Sump Pumps Basic Information And Facts

You have probably heard the term “sump pump” before, but unless you are a homeowner with basement flooding issues, you may not know what it actually is. It is a pump used to drain accumulated water from a location, usually a sump pit. The sump pit is basically a hole in the ground commonly found in a basement. The purpose of the pit is to collect water, which may accumulate from rain or from the ground itself. The pit is located at the lowest point in the basement, so that any water will run downward into it. This is also common in homes with foundations that are below the water table.

A water table is the level below the earth’s surface at which the ground becomes saturated with water. Under the earth’s surface, there is an unsaturated zone and a saturated zone. The unsaturated zone is just below ground, and the saturated zone is further down. The water table is the upper limit of the saturated zone. If the foundation of a house is lower than the water table, the ground is fully saturated with water. This means that groundwater is likely to seep into the basement through any cracks or pores in the cement.

If your basement has water that seeps in from outside, the sump pit can only hold a certain amount of it. When this is a recurring issue, you have to have a pump to remove the water in the pit. But the water should not be pumped right outside the house where it is likely to seep in again. The pump must carry the water to a location away from the house where it is no longer a problem. In an older home, the sump pump is likely to be connected to the city sewer. If this is the case in your home, you will probably need to reroute the pump to another location. Many city laws dictate that sump pumps cannot feed water into the sewers because it can overwhelm the sewage treatment system. If you do not change it, you may receive fines from the city for noncompliance.

Sump pumps are usually electronically operated and wired into the house. Some of them are automatic, and some are manual. A manual pump has to be turned on and off by a person anytime it is needed. An automatic pump has a switch wired in that turns on and off, depending on the water level. Many pumps have a backup battery, which ensures the pump will operate even when the main power source is out.

When you are choosing a sump pump, there are many things to consider. You should make sure the manufacturer’s cord is long enough to reach an outlet. You also must decide whether you want an automatic or manually-operated pump. Pumps are available in varying horsepower and phase and voltage. If your pump will be used over and over again, you will want one with a backup system and an alarm. The alarm will tell you when the pump is not working. If you are replacing a pump, you can easily determine what you will need by reading the manufacturer’s label on the old one.