If you live in an area that your sump pump goes off on a regular basis (one or more times a day or at least a few times a week), I suggest having a backup pump pre-plumbed with a new check valve at the ready to drop in in 5 min. The plumbing should be setup so that the pump can easily be removed with the check valve by use of rubber pipe couplers. Last thing you want is a failure and no way to get a new pump in fast. They *will* fail and at the worse time possible. I have a backup at the ready, an in-sump water jet backup to my main pump (no power needed) and a floor pool-pump at the ready for any needed swap event. Tip... drain your humidifier and dehumidifier to the well too. Keeps the pump active (and tested), especially for those areas that the pump is seldom used. Exercises the pump, float and switch.
Good tips, thank you! I have a home-made alarm system (Raspberry Pi, ultrasonic proximity sensor in tank, ability to send text messages over Internet), battery backup on the Pi, the network & Internet modem, generator in the shed (tested monthly) and a brand new pump in box on a shelf in the basement. Where we live with high water table and inconsistent electric company service, this has saved us from flooded basement more than once.
Make sure the back up pump can handle a ton of rain-learned the hard way (had just moved in the house) had the backup pump, and found out the hard way, that it was not strong enough to work! NOW, have a battery powered generator, so that mess does not happen again! Tried it out on a few days of light rain, worked like a charm. Got the ECOFLOW 1300 about a thousand dollars-would highly recommend it, totally worth the money! Good luck to all!
Very good video providing excellent advise except for the backup system. In reviewing backup systems I found the water powered backup sump pump was more reliable because you are not concerned about power being out for several days and the battery runs dry. The water powered sump pump saved me more than once when the switch on the electric pump failed.
I also have a water powered back up pump. I’ve had it for 15 years and so far never had to use it. Power. Outages only last a couple hours. Great peace of mind when gone away for a couple weeks at a time. My daughter got one for her house. I occasionally lift the float to make sure it works.
I have a water pressure "powered" backup pump. It does work. However, one time it failed me, and that was the midwest power blackout of 2006. Back then in the Detroit area the water mains also went down and had no water pressure, only residual pressure. So my basement started to fill up with fresh water as the backup pump turned on but not enough pressure to actually pump! Luckily I caught this fairly early and no real damage was done.
1) A 110 volt tank alert alarm is of no use in a power failure. Always use a battery powered alarm that also works off AC. 2) You make no mention of checking the Check Valve periodically. It is as important to inspect the check valve as it is the sump pump. Failure of a check valve staying in a closed position will cause the valve to rupture and cause basement flooding. 3) The float switch is THE most common sump pump failure and should be changed every 3 years. You make no mention of maintenance or replacement of the switch. 4) Suggesting having a replacement pump on hand with the plumbing pipe already installed is by far the cheapest insurance one can have for a pump failure. Knowing where to buy a pump as you suggest is totally useless. By the time you order a pump or even go out to buy a pump and plumb it (if your'e lucky enough to find one locally when rains are heavy) is too late. The damage is already done..!
Ideal: I have the Ring alarm system with water level alarm sensor. Battery operated, alerts the central monitoring station even if you have loss of power and loss of internet (the Ring system has cellular communications as backup and battery backup). The system alerts me on the app, and the central monitor service ($100/year for the whole alarm system) calls my cell phone with any alerts.
Most newer homes, sump pumps are plugged into a GFI. Make sure to check your GFI because if that gets activated you will have a flood. Also I recommend using a Audible GFI so when it trips an alarm goes off.
In addition to Irving G 's comment. Ground fault plug in should be the #1 tip because if you get down on a wet concrete floor on you knees or hands without a GFI it may be the last time you do it.!
My F.I.L's pump quit, standing in 4 inches of water in the farmhouse basement. 1st thing I did was unplug it, then pulled the pump out of the hole to find a bare wire showing where it goes into the motor. No GFI, must have been the neutral wire exposed . So glad to be here.
Irving G. Because I dont bathe in the sump pit I remove GFI's because they can be so finicky, I know some people will freak out hearing this but they don't realize we lived without them or bicycle helmets. Also I unplug non GFI items before working on them.
All of it is good advice. But don't wait too long to replace your pump if you have high usage. I live in a high water table area, so I replace my pump and float switch unit every five years. The one time I waited too long, it cost me hundreds of dollars in damages. A hundred dollars or so every five years is cheap insurance.
Howdy Sir! I have NEVER HEARD of a Sump Pump BUT there was one in the house that I had rented. I honestly thought that one day a snake or bugs would come up through there at some point. I've moved since then, but I was looking at a house to buy and thought to myself "let me find out what the purpose of that sump pump is". Anyway, I've decided to buy a house that doesn't require a sump pump. Just the same, I've created and saved this video in my Home and Car Mechanics file. Thank you for taking the time to make the video! We appreciate you.
If the house has a basement, then you would want a sump pump with a proper lid. The house I am looking at has a sump pump and isn't located in a flood plain but due to heavy storms the basin has filled up.
I always have a spare sump pump on hand. This has saved me before - for example my float arm failed. I was able to swap the pump in a few minutes and buy a replacement float arm within a day.
Encourage him to be a plumber. Lord knows they make a damn fortune. Not so sure he would have liked it as much if it were a black water pump vid vs gray.😁
Some of my plumbers took advantage of me. Female, single feel they can do whatever. Wouldn’t show me how to Check pump to see if was working. Thank you for the info so helpful great honesty
@@cockatoosmommaryangel6747 that's horrible, I absolutely hate the buffoons that ruin the reputation of plumbers. As a plumber and HVAC Technician myself the advice I can give is to never call contractors, large plumbing companies that send out their underpaid/overworked employees. The best plumbers to call are independents and family businesses. Just check who you are hiring because you want somebody that is licensed and knowledgeable in the field.
@@cockatoosmommaryangel6747 i honestly wish i had known what the sump pump was for about a week ago. As i had plumbers over for something different, Id have asked them to help me test it. This is a very informative video though
I have two sump pumps. One usually engages when the main one can’t keep up with incoming flow. I don’t live in a flood area but this week we have gotten non stop rain for several days and it got to the point where both sump pumps remained on for over 24 hours and eventually couldn’t keep up. Thankfully I have a pool “water bug” pump which helped pump out water to maintain the water levels from going up in my basement. I recently ordered a $400 trash pump with a 2” outlet water hose and should pump 79 gallons per minute. It’s frustrating that I had to make the additional purchase and I may never have to use it but at least it’s there and it could possibly save me thousands of dollars in the future.
