornado shelter is what i did with mine.

[penelopepenobscot]

Clean, seal, resurface and use. I want to open our and use to water the garden.

[DesmoProfundis]

Super bad idea to go down there with no one else around. A confined underground space like that can be very low in oxygen. Without even knowing that you're suffocating, you can pass out and die. There have been situations where one person passes out, and three more people die trying to rescue that one guy because of the lack of oxygen.
Working construction, we have to be licensed to work in spaces like that. We are trained to recognize, as well as mitigate the dangers.
If someone sees this video and decides to do something similar, I hope you read this and get a couple strong friends to help you out. Lash yourself off so they can hoist you up if you lose consciousness without entering the space themselves.

A couple minutes exposed to fresh air and you'll be fine. But if you pass out down there with no one to help you out. Yer done, son.

[oneballer]

not sure what state your in .but it would make one hell of a grow room

[river]

I’m late to the party here but I just found one in my backyard home built in 1890, it’s filled with dirt and I’m finding old bottles in it, I’m only 3 ft down, no idea how deep it is

[MyLevelheaded]

clean it out and resurface the inside with thorough seal top to bottom deepen it if you can ! open up the top completely as well place one large pipe in the side stand several smaller pipe 2 to 3 inches others up on end like tree trunks til cistern full then place a steel checker plate across the ends of the pvc pipes and rebar and pour the top leaving access larger pipe about 24 inches od open to set sump pump in bottom and use the cistern for laundry. screw down the access lid to prevent mosquitoes and this can be used to do laundry water yard even flush toilets...the street tap will provide potable water needs....for drink and cooking only! Your water bills will be bear minimum as 90% of the water you do use as grey water can be drained into raised planters and gardens peat lined in the bottoms! One planter draining to the next until finally returning the cleaned water to the ground water. The only water going to the sewer is your black water or flushing water to carry poop. In the end you will only pay for what you drink or cook with and what is needed to carry poop to shit plant...This will reduce you sewer water bill to 15.00 per month...cheap compared to the cost of septic system...The rest can be handled by the cistern, which is rain water fed...Naturally soft completely screened by the drain pipes the sealed cistern is bug free, safe it is very hard for a kid to fall down 3 inches of pvc pipes the pump hole 24 inches has a secure screw n lid with a rope attachment to lower electric pump to the base for pumping water and easy removal for maintenance.... all gutters and even drain pipes from yard if socked and encased in gravel will supply the cistern which in most places will remain full...You are returning the grey washing water to the ground it just makes a few pit stops along the way... with water bills going to over 100.00 a month the minimal charges of just 15 a month represent significant changes in your wallet! Especially over time! in case of drought you can even add water to your cistern with the hose bib...

[Andrzoo]

Head lamp, It was one of the best inventions since the invention of the flashlight!

[shykat]

Cisterns ( the old one) seem to be different all around the country. I have been looking around for one like mine. I have a leak and when I inherit the property I plan to get ot fixed. It is my hope that I can have some one pipe it into the house to use for flushing toilets, watering the lawns, and maybe drinking if clean enough. I recall drinking rain water when I was kid. I am still alive so, I guess it was not bad. Our cistern looks like a big barrel sitting on a platform. I would also need to get that rebuilt. The home was built in the mid to late 1800's. My town has 2 other cisterns that I know about. Our next door neighbor tore his down when he decided that he was going to turn his place into rentals. What a mistake!

[mohandascletisghandi]

Silence of the Lambs was plausible.
I've heard of these before but never seen one that wasn't filled in.

[wiggsan]

Pretty cool! We found a 7 foot deep one on our property.

[lauradunn]

In the house my step dad used to own, the man that owned it before him committed suicide in the cistern. The poor man had lost his hands in a farming accident and was very depressed. He lived alone and his family would occasionally come visit him and he knew they wouldn't know where to look for him, so he tied a rope to the front door handle lead the rope around the side of the house, and through the basement window. He tied it to the cisterns handle and lower himself in and closing the lid behind him.
When my stepdad told me the story, I was amazed at this man's ingenuity, he did this all without his hands. I hope he is found peace, God Rest his soul.

[christianmgtow]

Fallout shelter man! Patched up and make it safe

[MrDrProfPatrick]

Why there aren't any water at the bottom?

[RonDelby]

I have one 23 feet deep with a little water maybe 18 inches in it I plan to seal it off.

[fightingbear]

Put it back in service. You will have emergency water.

[barefootbythecreek]

Some counties actually pay you for letting them come to remove. My county we found out will pay us $300 for letting them remove ours. We haven’t yet as who knows if we will need to use it with the way the world is

[pokeyjourneys]

When I was exploring abandoned homes I found a basement underground it was the worst system I've ever smelt in my life There was animal faces dead animals black mold and the bunch of garbage And there might be a human remain buried under all the garbage someone already bought that home It's a demolition In the basement/storage underground it's huge

[charlesglover]

From the beginning of time, people have been throwing coins into wells for good luck. If that house was built in the late 1800's /early 1900's you might want to dig around for pocket change... You might find a coin worth more than the house you're working on... Just food for thought. Then you could sell the coin and buy a house that needs less work. That's an idea you should be entertaining. Food for thought.