So you want to install a sump pump yourself? Fantastic! You’ll besaving a lot of money! At least, for the first month or two! But beforeyou decide to take this route, consider the chore you’re about to takeon.Selecting the Best Sump PumpBeforeyou install your sump pump, you’ll need to decide if you want a castiron sump pump or a plastic one. Balance out whether or not the moneysaved on a plastic pump is worth the risk of a flooded basement. Avariety of sump pumps are available, and whether you decide on asubmersible, water-powered, floor sucker, or stand/pedastal sump pumpfor your basement and which brand name you choose will decide whetheror not your basement may flood in the future.Sump Pump OptionsNosump pump is an island. There are numerous options that can make orbreak the sump pump installation. The size of the sump pump must fitthe job- a pump that’s too large or too small (and is overwhelmed) forthe work is going to fail to keep the basement dry. When sump pumps aretoo large, they remove water faster than it fills the sump pit, causingthem to turn on and off repeatedly and shortening their life.Additionally, your sump pump pit must be large enough for the pump orit will short cycle, or run continuously, which can also potentiallyshorten its life. Other sump pump installation questions include thefollowing:
- How will I keep my sump pump from clogging on the bottom of the sump pit?
- How will I know where the lowest part of the basement is so I can install my pump there?
- What will I do if my basement has two low spots?
- How will I know if my sump pump fails?
- Who do I call for help if my sump pump fails?
- How will I know if my sump pump isn’t strong enough to keep up with a heavy storm?
Sump Pump WoesUnless you find a sump pump product withan airtight, soundproof lid, you’re going to have an ugly, exposed,potentially dangerous, and loud sump pump pit lurking in your basementarea. Odors and humidity can freely pass into the home year-round, andthe entire house will be less comfortable and energy-efficient.
Beware of sump pump companies that offer warranties that last fortoo many years. They convince you to choose their product by offeringfree replacements if the pump fails. Unfortunately, you won’t know whenit’s time to cash in on that warranty until the pump fails and thebasement floods! When it does, you may be paying straight out of yourpocket to clean it up, as many insurance companies will not covergroundwater flooding. Floods are expensive, damaging to your property,and the first stage in basement mold problems.
Your discharge line can also be a problem. Make sure that your sumppump isn’t pushing more water into the discharge pipe than it can holdand that your discharge pipe doesn’t freeze in the winter, causing thesump pump to back up. As a final precaution, you’ll need to be surethat you’re not discharging the water straight into the next yard, oryou’ll have them to deal with angry neighbors as well!
What will you do if the power goes out? If you plan on using agenerator to power your sump pump, you’ll need to be there, or thebasement will flood. Cheap do-it-yourself batteries aren’t the answereither- they often run down sitting on the basement floor, and theircharge is rarely strong enough to pump enough water out to keep thebasement from flooding.
Installing a sump pump is back-breaking work! It will take a singleperson many days to install a sump pump and perimeter drain. And if youdon’t have access to a jackhammer, it’ll be even more work! You’ll havecement and dirt to remove from the basement, dust to deal with, and anexhausting and sometimes frustrating job on your hands. And if youdon’t have a jackhammer, how do you plan to break through the floor?
To make matters worse, many sump pump installations are doneillegally or against building code ordinances. If you’re planning on ado-it-yourself sump pump installation, make sure that you check withlocal building ordinances first. Otherwise, you might find yourselffacing fines and legal hassles.
Your Basement Waterproofing AnswersSumppump installation is, simply put, a professional job. Pumping abasement out is too expensive to take a chance with, and there are toomany ways a do-it-yourself sump pump installation could go wrong. Finda basement waterproofing specialist (not a plumber) who has been inbusiness for five years or more to do the job for you. They can offeryou a sump pump and perimeter drain installation that will keep yourbasement dry all the time with a professionally designed top-qualitysump pump system. They’ve spent years, sometimes decades, working tofind the best solution for you, and you can count on them to keep itmaintained and working properly maintained. Their reputation depends onit!
As the world’s largest basement waterproofing company, no one knowssump pumps like us! We’ve carefully researched over 30 different sumppump models to find the best one for you, and our warranted andpatented sump pump systems are designed to effectively handle all thechallenges that a sump pump installation present. Our free consultationcomes with a free, full-color 90 page book and a no-obligation writtenestimate! With so much riding on the job being done right
, it’s nice toknow that exploring the options is free!