Here's one for ya. Installed new submersable pump with a check valve at the pump in my farmhouse like what you show here. Worked great the first time. Next time it was running but not pumping. It was air locked because most of the time the sump is dry. As water filled the sump air could not escape out of the pump itself and there's 7 foot of water inside the pipe above the checkvalve as well. Took a few tries to realize it was airlocking,,, just didn't seem possible. I drilled a 1/16 " hole in the checkvalve threads, below the valve which allows the air to escape. Problem solved for 2 yrs. now.
@@bradc5916 Yes, you're right. When I install the pump there's no water above the check valve so there's no problem. In my case the sump is totally dry during winter and summer but there's 7 foot of water above the check valve. When the sump fills with water air can't escape below the check valve so with air in the pump area it can''t pump. The small hole allows the pump to prime with water so it can work but the small amount of water squrting out doesn't hurt anything. I would drill a small hole in any application because it doesn't hurt anything and makes sure the pump can prime unless the hole gets clogged somehow. Some don't use a checkvalve but the water in the pipe drains into the sump every time the pumps shuts off making it cycle sooner.
I install a new pump every 5 years, cheap insurance. Then I keep the old pump as a spare. My 1 1/2' PVC riser is connected with a PVC union, its 62" from the bottom of the pump to the top of the bottom flat of the union, swap out would take about 15 seconds...........never had to use it. Been in my house for 18 years. My ideal situation would be to have my next house near a drop off deeper than my basement floor, then using a backhoe trench out from the bottom of the foundation with a 4" PVC pipe so it drains all the time there is groundwater pressure......no need for a pump anymore.
Buy quality pumps... ive had pumps running for 24 years non stop made in germany.. then other pumps that break after a year made in the usa or china.. just saying.. but i hear ya on being preventative
@@jeepsblackpowderandlights4305 What is the make and model of your pump? I would like to look into that....... when it rains hard where I live the pump runs every 60 seconds. I don't know your cycle time so that might be why the pump you use lasts so long.
We have a very small pit for our pump, no way to add an additional fixture for a battery unit or an alarm. One thing we have done...Amazon sells battery powered water alarms. We bought a set of 4 of them, scattered them around the basement, and put one right next to the sump pit. If the pump fails and water seeps over the top, it hits the alarm and puts out a tone, similar to what a smoke alarm does. We haven't had the one at the pump trigger yet, but a couple of the other alarms in the basement have been hit by seepage, and let us know it. They were a good $30 purchase.
A water-powered back up sump pump is much better than a battery powered one. if you have city or county water (not well water), you can tap off the water line in your basement and through the venturi effect the pump will activate if your main pump doesn't have power. I am having one installed next Friday.
I have this as well. Greatest thing ever. My area had bad rains and power outages and I didn't sweat worrying about if battery backup worked. Some of my neighbors batteries failed. Hydro pressure kept pumping water out for me. It was only slightly more expensive than the battery backup which sold me on it.
We could not find a battery backup pump that would keep up with the amount of water coming into the pit. So we installed a 'near' whole house backup generator. We then installed a 2nd sump pump with the floats offset so if the main sump pump fails the 2nd pump kicks in or if the 1st pump can't keep up with the demand then both pumps work together pumping out water. Lastly, I created monitor system using an Arduino that when the 2nd pump kicks on it sends me a text message that the 2nd sump pump has been activated.
That gravel bed is a problem, get a patio block that’s 3” or so smaller than your pit and install it on the gravel bed (you can use a square patio block, a little larger than your pit and break off the corners). If pump is too high remove some of your gravel. This will keep the gravel out of your pump if it’s a bottom intake. Jim
Get a generator, have a secondary pump, set things up so you can use other available nearby sewage/mastication pumps, look for a way to set up a garden hose to a lower spot for a siphon.
for the water level alarm i use a pigtail float switch with a light plugged into it , cost 35 dollars the float switch is same as the one that i have on a submersible pump to make a cheap pump into a sump pump
Because of a CIP project that the city handled poorly, the water table increased significantly in our neighborhood - thus an overactive sump pump. Along with a battery backup, an electrical siphoning pump has been implemented to take away the pressure from the sump on those days when the influx of water flow is too much.
I'm a mechanic and more often then not I think I know it all, My first house was so high and dry the sump was bone dry and never was needed. My SECOND house has ten years worth of sludge in the sump pit because the know it all didn't know you need to clean it. Ha ha.
Nice video. Suggest the homeowner change the plastic dryer vent pipe to a metal pipe, have an electrician install a grounded electrical circuit for the washing machine; galvanized washing machine discharge pipe will eventually rust from the inside and will fail, replace with copper or PVC pipe.
Great tips! I would like to know how you would correct the situation when an air lock has occurred in the pump? I have experienced a number of instances where the "professional" just wants to come out and replace the pump as faulty, when it may just be an air lock situation. Any advice from you or viewers is appreciated.
Good advice to the novice users, if utilizing a redundant (lag) pump which operates simultaneously with the main (lead) pump. Be sure to match the total dynamic head of each unit. Imagine having two pumps both capable of 10 gpm discharge flow, however one produces the 10 gpm at 10 feet of head and the other at 20 feet of head. It is possible depending on the head required at design, the lower head pump may not perform at all. Always match duplex / multi pump applications total dynamic head.
9 volt warning alarm at Home Depot is about $ 12. Replace battery every 5 years if not used, Add an extension to the buzzer to have it located on the living level and not in the cellar.
He also did not say anything about to where the the water is being discharged is free of debris at the discharge point and the water is flowing out of it.
Great video. I have a sump system in my home. What seems to happens for me is that the float seems to get clogged up with a white waxy substance and then prevents the float to operate. I was told that it may be a combination of soap (laundry, dish, shower) and grease. Is there something I can pour in on a regular basis to dissolve that gunk. Draino, etc ?
