Basement Sump Pump Guides and Reviews

The basement sump pump provides guidance and review about different types, qualities, durabilities, and prices. The pump is a small pump that is installed in the sump in your basement or underground space for preventing the flooding of water. They keep the sump area clean and dry. 

A sump is a low space or pit in our homes or basements where the unwanted liquids such as the water or chemicals are collected. The water enters the sump via the drains in a basement or rainwater accumulation or natural ground water leakage, as the basement is below the ground level.

The sump pump sucks out the undesired water from our basement and transfers them to the outside environment. They are also described as basement water pump because in most of the cases they pump out excess water from our home basements.

Basement sump Pump Types and Working Process

A pit is constructed in the basement of our homes. Once the pit is constructed, the sump pump is fitted into it. When water makes its way into the pit, the sump pump has a float-activated switch similar to your toilet.

As the water rises, the pump is activated. The motor is switched on automatically to force the water into the discharge pipe and push it outside. Water is discharged to a nearby drainage system. Basement sump pumps are of two types namely as follows:

Submersible Sump Pumps — A submersible sump pump runs on electricity. These sump pumps are kept inside the water and work with the help of a float-activated switch. They are quiet in operation so mostly preferred by people for household purposes. 

Pedestal Sump Pumps — Pedestal sump pump motors do not work under the water, as the submersible one. Its motor is located outside the water and above the pump. It also has a float-activated switch to determine the rise in water level. They are less expensive. Pedestal sump pumps are best for frequent water drainages but are noisy in operation.  

Benefits of Sump Pump

Basement sump pump is mainly used for the following purposes in our households as follows

• Prevents flooding of rainwater
• Protects against sewage backups
• Keeps basement humidity levels low
• Reduces the risk of mold and mildew growth
• Keeps floodwater out of the basement
• Improves indoor air quality by reducing the humidity levels.

Generally, 60% of moisture related problems arise from the basement in our homes. The higher the moisture and humidity levels, the higher is the likelihood of mold and mildew growth. With a sump pump, you can reduce these water and moisture related problems in your home. A sump pump is your guard against the following home disasters.

• Wood rot
• Wood-destroying insects
• Insects and animals that are attracted to stagnant water
• Electrical damage and potential fire hazards. 

Sump pump systems are also used in industrial and commercial applications to maintain surface soil stability. The higher water content in the soil will make them highly unstable and loose. So, the pump is required to keep it stable and the soil particles are held together.

Basement Sump Pump Selection

The selection of a sump pump depends on its application. To select sump pump, we need to consider the following factors: 

1. Manual or automatic: We have to decide whether we are going for a manual pump or automatic pump. In a manual pump, we need to activate the pump and be present for switching the pumps. Automatic pumps operate automatically with the help of switches. Automatic switches consist of pressure switches, float switches, and water sensor. However automatic pumps are costlier than the manual ones and reliable and easier to work than manual pumps.
2. Power: Sump pump motive power varies from 1/4 horsepower(HP) to higher horsepower.  The pumps with higher horsepower transfer more water but you do not need to buy higher horsepower pump if you don’t have a major moisture problem.
3. Head pressure: Head pressure is the maximum height a pump can raise the water. For example, a pump with a head pressure of 12 feet can raise water to a height of 10 feet due to physical limitations like bends in pipes. The pump you choose must be able to lift water outside the sump pit and up to the outlet pipe.
4. Cord length: To operate the pump for a certain distance we need to connect the power supply source to the motor with heavy gauge wires. The length of the wires needed is called as cord length, and it must be made safe for operation with water around them. 
5. Backup and alarm systems: A backup pump and alarm systems are necessary during the emergency. The backup pumps operate to remove the excess fluids built up, and alarm signal gives us the signal of the emergency such as high water built up.

Brands and prices

These pumps are available on websites like Amazon, Ali-express, Global sources, Walmart, etc. as they used more commonly for our domestic and household purposes. Some of the prominent basement sump pump manufacturers are Zoeller pump corp., Wayne Pumps, Basement Systems, Seal-tite corp., Flotec pumps and Attwood Companies Ltd. Sump pumps are mostly used with the power ranges of ¼ HP & 1/3 HP for household purposes. On average sump pump installation costs, around $1,108, and most homeowners spend money between $669 and $1,677 as per latest data from plumbing workers & home advisors.

Return to Pump Guides and Reviews

Did you find this article useful? Click on below Like and G+1 buttons!

Follow on

Search this Site! More than 600 Articles!