A sump pit is a hole in the ground – typically found in household basements that collects water from either multiple home drain locations or naturally from welling ground water. Sump pumps are used to regulate water levels in order to prevent flooding. Whether you are purchasing a new pump or replacing an old one, there are many factors to consider before beginning your sump pump installation, such as, which pump style would be best for your sump pit, which pumps have the longest life-span, along with other need-to-know sump pump information.

Choosing Between Submersible or Pedestal

The first decision you will need to make is whether a submersible or pedestal pump will work best for your sump pit.

• Submersible sump pumps are great if the sump pit resides in a finished basement or for pits that are easily accessible to children. The benefit of a Submersible pump is they are quiet and not seen because they are located inside of the sump pit. These pumps typically have a lifespan between 5-15 years.
• A pedestal sump pump is located outside of the sump pit but is less expensive than a submersible pump and much easier to access and repair. Another benefit of this type of pump is its lifespan of 20-30 years.

Automatic and Manuel Operation Pumps

Once you have decided between the submersible and pedestal pumps, the next choice is between automatic or manual operation pumps.

• Manual sump pump These pumps must be turned on and off manually. The main benefit of a manual pump is that it requires less electrical parts, so it typically requires less repairs and has a longer lifespan. However, if the pump runs dry for extended periods of time, it can cause the motor to burn out.
• Automatic sump pump These pumps turn on and off automatically by wired switches when water reaches certain levels and require less operational attention than the manual pumps. There are three different types of automatic switches: Tethered, vertical, and electronic.
  • Tethered switches are a float style pumps and are optimized for deep sump pits or pits large in diameter. The float style allows the motor to remain off between cycles, keeping it cool which will prolong the pumps life and reduce your power consumption.
  • Vertical switches are ideal for shallow or narrow sump pits. This pump prevents water from becoming too deep. The downsides are that the motor has to run longer and if laundry drains or wash sinks are emptying into the sump pit, accumulating soap scum can cause the sticking of the float.
  • Electronic switches are perfect for small sump pits. These pumps are small and have no moving parts. Many of these pumps come with features such as water depth alarms. Similar to the vertical switch, electronic switch pumps can accumulate soap scum if laundry drains or wash sinks drain into them, which will coat the electrodes and cause the device to malfunction.

Everything Else You Need to Know

After you have decided which sump pump belongs in your sump pit, you will need to know how much power and head pressure will be needed. Sump pump horsepower ranges from to multiple horsepower. The cost of most pumps is directly related to the pumps strength, meaning, the more powerful the pump, the higher the cost will be. A pumps head pressure is the maximum height that the pump will move water, so be certain to know the distance you will be requiring from the pump. Lastly, look for pumps with parts that won’t easily corrode such as, stainless steel, alloy, and cast bronze. Congratulations, you are now prepared to begin your sump pump installation.