@@timbrowers4094 Thanks for your response. I guess I should clarify this. This old house has no direct line to the sewer system . All grey water and toilet discharge goes into this basin and then gets pumped into the city system. This is the way I bought the house (62 year old house) and for some reason it was not directly connected.
you can get loud water alarms off ebay that are battery operated for about $25 to $30. they work fine. hang it in your pit on a wire. let a second sit on top your lowest drain just in case
There was no mention about a water-powered (Venturi) backup sump pump system. In many situations this is more reliable than a battery back up system. No battery to maintain/replace and especially if the power is out for several days.
I don't know if you have or not. But any video on how to keep your discharge opening from freezing up in the winter. Not sure if I'm saying it right but the part that comes out of the the house where the hose connect to.
You need an "ice break". Basically if your hose freezes, youll still be able to pump out. The water coming from the pump usually doesn't freeze until after its exposed to the air. My water moves about 100 feet under ground. And even during the polar vortex, I had no issues. I actually had a line of grass in my yard that melted the snow.
Finished basement has a sump pump and well in a closet. The cover is sealed for radon mitigation and there is a floor drain going to the main drain line at the other corner of the basement. Theoretically, if my sump fails, it would make its way to the floor drain. I'm not sure where my sump drains to, somewhere out front. Tempted to put a Y in the discharge just to run a scope. I have extra pvc and flexible hose and considering buying a submersible pump for emergencies
i see a non grounding outlet. might be worth mentioning. correct polarity can lower the lifespan of the pump motor and reduce the safety of the pump during such events as a flood etc.
These tips are excellent, but the question is how effective they are ? (a) I don't trust on battery backup, because you never know how much juice(how many hours left) you have in the battery. Let's say if you have a power outage for a day or more is that your battery can handle ? Can you have a extra battery in your home ? I don't think so. I got a generator for my whole house, which serves all 4 pumps including sump pit. (b) Alarm , we always have someone or the other in the house. I bought $15 alarm from Amazon(Topvico Water Leak Sensor Detector) setup all around the basement and they are life saver makes noise enough to wake up the whole neighborhood, Trust me. Once my floater stop working in sump , these alarm went off , I immediately switched to other pump and later changed the floater. (c) I always recommend two sump pumps functional in the sump. One unplugged connected to Y and the other one is plugged. If by any means one pump doesn't work you can switch onto the other one. I am totally against of both pumps plugging into outlet all the time. (d) This is for the more conservative cautious people, due to uneven weather lately , I recommend having an extra backup pump connected with hose ready somewhere in the garage. So that during heavy rain if by any chance your pump stop working you can always plug in and start pumping water.
Have a second new pump ready to change out in case you have a failure. Most times when pumps break everybody else is flooded and the store runs out of pumps. Be proactive and buy yourself a second pump ready to swap out when yours fails. Don’t forget your fitting’s for the second pump. Stay dry.
Well, what other options are there? You can get high water pressure if you run a line from the street side of the regulator. Obviously the water-powered sump should only kick on when the water level indicates the ordinary pump isn't working.
Most common failures of a sump pump is the float switch. I have 2 pits in my sub basement I also have battery backups. My pumps are controlled by "levelguard." switches. You position them at the level you want the pump to go on.
I’ve been in my apartment 15 years once and a while we get heavy rain I’ve never heard it turn on but it’s plugged in is it possible it no longer works the hole it sits in has water in it but not enough to be concerned about though
Ran across this when looking for info regarding the exterior sump pump drain line (to the street, in my case). I recently had to replace about 100’ of the old cheap line that had collapsed. Required a small trench backhoe, and had it replaced with sched 40 (green) pipe. The issue I am trying to resolve is that the contractor ran a sealed line coming out of the foundation all the way to the street. That seems wrong. Shouldn’t there be a vent somewhere? Ie, the line they replaced came out of the foundation, about 3’ up from the ground, and dropped into a larger line at ground level - it was not a sealed line/connection (2.5” line into 4” line). This logically allowed water being pumped out a place to go/vent if there was a plug further down the line - which is actually what happened when the line collapsed! So, my concern is that now, with a totally sealed system from pump - thru the wall - to the street... if a blockage occurs, it will blow out in the basement!! I asked a plumber about this, and he said it should work ok, but seemed more worried about not having a battery backup (which is a plan). Any thoughts? Thx!
My line is a totally sealed 120 foot run to the ditch. Buried. It runs inside a 4 inch corrugated non perforated line. The first 40 feet has an evestrough heater line attached that I’ve never had to plug in. I’ve attached a one way air vent on the line inside the house on the horizontal section before the wall. It allows the water to continue after the pump shuts off. No air lock. No issues in about 15 years. My pump gets swapped out every 8 yrs or so. I’m in a cold part of Canada with 5 foot frost some years. And yes I do have a back up generator and an alarm. Bit of work but you will sleep better. Many neighbors have had freeze ups and floods.
Forgot to say I also have the battery backup but it’s really good for only a few hundred gallons. I keep a spare pump in the pit as a back up, set higher . Floods are expensive and better prevented.
New sump pump owner, it was installed by the builder who sold us the house so we have no information on it. They tied in a radon mitigation with it and sealed it off with plexiglass. This means we can't flush it or clean it. Where do we go from here? Our basement has already flooded so I'm assuming the pump is not working?
We used to have a battery powered sump pump but when the battery was the dead it wasn't a good. So what we used to do is take a long piece of wire and would hook it up to a car with engine running which kept the pump on during a power cut
Very helpful your 6 Tips...&:well explained. I live closed to the water & my 2 bdm ranch came w/no sump pump. A technitian who was coming for an estimate. Just called me, & advices me , not to get a sump pump yet 'til my house its raised. Don't know f it's TRUE, or maybe he dont want to work in a Crawling Space....please tell me what U think ??? In the winter, I feel I am breathing all the water from downstairs, besides I don't have a Subfloor, only a finish 3/4"... floor..which isn't enough. Yes I love my house but we almost got hit with a Storm not long ago & was coming directly to us. Yes, Sandy was here in 2012........ I wasn't . "Thanks for your Reply"
Throw No Lie when you said you had six simple things people can do is 8 minutes long I knew you were going to drag it on then I have to literally Speed the video up 1.5 and then in the end I realized holy crap showing his last tip I haven't heard anything yet it seems like it'll really help me maintain that unit or necessarily save money and then I realized you might have to cover things that were important but not necessarily what your title suggested feel like I wasted my last 8 minutes cuz I already knew all that stuff bro
We have two pumps side by side in separated pits one has water from the drains the other one which has an overflow that shoots the water outside of the house is there in case the basement starts to flood. There was a couple of dead mice so I emptied it and cleaned it up but I did not put any water back in there as it seems to just sit there and I presume stagnate. Should I put water in the pit or can I leave it dry? Thanks for the tips!
