If your basement or crawl space is at risk for flooding, it’s time to install a sump pump. It’s a smart investment and will protect your home from severe water damage and loss of value. Visit https://www.onpointplumbingandheating.com/ for professional help.
A sump pump moves accumulated water from a pit or basin into a drainage pipe that then discharges outside your property. Using special valves, it automatically pumps out excess water when it exceeds a set level.
If you’re a homeowner who lives in an area where floods are frequent or if you’re a first-time homebuyer, installing a sump pump is an essential part of protecting your home and your basement. It can also help prevent damage and reduce the cost of repairs.
When it comes to choosing a pump, you’ll need to take several things into account. One of the most important factors is the capacity of the pump. You’ll need to find out how much water your basement can handle per hour and then choose a pump with that capacity.
Another factor is how much horsepower the pump has. The more powerful it is, the more water it can remove. You can generally get away with a low-horsepower pump, but if you’re in an area that regularly experiences flooding, you may want to consider getting a higher-horsepower model.
You’ll also need to calculate the head pressure of your sump pump. This is the height the pump can raise the water to, minus about 10 percent for physical limitations like bends in the pipe.
Lastly, you’ll need to find out how many gallons of water the pump can remove in an hour. The sump pump’s capacity will help you decide which is the best option for your home and your budget.
Digging the hole
If you’re handy with a hammer and have a little experience, installing your sump pump yourself can be a fairly simple project. The key is to pick a day when the weather is not too wet for this task and make sure you have enough time to complete it properly.
The first step in this process is to select a place for the sump pit, which can be underground or above ground, depending on where you want the pump to be installed. It needs to be large enough to accommodate a sump basin, the pump, and any other equipment you may need.
Once you have found the ideal spot, dig a hole that is about 12 inches deeper than the sump basin. Then, fill the bottom of the hole with coarse gravel to promote good drainage.
After the pit is filled, pour a 6-inch layer of concrete over it. You can use a simple mix of one part cement, two parts sand, and three parts gravel.
Next, you need to connect the discharge port on your sump pump to a drain pipe that leads to the outside of your home. This pipe can be a 1.5-inch PVC pipe or a flexible discharge hose.
To do this, drill a hole through the basement wall as close to the sump tank as possible. This hole will be the discharge line for your main sump pump, and a second identical hole will be about one foot to the left or right of it, whichever way places it closest to the tank inside.
Next, thread a 1-1/2-inch male pipe adapter through the pipe, then use pliers to tighten it. This will allow you to thread a schedule-40 PVC riser onto the adapter and insert it into the sump pump’s discharge port.
Installing the pump
The sump pump should be installed at the lowest point in the basement, near where water and sewer lines enter your house. This location is critical if you want to avoid a potential flood or leak in the future. You may also want to install a ground fault circuit interrupter outlet at this point, depending on where you live.
A discharge hose must be routed to the exterior of your home so that water from the sump pump doesn’t back up into the house. It should run several feet away from the house to spread the flow of water out.
To do this, drill a hole through the wall as close to your sump pump tank as possible. This hole should be one to two inches above ground level and centered about one foot to the left or right of it, depending on which direction your basement is oriented.
Measure and cut pieces of 1 1/2- to 2-inch (3.8- to 5-centimeter) PVC pipe to fit through the rim header and into the discharge area of the pump. Dry-fit these pieces to ensure they’re the correct size and shape, then cement them together.
If you plan to add a check valve to the discharge pipe, now is the time to glue it onto the PVC pipe using primer and PVC cement. You can use a wrench to tighten the threading to the bottom of the check valve, but make sure you don’t overtighten the fittings, or they could crack.
A check valve is a simple and inexpensive way to prevent water from dumping back into the pump basin after the pump shuts off. Adding this feature to your sump pump will help extend its life and minimize costly repairs down the road.
Installing the discharge hose
The discharge pipe is a crucial part of your sump pump and should be installed with care. When it is blocked, water can build up and cause your basement to flood.
When installing a new sump pump, it is important to select the right size of discharge pipe to connect to the pump. The pipe must be long enough to reach from the floor where the pump is located up to the point where it will discharge outside of your home.
Once you have the pipe cut to size, connect the pipe to the hose outlet of your sump pump using an appropriate coupling or adapter. This will make sure that the discharge pipe is firmly connected to the pump and will prevent the line from leaking.
Another way to connect two pieces of plastic tubing is to use a fitting, which will allow you to secure the connection between the tubes. This method is more common than soldering or welding, but it can be more difficult to do properly.
Discharge hoses are used for a wide variety of applications, including the transportation of fuel to and from vehicles, oil, water, and chemicals. They also serve as a conduit for emergency evacuations and flood control.
Many hoses are colored to help identify them. Green is the standard color for most suction and discharge hoses, but blue and white are also available for more specialized uses.
The best hose for a specific application is one that is durable, versatile, and easy to operate. It is also important to consider how much water the hose will be exposed to as well as the temperature. The hose should also be lightweight and able to lay flat when not in use.
Testing the Pump
A sump pump is an important piece of equipment that should be regularly tested to ensure it works as expected. Water quality can play a big part in how a pump operates, as can debris that can clog lines.
Depending on the type of pump, testing can include one-off tests for individual pumps or larger-scale test runs for entire pump stations. While the former may help with troubleshooting specific issues, the latter provides a more detailed analysis of how the entire system functions.
Before a pump is put into service, it needs to go through an extensive testing process. This helps to verify that all parts work properly, including the motor, seals, gaskets, and elastomers.
This also allows the manufacturer to ensure that each new batch of components fits and is made with the proper material. It also helps to test the pumps in a variety of conditions to see how long they can survive in a real-world application.
If a pump has been in service for a while and it doesn’t function as efficiently as it should, it might be time to replace it. This will not only save money on repairs in the future, but it will also make sure that the department is prepared to respond in case of an emergency.
The National Fire Protection Association and the Insurance Service Office both recommend that a pump be tested and maintained annually by a certified technician. GSFA, for example, offers a mobile service option to reduce downtime and ensure that each pump station receives timely inspection and maintenance.
To make sure that the sump pump is working properly, test it by partially filling a basin with water and checking to see that it turns on when the float switch lifts and shuts off when it drops. Afterward, cover the pit with a lid to prevent odors from entering the home.
