Sump pump installation, maintenance and repair
Why Do I Need a Sump in my Basement?
If you’ve ever heard stories of basements that were unexpectedly flooded, you can be sure that the houses in question did not have sump pumps installed.
Ground water rising from around your foundations, or from exceptionally heavy rains, could flood your basement with disastrous consequences causing a heavy financial loss. So the wise solution is to have a sump pump installed in the basement floor. It could turn out to be the most important appliance in your home.
What do sump pumps do?
Sump pumps are self-activating electrical pumps that collect unwanted water from around your foundation and redirect it away from your house. They are usually installed below the basement floor and work to disperse water before it can enter the home and cause flooding and damage. It’s important to note that accumulated water, even if it does not rise high enough to flood the basement itself, can still give rise to mold, mildew and fungus problems in the home. This is another reason why the sump pump is such an important component in your home.
How are they installed?
If the pump has already been installed when the house was built, it will usually be located in a pit in the basement floor, with the floor slightly sloped so that any water that collects finds its way into the pump pit.
If you are installing one in an existing house, you’ll want to place it near a wall in the basement, as the discharged water needs to exit the basement and travel at least 10 to 20 feet outside to empty out.
The location of the sump should not be too close to the exterior wall, as you don’t want to hit any foundation footings when excavating the pit. The pit will need to be sufficiently deep to allow some coarse gravel to be placed in the bottom to promote good drainage.
Types of sump pumps
Pumps are either submersible or pedestal style
The submersible style pump can be completely submersed in the water, it is:
* More efficient
* Longer lasting
* Quieter
* Completely hidden inside the sump basin
* Easier to handle
Pedestal pumps are designed to stand vertically above the water line, next to the sump trench, with only the base in the water. The top of the pedestal is the motor which is not designed to be submersed. They are much noisier than submersible pumps and can be damaged more easily as they are exposed.
Secondary pumps
Some installations have a back-up battery pump to safeguard against failure of the main pump in the case of a power or mechanical failure.
Sump Pump Maintenance
* The pump should be kept clean and free of debris. If they run constantly they should be cleaned regularly.
* One should make sure that the float is not tangled or jammed in one position. A sump pump with a jammed float will not sense when it should turn on and shut off, so it won’t work.
* One can test the pump by pouring water into the pit to make sure it becomes activated and pumps out the water.
* It is important to arrange for a technician to come in once a year to do maintenance of the unit.
* The discharge hose could freeze during cold winter weather, preventing the unit from pumping the accumulated water outside. This could result in the pump motor overheating and failing. So it is imperative that the hose be regularly checked to prevent his happening.
Local regulations
It is important, when installing a sump pump, to ensure that water is discharged at least 10 – 20 feet from the house, as water draining back into the house will put unnecessary strain on the pump. It is also important to determine whether the local authority allows the water to be pumped into the public sewer system. Whatever system one uses, it is important to ensure that water does not drain into a neighbour’s property.
Atlantic Mechanical can advise you as to the best system for your requirements as well as doing the installation and necessary maintenance. Call them on 443.213.1804 to find out how they can help you.