Could not help but notice the vinyl dryer vent hose in video. I recommend you prepare video addressing why the vinyl hose should NEVER be used for a dryer.
My sump pit doesn't collect much water. I cleaned up 5 gallon bucket of gravel from the pit. U get clean water when ur pit is collecting lots of water.
For battery backup, you might consider a Powerwall, or comparable "house battery" (LG, and Generac are two others). People laughed at us when we first got ours; then PG&E started browning us out... guess who's laughing now! That audible alarm thing is yesterday's news. We need the thing that alerts you on your phone! ;-)
off topic but just thought you should know the dryer vent is not safe. Dryer manufacture recommends a material that is UL listed 2158a be used as the transition piece from the dryer to the actual vent. Basically the flimsy white vinyle stuff is a fire hazard along with the flimsy foil material. Use semi-ridgid are solid pipe to be safe.
I have a problem, when it rains really bad, when it rains really hard my street drains at the end my street cannot keep up. What happens is water starts to flood the street and then it backs up and comes out my basement floor drain and I do not have a sump pump. My thought is, and I cannot get people to understand what I'm wanting to try and do, to me it's simple and makes sense. I want to use a pump, a pump that has an inlet port for suction and an outlet port for discharge, attach a hose, maybe like a garden hose to the inlet, sit the pump on the floor next to the drain, put the other end of the inlet hose down the drain in the water, then attach the discharge hose, run it up my stairs and out my side door. If it starts raining really bad and I notice water starting to fill up my pipe just grab the pump put the suction hose down the drain, run the discharge hose out of the hose and turn the pump on and let it run sucking the water out of that drain and discharging out in my driveway. This is basic pumping knowledge but no one gets it, not even Home Depot or Ace hardware, they keep showing me pumps that you sit it in the water. Let me know if you understand and if there a little electric pumps like what I'm talking about.
Okay so I am new to sump pumps. What might be is wrong with it. Examples please. A lot of rain but it keeps kicking on every couple mins. Stops rough. My basement is not under water
When I bought my first house I was told to buy a spare sump pump in case the original one died. I did not and now it is 1030 at night and my sump pump is dead. Looks like I will be buying two now.
We sell contractor-grade pumps at wholesale prices on our website: www.rcworst.com - or give us a call and we can help you select the best replacement: 855.329.4519
Hi thanks for your video! I have muddy water in my sump pump well. It’s just not clear water. It’s spring and wet outside, so I guess this is ok. My pump runs almost constantly, but it’s working. I have a dewatering Zoeller (spelling sorry) Thank-You!
Great video. We have a main and a back up pump, but recently the system has been going on (seems to operate) even if there is no rain outside. Any idea on what this means? I do not want to be taken advantage of which seems to be common. I usually get several opinions but most plumbers want a fee just to come out to evaluate. This means I am looking for other sources to troubleshoot it myself.
Hello, really enjoying your RUclips channel! I've been looking for an answer to this without success and hoping you can advise... Can the water from a sump pump be used to help fill a cistern?
First keep gutters clean on a regular basis not once or twice a year ,you need to keep trees cut way back if not clean gutters every month or 2 weeks during fall. haul in dirt around house grade dirt to basement .Extend gutters 10ft from house or more depends on the grade of the yard .If you still have water then install a sump pump .
What are you’re recommendation on installation of a battery back-up on a sump-pump ? I have 2 Optama Yellow top D31T and I have a Yescom 1/2 Hp submersible pump 2112 G.P.H any advice would be greatly appreciated. !
Get a Samsung Smart things hub and water sensor. Moisture on the floor from water heater TP valve, AC condensate, humidifier, et al and you get a text on your phone. Perfect and under a hundred bucks. You can also add motion sensors, CO, smoke, door sensors, sirens...basically an entire security system. We have a big house with two pumps and water is a problem if there's a storm or snow melt causes a lot of water under the foundation and if a pump fails we need to know fast. And roger on the check valves. I don't like the puny 1 1/4" flappers adapted to 1 1/2" so I go with a 2" full flow sewage pump valve. Speaking of sewage pumps they make great sump pumps if you need to pass lots of water with solids and hold up well under hard use. But you need a decent basin, nothing under 15" diameter.
I have a question for you about a sump pump. I have a sump, but I also have a natural water level under my house, and the Plummer has installed the pump to where it's running every half n hour. Question should it be installed about the natural water level, and to activate when it comes above the natural level?
Very informative video. I have a question though. I live in a flood plain area and have a sump pump in my basement. I would like to dig a deeper sump pit for the pump, but since I have such a high water table, how can I install a new plastic sump pit liner with so much water in the pit?
Is the alarm a steady buzz ? I noticed that my sump pump has gotten Raju loud. It sounds louder than usual. My ex husband put a back up pump on there however, I know nothing about his often I need it when I need to replace the pump. Because it's loud now, I'm wondering if it's the alarm or is it going bad.
I have one pump and one battery backup. I guess one can have a battery backup attached to the primary battery (as me) and necessarily have a secondary pump for battery back up
Don't depend on that battery backup too much. We had one and the charge doesnt last long. Also they cannot pump large amounts of water fast enough. I am in the process of getting a water pump. Either a "Basepump" or a "Liberty" one. There are others too.
@Kevin n I haven't had to use it yet. But tested it a few times. Unplug elect. pump and filled the sump with water. Turned on fast and pumped it out real quick. I installed a tap / spigot next to the pump (PEX line) with a small hose just for that purpose.
Great video. A respectful suggested correction on your comment about educating oneself to avoid being taken advantage of by a professional. A more accurate statement would be taken advantage of by a fake professional. Real professionals never take advantage of people.
Is it okay for washer to drain into sump basin? My only alternative is to drain it into the laundry tub, then that pump will have to work extra hard. I guess I trust the sump pump to work properly more than I do the sink pump.
