{"id":5201,"date":"2015-03-06T11:00:47","date_gmt":"2015-03-06T16:00:47","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.diycontrols.com\/?p=5201"},"modified":"2015-03-05T17:25:03","modified_gmt":"2015-03-05T22:25:03","slug":"what-is-a-sump-pump-and-why-you-may-need-one","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.diycontrols.com\/index.php\/what-is-a-sump-pump-and-why-you-may-need-one\/","title":{"rendered":"What Is a Sump Pump and Why You May Need One"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>If you have ever had a wet or flooded basement because the water table around your house is high or your lot has poor drainage, you may need to install a sump pump. \u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0A <a onclick=\"javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview('\/outgoing\/www.diycontrols.com\/c-173-submersible-sump-pumps.aspx');\"  href=\"http:\/\/www.diycontrols.com\/c-173-submersible-sump-pumps.aspx\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>sump pump<\/strong><\/a> is a small pump that gets installed in the lowest part of a basement or crawlspace and is used to keep the area under the house dry so it doesn\u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00e2\u201e\u00a2t flood.\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0 Even if your basement only floods occasionally, it may still benefit from a sump pump, especially if you frequently notice a damp or musty smell.\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0 In addition to keeping your basement dry, a sump pump will make it a healthier place and protect your flooring, walls, furniture and appliances from mildew and dampness.<a onclick=\"javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview('\/outgoing\/www.diycontrols.com\/c-173-submersible-sump-pumps.aspx');\"  href=\"http:\/\/www.diycontrols.com\/c-173-submersible-sump-pumps.aspx\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright wp-image-5205 size-full\" title=\"A sump pump protects your basement from damage due to flooding.\" src=\"http:\/\/blog.diycontrols.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/03\/basement-flood.jpg\" alt=\"sump pump\" width=\"325\" height=\"209\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><em>Types of Sump Pumps<\/em><\/h2>\n<p>&#8220;Primary&#8221; sump pumps are the standard kind of pumps used in most residences. They are designed to pump seepage water out of your basement and prevent floods. Sump pumps are installed in specially constructed sump basins or pits.\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0Water enters the sump pit through drains or by natural water migration through the soil. The sump pump\u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00e2\u201e\u00a2s job is to pump the water out of the pit and away from the building so the basement or crawlspace stays dry. <strong>Primary sump pumps can pump up to several thousand gallons an hour.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>There are <strong>two types of primary sump pumps<\/strong> \u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00e2\u20ac\u0153 pedestal pumps and submersible pumps.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Pedestal Sump Pump<\/strong> &#8212; The motor on this type of pump is mounted on a shaft and positioned above your sump basin. Pedestal sump pumps are good for small basins (10\u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00c2\u009d or less), as the pump base is submerged but the pump motor is not.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><a onclick=\"javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview('\/outgoing\/www.diycontrols.com\/m-405-abs-pumps-ltd.aspx');\"  href=\"http:\/\/www.diycontrols.com\/m-405-abs-pumps-ltd.aspx\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright\" title=\"Submersible ABS Robusta sump pumps come in three sizes:  1\/4, 1\/3 and 1\/2 HP.\" src=\"http:\/\/www.diycontrols.com\/images\/Product\/medium\/5972.jpg\" alt=\"ABS Robusta Sump Pumps\" width=\"230\" height=\"230\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Submersible Sump Pump<\/strong> \u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00e2\u20ac\u0153 This type of pump has a sealed motor. The entire unit sits under the water in the sump basin. Because the motor is placed under the water, you will need a bigger pit. As long as there is enough room, <strong><a onclick=\"javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview('\/outgoing\/www.diycontrols.com\/c-173-submersible-sump-pumps.aspx');\"  href=\"http:\/\/www.diycontrols.com\/c-173-submersible-sump-pumps.aspx\" target=\"_blank\">submersible sump pumps<\/a> are recommended for home installations because they are quieter and less obtrusive looking<\/strong>. They are also safer if there are children or pets in the house because the basin can be covered with a lid.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><em>What Size Sump Pump Do You Need?<\/em><\/h2>\n<p>Sump pumps range in horsepower and the pumping capacity varies accordingly.\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0 Generally speaking, the higher the horsepower, the more gallons per hour it will pump.\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0<strong><a onclick=\"javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview('\/outgoing\/www.diycontrols.com\/m-405-abs-pumps-ltd.aspx');\"  href=\"http:\/\/www.diycontrols.com\/m-405-abs-pumps-ltd.aspx\" target=\"_blank\">ABS Robusta sump pumps<\/a><\/strong>, for instance, come in \u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00bc HP, \u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6\u00e2\u20ac\u0153 HP and \u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00bd HP.