How the Up The Hatch Standing Water Removal Tool Was Invented

OUR STORY

Necessity Is the Mother of Invention

• Every product has a story.
• Some begin with a business plan.
• Others begin with a problem.

The story of the Up The Hatch Bucket® starts with two hurricanes, a flooded crawlspace, and a challenge that seemed far more difficult than it should have been.

In 2018, Hurricanes Florence and Michael moved through North Carolina within weeks of one another. The storms brought heavy rainfall, flooding, and drainage problems throughout the region.

For TwistedVise LLC founder Steve, the storms exposed a drainage issue that would ultimately lead to the creation of an entirely new water removal tool.

What started as a frustrating home repair project would eventually become the Up The Hatch Bucket.

A Drainage Problem With No Easy Solution

Like many homes in North Carolina, proper drainage around the foundation is critical. A previous renovation project had interrupted the drainage path around Steve's home's foundation. The foundation drainage system still had a connection into the crawlspace, allowing water to escape if necessary.

Unfortunately, when the primary drainage exit path was cut off, the crawlspace became the new path of least resistance.

After Hurricanes Florence and Michael delivered tremendous amounts of rainfall, hundreds of gallons of water began backing up beneath the house.

The standing water needed to be removed quickly.

The immediate problem was solved using a sump pump, but the larger issue remained: repairing the drainage system and creating a permanent solution.

Digging Into the Problem

To correct the drainage issue, excavation began around the foundation drainpipe.

New drainage piping was installed to move water away from the house more effectively.

A catch basin was also installed beneath the crawlspace to provide a designated water exit path.

• It seemed like the solution was in place.
• But a new challenge quickly emerged.
• The catch basin repeatedly filled with water trapped inside the foundation drainage pipe.
• Every time progress was made, the basin would fill again.
• The water had to be removed before work could continue.
• That's when the real frustration began.
  

The Idea Behind Up The Hatch

As the challenge continued, the requirements for a solution became clear.

The ideal tool needed to:

• Capture a gallon or more at a time
• Fit into a narrow catch basin opening
• Fill without being tipped sideways
• Hold water securely while being lifted
• Work without electricity
• Be simple and reliable

Those requirements eventually led to a completely different approach to water removal. Instead of filling from the top like a traditional bucket, what if a bucket could fill from the bottom?

That simple question became the foundation of the Up The Hatch Bucket.

Gallons, Not Cups

Removing the water should have been simple. It wasn't. The catch basin opening was narrow. Traditional buckets couldn't be tipped into the hole properly. Small containers worked, but they removed only ounces or cups of water at a time. The process was painfully slow.

What was needed was something capable of removing gallons of water at a time. Something large enough to make progress. Something narrow enough to fit into the catch basin. Something that didn't require tipping to fill. The problem wasn't the water. The problem was finding the right tool.

More Than a Crawlspace Tool

As the design evolved, it became clear that the same challenges existed in countless other situations.

People everywhere were dealing with standing water in:

• Crawlspaces
• Catch basins
• Sump pump basins
• Boats
• Aquariums
• Drainage ditches
• Construction sites
• Utility access points
• Water remediation projects
• Flood recovery operations

In each of these situations, traditional buckets often struggled and pumps weren't always practical. The Up The Hatch Bucket filled an important gap.

It provided a portable, non-electric water removal tool capable of removing significant amounts of water quickly and efficiently.

From Necessity to Innovation

The invention that began in a North Carolina crawlspace has since grown into a patented product available to customers across the United States and Canada.

Today, the Up The Hatch Bucket is used by:

• Homeowners
• Contractors
• Plumbers
• Property managers
• Maintenance professionals
• Farmers
• Boat owners
• Restoration crews

Its unique design has earned patent protection and recognition for its innovative approach to standing water removal.

The product has also been featured by Farms.com, highlighting its practical value and unique functionality.

Turning an Idea Into Reality

The concept was straightforward. A bucket would be lowered directly into standing water. Water would enter through openings in the bottom. Once enough water was captured, the weight of the water itself would activate a sealing mechanism. The water would remain trapped inside the bucket while it was lifted and emptied.

• No tipping.
• No scooping.
• No complicated equipment.

Just a simple and efficient solution designed specifically for standing water removal.

What began as a practical solution for one homeowner's drainage problem soon revealed much broader potential.