If you live in an area that your sump pump goes off on a regular basis (one or more times a day or at least a few times a week), I suggest having a backup pump pre-plumbed with a new check valve at the ready to drop in in 5 min. The plumbing should be setup so that the pump can easily be removed with the check valve by use of rubber pipe couplers. Last thing you want is a failure and no way to get a new pump in fast. They *will* fail and at the worse time possible.
I have a backup at the ready, an in-sump water jet backup to my main pump (no power needed) and a floor pool-pump at the ready for any needed swap event.
Tip... drain your humidifier and dehumidifier to the well too. Keeps the pump active (and tested), especially for those areas that the pump is seldom used. Exercises the pump, float and switch.
Great tips!!
what if power goes out
@@randomrazr Water Jet (no electric needed) and break out the generator if lost for more than a hour.
So basically have an extra pump ready to go sitting next to the pump?
What is an in sump water jet?
Good tips, thank you! I have a home-made alarm system (Raspberry Pi, ultrasonic proximity sensor in tank, ability to send text messages over Internet), battery backup on the Pi, the network & Internet modem, generator in the shed (tested monthly) and a brand new pump in box on a shelf in the basement. Where we live with high water table and inconsistent electric company service, this has saved us from flooded basement more than once.
That's awesome. Are there any instructions you found or made for how to set that up? Would you be able to switch the pumps out fast if needed?
You need to share your build man
It’s been 4 years, but man, would I love to hear your setup!
Make sure the back up pump can handle a ton of rain-learned the hard way (had just
moved in the house) had the backup pump, and found out the hard way, that it was
not strong enough to work! NOW, have a battery powered generator, so that mess
does not happen again! Tried it out on a few days of light rain, worked like a charm.
Got the ECOFLOW 1300 about a thousand dollars-would highly recommend it, totally
worth the money! Good luck to all!
I am installing a battery back-up system tomorrow. Thanks, the vid helped a bit.
Very good video providing excellent advise except for the backup system. In reviewing backup systems I found the water powered backup sump pump was more reliable because you are not concerned about power being out for several days and the battery runs dry. The water powered sump pump saved me more than once when the switch on the electric pump failed.
that's what we did on our new home. water powered backup is the way to go!
I also have a water powered back up pump. I’ve had it for 15 years and so far never had to use it. Power. Outages only last a couple hours. Great peace of mind when gone away for a couple weeks at a time. My daughter got one for her house. I occasionally lift the float to make sure it works.
This is only good advice if your water system does not also depend on electric power. Those of us with wells or cisterns cant use these.
I have a water pressure "powered" backup pump. It does work. However, one time it failed me, and that was the midwest power blackout of 2006. Back then in the Detroit area the water mains also went down and had no water pressure, only residual pressure. So my basement started to fill up with fresh water as the backup pump turned on but not enough pressure to actually pump! Luckily I caught this fairly early and no real damage was done.
Or if you don't want to retrofit a new pump just have it hooked up to a basic UPS. Just have to change the battery every 5 years or so.
1) A 110 volt tank alert alarm is of no use in a power failure. Always use a battery powered alarm that also works off AC.
2) You make no mention of checking the Check Valve periodically. It is as important to inspect the check valve as it is the sump pump. Failure of a check valve staying in a closed position will cause the valve to rupture and cause basement flooding.
3) The float switch is THE most common sump pump failure and should be changed every 3 years. You make no mention of maintenance or replacement of the switch.
4) Suggesting having a replacement pump on hand with the plumbing pipe already installed is by far the cheapest insurance one can have for a pump failure. Knowing where to buy a pump as you suggest is totally useless. By the time you order a pump or even go out to buy a pump and plumb it (if your'e lucky enough to find one locally when rains are heavy) is too late. The damage is already done..!
Thanks for the input - these are solid tips!
Ideal: I have the Ring alarm system with water level alarm sensor. Battery operated, alerts the central monitoring station even if you have loss of power and loss of internet (the Ring system has cellular communications as backup and battery backup). The system alerts me on the app, and the central monitor service ($100/year for the whole alarm system) calls my cell phone with any alerts.
I’m so confused about my sump pump. It’s making loud noises. But this is still helpful as I knew pretty much next to nothing about it until now.😂😭😅
Most newer homes, sump pumps are plugged into a GFI. Make sure to check your GFI because if that gets activated you will have a flood. Also I recommend using a Audible GFI so when it trips an alarm goes off.
Great tips!
In addition to Irving G 's comment. Ground fault plug in should be the #1 tip because if you get down on a wet concrete floor on you knees or hands without a GFI it may be the last time you do it.!
My F.I.L's pump quit, standing in 4 inches of water in the farmhouse basement. 1st thing I did was unplug it, then pulled the pump out of the hole to find a bare wire showing where it goes into the motor. No GFI, must have been the neutral wire exposed . So glad to be here.
Irving G. Because I dont bathe in the sump pit I remove GFI's because they can be so finicky,
I know some people will freak out hearing this but they don't realize we lived without them or bicycle helmets.
Also I unplug non GFI items before working on them.
All of it is good advice. But don't wait too long to replace your pump if you have high usage.
I live in a high water table area, so I replace my pump and float switch unit every five years.
The one time I waited too long, it cost me hundreds of dollars in damages.
A hundred dollars or so every five years is cheap insurance.
I’d recommend Wayne or Zoeller sump pumps for their long lifespan.
Replacement switches are available too unlike those cheap China sump pumps....
Agreed 100%
Howdy Sir! I have NEVER HEARD of a Sump Pump BUT there was one in the house that I had rented. I honestly thought that one day a snake or bugs would come up through there at some point. I've moved since then, but I was looking at a house to buy and thought to myself "let me find out what the purpose of that sump pump is". Anyway, I've decided to buy a house that doesn't require a sump pump.
Just the same, I've created and saved this video in my Home and Car Mechanics file. Thank you for taking the time to make the video! We appreciate you.
If the house has a basement, then you would want a sump pump with a proper lid. The house I am looking at has a sump pump and isn't located in a flood plain but due to heavy storms the basin has filled up.
I always have a spare sump pump on hand. This has saved me before - for example my float arm failed. I was able to swap the pump in a few minutes and buy a replacement float arm within a day.
My eight-year-old son really enjoyed watching this video. Thanks.