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>A <strong>\u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6\u00e2\u20ac\u0153 HP sump pump<\/strong>, like the high performance <a onclick=\"javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview('\/outgoing\/www.diycontrols.com\/p-9122-metropolitan-industries-ion-stormpro-wc33i-13-hp-sump-pump.aspx');\"  href=\"http:\/\/www.diycontrols.com\/p-9122-metropolitan-industries-ion-stormpro-wc33i-13-hp-sump-pump.aspx\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Ion StormPro WC33i<\/strong><\/a> by Metropolitan Industries, can pump 44 gallons of wastewater per minute at 10\u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00e2\u201e\u00a2 levels. The \u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6\u00e2\u20ac\u0153 HP Ion StormPro model uses a solid state sensing technology, so there are no moving parts to wear out or get hung up on in the pit which can lead to a pump failure. \u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0<strong>A \u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00bd HP or \u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6\u00e2\u20ac\u0153 HP sump pump is usually adequate for most homes.\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0<a onclick=\"javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview('\/outgoing\/www.diycontrols.com\/p-9145-metropolitan-industries-ion-stormpro-ba75i-34-hp-primary-sump-pump.aspx');\"  href=\"http:\/\/www.diycontrols.com\/p-9145-metropolitan-industries-ion-stormpro-ba75i-34-hp-primary-sump-pump.aspx\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright\" title=\"The powerful 3\/4 HP StormPro BA75i can pump 75 gallons of water per minute and is ideal for protecting finished basements.\" src=\"http:\/\/www.diycontrols.com\/images\/Product\/medium\/9145.jpg\" alt=\"Metropolitan Industries Ion StormPro BA75i 3\/4 HP Primary Sump Pump\" width=\"231\" height=\"231\" \/><\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>If you <strong>live in an area with a high water table, flood plain or low lying area that is very susceptible to flooding<\/strong>, or if you have an installation with a high vertical lift (20-30 feet) and\/or long horizontal run (150-250 feet), <strong>you may need a stronger \u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00be HP pump<\/strong> like the <strong><a onclick=\"javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview('\/outgoing\/www.diycontrols.com\/p-9145-metropolitan-industries-ion-stormpro-ba75i-34-hp-primary-sump-pump.aspx');\"  href=\"http:\/\/www.diycontrols.com\/p-9145-metropolitan-industries-ion-stormpro-ba75i-34-hp-primary-sump-pump.aspx\" target=\"_blank\">Ion StormPro BA75i<\/a><\/strong> by Metropolitan Industries. This size pump will generally provide 20-25% more pumping capacity over a \u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00bd HP sump pump, or around 75 gallons per minute.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>If you are unsure what size sump pump to get for your basement, a\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0<a onclick=\"javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview('\/outgoing\/www.diycontrols.com\/c-172-water-flood-devices.aspx');\"  href=\"http:\/\/www.diycontrols.com\/c-172-water-flood-devices.aspx\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>sump pump distributor<\/strong><\/a>\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0or manufacturer can help you select the right size pump for your basement.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><em>Installation<\/em><\/h2>\n<p>Installing a sump pump in your basement can be a DIY project if you are handy and have the right tools. Here are <a onclick=\"javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview('\/outgoing\/www.wikihow.com\/Install-a-Sump-Pump');\"  href=\"http:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Install-a-Sump-Pump\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>step-by-step directions<\/strong><\/a> on how to do it and the equipment you\u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00e2\u201e\u00a2ll need. If you aren\u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00e2\u201e\u00a2t up for the task or if the construction or configuration of your basement makes installation a challenge, we suggest that you hire a plumber with sump pump experience or a basement waterproofing company. A contractor who specializes in pump installations is another option.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><em>Importance of a Sump Pump Alarm<\/em><\/h2>\n<p>If for some reason your sump pump fails, you may wind up with a soggy mess in your basement. Power outages and mechanical failures are the most common reasons for a sump pump failure. <strong>Since a non-working sump pump puts your basement at serious risk of flooding, it\u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00e2\u201e\u00a2s a good idea to include a sump pump alarm in your system.\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0<\/strong> A sump pump alarm warns you when your sump pump isn\u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00e2\u201e\u00a2t functioning and the water level in the sump pit is rising so you\u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00e2\u201e\u00a2ll have time to intervene before your basement floods.<\/p>\n<p><a onclick=\"javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview('\/outgoing\/www.diycontrols.com\/p-8017-pumpalarm-cellular-water-alarm.aspx');\"  href=\"http:\/\/www.diycontrols.com\/p-8017-pumpalarm-cellular-water-alarm.aspx\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright\" title=\"Receive a text message if your sump pump fails with this cellular water alarm.\" src=\"http:\/\/www.diycontrols.com\/images\/product\/medium\/8017_1_.jpg\" alt=\"PumpAlarm Cellular Water Alarm\" width=\"250\" height=\"250\" \/><\/a>There are <strong>two basic kinds of sump pump alarms<\/strong>:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>\u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00c5\u201cLocal\u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00c2\u009d Sump Pump Alarm<\/strong> \u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00e2\u20ac\u0153 This type of alarm <strong>sounds a very loud audible alert<\/strong> that you will hear if you are in the house. The\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0<strong><a onclick=\"javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview('\/outgoing\/www.diycontrols.com\/p-7055-floodfree-pump-control-and-alarm.aspx');\"  href=\"http:\/\/www.diycontrols.com\/p-7055-floodfree-pump-control-and-alarm.aspx\" target=\"_blank\">Floodfree<\/a><\/strong>\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0and the\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0<strong><a onclick=\"javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview('\/outgoing\/www.diycontrols.com\/p-6179-reliance-controls-sump-pump-alarm-and-flood-alert.aspx');\"  href=\"http:\/\/www.diycontrols.com\/p-6179-reliance-controls-sump-pump-alarm-and-flood-alert.aspx\" target=\"_blank\">Reliance Controls<\/a><\/strong>\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0are examples of local sump pump alarms.