Encourage him to be a plumber. Lord knows they make a damn fortune. Not so sure he would have liked it as much if it were a black water pump vid vs gray.😁
you are so helpful, thank you. new old home with a sump pump.....eeeks...but i am quite relieved when i watch your vids thank you!
Glad to help
I like videos that have people that know their stuff. Thanks
Thanks for watching!
Tip #3 how to turn over a bucket and make it into a seat
Chris I’m glad you have a sense of humor, I am getting RUclips comment karma because my sceptic system has issues 😪 got any videos on sceptic systems?
Lol
Some of my plumbers took advantage of me. Female, single feel they can do whatever. Wouldn’t show me how to Check pump to see if was working.
Thank you for the info so helpful great honesty
@@cockatoosmommaryangel6747 that's horrible, I absolutely hate the buffoons that ruin the reputation of plumbers. As a plumber and HVAC Technician myself the advice I can give is to never call contractors, large plumbing companies that send out their underpaid/overworked employees. The best plumbers to call are independents and family businesses. Just check who you are hiring because you want somebody that is licensed and knowledgeable in the field.
@@cockatoosmommaryangel6747 i honestly wish i had known what the sump pump was for about a week ago. As i had plumbers over for something different, Id have asked them to help me test it. This is a very informative video though
I have two sump pumps. One usually engages when the main one can’t keep up with incoming flow. I don’t live in a flood area but this week we have gotten non stop rain for several days and it got to the point where both sump pumps remained on for over 24 hours and eventually couldn’t keep up. Thankfully I have a pool “water bug” pump which helped pump out water to maintain the water levels from going up in my basement. I recently ordered a $400 trash pump with a 2” outlet water hose and should pump 79 gallons per minute. It’s frustrating that I had to make the additional purchase and I may never have to use it but at least it’s there and it could possibly save me thousands of dollars in the future.
Here's one for ya. Installed new submersable pump with a check valve at the pump in my farmhouse like what you show here. Worked great the first time. Next time it was running but not pumping. It was air locked because most of the time the sump is dry. As water filled the sump air could not escape out of the pump itself and there's 7 foot of water inside the pipe above the checkvalve as well. Took a few tries to realize it was airlocking,,, just didn't seem possible. I drilled a 1/16 " hole in the checkvalve threads, below the valve which allows the air to escape. Problem solved for 2 yrs. now.
Nice job!
Would having the hole you drilled also leak the water out as it pumped?
@@bradc5916 Yes, you're right. When I install the pump there's no water above the check valve so there's no problem. In my case the sump is totally dry during winter and summer but there's 7 foot of water above the check valve. When the sump fills with water air can't escape below the check valve so with air in the pump area it can''t pump. The small hole allows the pump to prime with water so it can work but the small amount of water squrting out doesn't hurt anything. I would drill a small hole in any application because it doesn't hurt anything and makes sure the pump can prime unless the hole gets clogged somehow. Some don't use a checkvalve but the water in the pipe drains into the sump every time the pumps shuts off making it cycle sooner.
@@jefffrayer8238interesting. The weep hole can be anywhere above the pump and below the checkvalve?
I install a new pump every 5 years, cheap insurance. Then I keep the old pump as a spare. My 1 1/2' PVC riser is connected with a PVC union, its 62" from the bottom of the pump to the top of the bottom flat of the union, swap out would take about 15 seconds...........never had to use it. Been in my house for 18 years. My ideal situation would be to have my next house near a drop off deeper than my basement floor, then using a backhoe trench out from the bottom of the foundation with a 4" PVC pipe so it drains all the time there is groundwater pressure......no need for a pump anymore.
Buy quality pumps... ive had pumps running for 24 years non stop made in germany.. then other pumps that break after a year made in the usa or china.. just saying.. but i hear ya on being preventative
@@jeepsblackpowderandlights4305 What is the make and model of your pump? I would like to look into that....... when it rains hard where I live the pump runs every 60 seconds. I don't know your cycle time so that might be why the pump you use lasts so long.
We have a very small pit for our pump, no way to add an additional fixture for a battery unit or an alarm. One thing we have done...Amazon sells battery powered water alarms. We bought a set of 4 of them, scattered them around the basement, and put one right next to the sump pit. If the pump fails and water seeps over the top, it hits the alarm and puts out a tone, similar to what a smoke alarm does. We haven't had the one at the pump trigger yet, but a couple of the other alarms in the basement have been hit by seepage, and let us know it. They were a good $30 purchase.
A water-powered back up sump pump is much better than a battery powered one. if you have city or county water (not well water), you can tap off the water line in your basement and through the venturi effect the pump will activate if your main pump doesn't have power. I am having one installed next Friday.
Good tip!
I have this as well. Greatest thing ever. My area had bad rains and power outages and I didn't sweat worrying about if battery backup worked. Some of my neighbors batteries failed. Hydro pressure kept pumping water out for me. It was only slightly more expensive than the battery backup which sold me on it.
We could not find a battery backup pump that would keep up with the amount of water coming into the pit. So we installed a 'near' whole house backup generator. We then installed a 2nd sump pump with the floats offset so if the main sump pump fails the 2nd pump kicks in or if the 1st pump can't keep up with the demand then both pumps work together pumping out water. Lastly, I created monitor system using an Arduino that when the 2nd pump kicks on it sends me a text message that the 2nd sump pump has been activated.
yep, a battery system isn't enough for my sump. it needs a generator. and I agree about keeping a back up sump on the shelf near the sump pit.
good info for someone that is new to sump pumps. thanks for explaining !
That gravel bed is a problem, get a patio block that’s 3” or so smaller than your pit and install it on the gravel bed (you can use a square patio block, a little larger than your pit and break off the corners). If pump is too high remove some of your gravel. This will keep the gravel out of your pump if it’s a bottom intake. Jim
Me sitting over here with 3 sumps that run constantly because my house is placed ontop of an old river bed and probably a natural spring lol
Get a generator, have a secondary pump, set things up so you can use other available nearby sewage/mastication pumps, look for a way to set up a garden hose to a lower spot for a siphon.
Great tips!
for the water level alarm i use a pigtail float switch with a light plugged into it , cost 35 dollars the float switch is same as the one that i have on a submersible pump to make a cheap pump into a sump pump
Because of a CIP project that the city handled poorly, the water table increased significantly in our neighborhood - thus an overactive sump pump. Along with a battery backup, an electrical siphoning pump has been implemented to take away the pressure from the sump on those days when the influx of water flow is too much.
I'm a mechanic and more often then not I think I know it all, My first house was so high and dry the sump was bone dry and never was needed.
My SECOND house has ten years worth of sludge in the sump pit because the know it all didn't know you need to clean it. Ha ha.
Live and learn for sure! Thanks for the comment
Nice video. Suggest the homeowner change the plastic dryer vent pipe to a metal pipe, have an electrician install a grounded electrical circuit for the washing machine; galvanized washing machine discharge pipe will eventually rust from the inside and will fail, replace with copper or PVC pipe.
Thanks for posting this video and providing us the good SME tips on sump pumps. Appreciate you!
Thank You
For your vivid instructional insights
Absolutely
GREAT instructor.
Great tips! I would like to know how you would correct the situation when an air lock has occurred in the pump? I have experienced a number of instances where the "professional" just wants to come out and replace the pump as faulty, when it may just be an air lock situation. Any advice from you or viewers is appreciated.
Drill a weep hole. We have a video on that.
Good advice to the novice users, if utilizing a redundant (lag) pump which operates simultaneously with the main (lead) pump. Be sure to match the total dynamic head of each unit.
Imagine having two pumps both capable of 10 gpm discharge flow, however one produces the 10 gpm at 10 feet of head and the other at 20 feet of head. It is possible depending on the head required at design, the lower head pump may not perform at all.
Always match duplex / multi pump applications total dynamic head.
Good to know
9 volt warning alarm at Home Depot is about $ 12.
Replace battery every 5 years if not used,
Add an extension to the buzzer to have it located on the living level and not in the cellar.
Yes, I cut the wire and used old speaker wire extension to mount it where I could actually hear it from main floor.
Need to suggest to have a check valve.
It keeps water from retuning down the discharge pipe back into the pit.
He also did not say anything about to where the the water is being discharged is free of debris at the discharge point and the water is flowing out of it.
Love the Worst music at the beginning 😂🤷♂️💯Great video 👍Thanks for the tips!
Great video. I have a sump system in my home. What seems to happens for me is that the float seems to get clogged up with a white waxy substance and then prevents the float to operate. I was told that it may be a combination of soap (laundry, dish, shower) and grease. Is there something I can pour in on a regular basis to dissolve that gunk. Draino, etc ?
Those appliances should be discharged into your main drain line or septic , not your sump pump crock
@@timbrowers4094 Thanks for your response. I guess I should clarify this. This old house has no direct line to the sewer system . All grey water and toilet discharge goes into this basin and then gets pumped into the city system. This is the way I bought the house (62 year old house) and for some reason it was not directly connected.
I guess the term sump is the wrong way to describe this system. Thanks
you can get loud water alarms off ebay that are battery operated for about $25 to $30. they work fine. hang it in your pit on a wire. let a second sit on top your lowest drain just in case
Excellent presentation! Tk you!
Glad you liked it!
There was no mention about a water-powered (Venturi) backup sump pump system. In many situations this is more reliable than a battery back up system. No battery to maintain/replace and especially if the power is out for several days.
I don't know if you have or not. But any video on how to keep your discharge opening from freezing up in the winter. Not sure if I'm saying it right but the part that comes out of the the house where the hose connect to.
You need an "ice break". Basically if your hose freezes, youll still be able to pump out. The water coming from the pump usually doesn't freeze until after its exposed to the air.
My water moves about 100 feet under ground. And even during the polar vortex, I had no issues.
I actually had a line of grass in my yard that melted the snow.
Thank you for your tips! Do we have to have it on all the time, it’s a bit loud and at night it’s annoying, can we shut it off sometimes? Thank you!
Finished basement has a sump pump and well in a closet. The cover is sealed for radon mitigation and there is a floor drain going to the main drain line at the other corner of the basement. Theoretically, if my sump fails, it would make its way to the floor drain. I'm not sure where my sump drains to, somewhere out front. Tempted to put a Y in the discharge just to run a scope. I have extra pvc and flexible hose and considering buying a submersible pump for emergencies
What a great video. Thank you for this information and the wonderful pace as you delivered the information. Appreciate it
Welcome back to another great video? Don't try to take that decision away from me pal.
i see a non grounding outlet. might be worth mentioning. correct polarity can lower the lifespan of the pump motor and reduce the safety of the pump during such events as a flood etc.
Good Eye! This was a temporary installation just for this video to get shot, but any permanent installations should be on a grounded outlet.
Wow, thank you man. You provided valuable info
Thanks for watching!
These tips are excellent, but the question is how effective they are ? (a) I don't trust on battery backup, because you never know how much juice(how many hours left) you have in the battery. Let's say if you have a power outage for a day or more is that your battery can handle ? Can you have a extra battery in your home ? I don't think so. I got a generator for my whole house, which serves all 4 pumps including sump pit.
(b) Alarm , we always have someone or the other in the house. I bought $15 alarm from Amazon(Topvico Water Leak Sensor Detector) setup all around the basement and they are life saver makes noise enough to wake up the whole neighborhood, Trust me. Once my floater stop working in sump , these alarm went off , I immediately switched to other pump and later changed the floater.
(c) I always recommend two sump pumps functional in the sump. One unplugged connected to Y and the other one is plugged. If by any means one pump doesn't work you can switch onto the other one. I am totally against of both pumps plugging into outlet all the time.
(d) This is for the more conservative cautious people, due to uneven weather lately , I recommend having an extra backup pump connected with hose ready somewhere in the garage. So that during heavy rain if by any chance your pump stop working you can always plug in and start pumping water.
Have a second new pump ready to change out in case you have a failure. Most times when pumps break everybody else is flooded and the store runs out of pumps. Be proactive and buy yourself a second pump ready to swap out when yours fails. Don’t forget your fitting’s for the second pump. Stay dry.
Good Tips!
An old Lennox pulse furnace in the background. Those things are cool lol.
And heavy as hell.
MAKE SURE, your check valves are in good condition :)
Septic tank field line
There are plenty of cheap 9V water detecting alarms. Also no mention of water-pressure powered backup pumps?