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>\u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00c5\u201cRemote Monitoring\u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00c2\u009d Sump Pump Alarm<\/strong> \u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00e2\u20ac\u0153 The type of alarm <strong>notifies you by phone, email or text message<\/strong>, so you will receive the warning even when you are away from home. A\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0<a onclick=\"javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview('\/outgoing\/www.diycontrols.com\/p-6268-sensaphone-400-cottagesitter-remote-monitor-wtemp-ctrl-fgd-0400.aspx');\"  href=\"http:\/\/www.diycontrols.com\/p-6268-sensaphone-400-cottagesitter-remote-monitor-wtemp-ctrl-fgd-0400.aspx\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Sensaphone 400<\/strong><\/a> hooked up to a <a onclick=\"javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview('\/outgoing\/www.diycontrols.com\/p-6068-sumpbobber-waterflood-sensor.aspx');\"  href=\"http:\/\/www.diycontrols.com\/p-6068-sumpbobber-waterflood-sensor.aspx\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>sump bobber<\/strong><\/a>\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0(a simple float switch designed to monitor the water level in a sump pump well) will call you on the phone when your sump pump isn\u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00e2\u201e\u00a2t working. \u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0If you don\u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00e2\u201e\u00a2t have a landline phone at your location or would rather receive text message alerts, the <a onclick=\"javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview('\/outgoing\/www.diycontrols.com\/p-8017-pumpalarm-cellular-water-alarm.aspx');\"  href=\"http:\/\/www.diycontrols.com\/p-8017-pumpalarm-cellular-water-alarm.aspx\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>PumpAlarm Cellular Water Alarm<\/strong><\/a>\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0communicates via a cellular connection.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><em>Prepare Now Before Spring Thaws and Storms<\/em><\/h2>\n<p>In most northern areas of the country, March and April bring melting snow and heavy rains, leading to wet and flooded basements. If your property has poor drainage and the water table around your house is high, <em>now<\/em> is the time to install a\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0sump pump\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0system before the spring thaws arrive and the ground becomes over saturated.<\/p>\n<p>In addition to equipping your sump pump with a sump pump alarm, consider also adding a <strong><a onclick=\"javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview('\/outgoing\/www.diycontrols.com\/c-446-battery-backup-system.aspx');\"  href=\"http:\/\/www.diycontrols.com\/c-446-battery-backup-system.aspx\" target=\"_blank\">battery-powered backup system<\/a><\/strong> that will continue to pump water in the event of a power outage or equipment failure. For advice on what type of sump pump is best for your basement, call the experts at <strong><a onclick=\"javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview('\/outgoing\/www.diycontrols.com\/default.aspx');\"  href=\"http:\/\/www.diycontrols.com\/default.aspx\" target=\"_blank\">diycontrols.com<\/a><\/strong> at 1-800- 487-1363.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>If you have ever had a wet or flooded basement because the water table around your house is high or your lot has poor drainage, you may need to install a sump pump. \u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0A sump pump is a small pump that gets installed in the&hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.diycontrols.com\/index.php\/what-is-a-sump-pump-and-why-you-may-need-one\/\">Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":5205,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[32],"tags":[544,664,30,560,663],"class_list":["post-5201","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-flood-intervention","tag-cellular-water-alarm","tag-submersible-sump-pump","tag-sump-pump","tag-sump-pump-alarm","tag-sump-pump-battery-backup-system","clearfix"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.diycontrols.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5201","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.diycontrols.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.diycontrols.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.diycontrols.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.diycontrols.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5201"}],"version-history":[{"count":11,"href":"https:\/\/blog.diycontrols.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5201\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6957,"href":"https:\/\/blog.diycontrols.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5201\/revisions\/6957"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.diycontrols.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5205"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.diycontrols.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5201"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.diycontrols.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5201"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.diycontrols.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5201"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}