These battery back ups are trash. And water pumps only work with high water pressure. And a high water bill.
Well, what other options are there? You can get high water pressure if you run a line from the street side of the regulator. Obviously the water-powered sump should only kick on when the water level indicates the ordinary pump isn't working.
Sounds like you are describing an eductor.
@@BigMike617 Then fill your basement with water. A high water bill every 5 yrs is worth it in an emergency.
An alarm only lets you know pump is gone and youre still screwed.
Thanks for the video I have a question when putting together my discharge pipe to the pump should I put a hole in the pipe on the bottom?
This vdo is very useful, very good 👍
Most common failures of a sump pump is the float switch. I have 2 pits in my sub basement I also have battery backups. My pumps are controlled by "levelguard." switches. You position them at the level you want the pump to go on.
I’ve been in my apartment 15 years once and a while we get heavy rain I’ve never heard it turn on but it’s plugged in is it possible it no longer works the hole it sits in has water in it but not enough to be concerned about though
Ran across this when looking for info regarding the exterior sump pump drain line (to the street, in my case). I recently had to replace about 100’ of the old cheap line that had collapsed. Required a small trench backhoe, and had it replaced with sched 40 (green) pipe. The issue I am trying to resolve is that the contractor ran a sealed line coming out of the foundation all the way to the street. That seems wrong. Shouldn’t there be a vent somewhere? Ie, the line they replaced came out of the foundation, about 3’ up from the ground, and dropped into a larger line at ground level - it was not a sealed line/connection (2.5” line into 4” line). This logically allowed water being pumped out a place to go/vent if there was a plug further down the line - which is actually what happened when the line collapsed! So, my concern is that now, with a totally sealed system from pump - thru the wall - to the street... if a blockage occurs, it will blow out in the basement!! I asked a plumber about this, and he said it should work ok, but seemed more worried about not having a battery backup (which is a plan). Any thoughts? Thx!
My line is a totally sealed 120 foot run to the ditch. Buried. It runs inside a 4 inch corrugated non perforated line. The first 40 feet has an evestrough heater line attached that I’ve never had to plug in. I’ve attached a one way air vent on the line inside the house on the horizontal section before the wall. It allows the water to continue after the pump shuts off. No air lock. No issues in about 15 years. My pump gets swapped out every 8 yrs or so. I’m in a cold part of Canada with 5 foot frost some years. And yes I do have a back up generator and an alarm. Bit of work but you will sleep better. Many neighbors have had freeze ups and floods.
Forgot to say I also have the battery backup but it’s really good for only a few hundred gallons. I keep a spare pump in the pit as a back up, set higher . Floods are expensive and better prevented.
Janet Yeoman thanks for your comments! I guess if you can get by in the northern realm, I should be ok. Cheers!
New sump pump owner, it was installed by the builder who sold us the house so we have no information on it. They tied in a radon mitigation with it and sealed it off with plexiglass. This means we can't flush it or clean it. Where do we go from here? Our basement has already flooded so I'm assuming the pump is not working?
I always have a second pump in my workshop ready to replace the the one in the pit.
This is MTV Cribs, and welcome to our basement
We used to have a battery powered sump pump but when the battery was the dead it wasn't a good. So what we used to do is take a long piece of wire and would hook it up to a car with engine running which kept the pump on during a power cut
So basically have an extra pump ready to go sitting next to the sump?
How much water is supposed to be in the pit? Or should it be completely empty?
Very helpful your 6 Tips...&:well explained.
I live closed to the water & my 2 bdm ranch came w/no sump pump.
A technitian who was coming for an estimate. Just called me, & advices me , not to get a sump pump yet 'til my house its raised. Don't know f it's TRUE, or maybe he dont want to work in a Crawling Space....please tell me what U think ???
In the winter, I feel I am breathing all the water from downstairs, besides I don't have a Subfloor, only a finish 3/4"...
floor..which isn't enough.
Yes I love my house but we almost got hit with a Storm not long ago & was coming directly to us.
Yes, Sandy was here in 2012........ I wasn't .
"Thanks for your Reply"
Throw No Lie when you said you had six simple things people can do is 8 minutes long I knew you were going to drag it on then I have to literally Speed the video up 1.5 and then in the end I realized holy crap showing his last tip I haven't heard anything yet it seems like it'll really help me maintain that unit or necessarily save money and then I realized you might have to cover things that were important but not necessarily what your title suggested feel like I wasted my last 8 minutes cuz I already knew all that stuff bro
We have two pumps side by side in separated pits one has water from the drains the other one which has an overflow that shoots the water outside of the house is there in case the basement starts to flood. There was a couple of dead mice so I emptied it and cleaned it up but I did not put any water back in there as it seems to just sit there and I presume stagnate. Should I put water in the pit or can I leave it dry? Thanks for the tips!
Could not help but notice the vinyl dryer vent hose in video. I recommend you prepare video addressing why the vinyl hose should NEVER be used for a dryer.
My sump pit doesn't collect much water. I cleaned up 5 gallon bucket of gravel from the pit. U get clean water when ur pit is collecting lots of water.
For battery backup, you might consider a Powerwall, or comparable "house battery" (LG, and Generac are two others). People laughed at us when we first got ours; then PG&E started browning us out... guess who's laughing now! That audible alarm thing is yesterday's news. We need the thing that alerts you on your phone! ;-)
Thanks! Question: should a sump pump basen be perforated ?
off topic but just thought you should know the dryer vent is not safe. Dryer manufacture recommends a material that is UL listed 2158a be used as the transition piece from the dryer to the actual vent. Basically the flimsy white vinyle stuff is a fire hazard along with the flimsy foil material. Use semi-ridgid are solid pipe to be safe.
I have a problem, when it rains really bad, when it rains really hard my street drains at the end my street cannot keep up. What happens is water starts to flood the street and then it backs up and comes out my basement floor drain and I do not have a sump pump. My thought is, and I cannot get people to understand what I'm wanting to try and do, to me it's simple and makes sense. I want to use a pump, a pump that has an inlet port for suction and an outlet port for discharge, attach a hose, maybe like a garden hose to the inlet, sit the pump on the floor next to the drain, put the other end of the inlet hose down the drain in the water, then attach the discharge hose, run it up my stairs and out my side door. If it starts raining really bad and I notice water starting to fill up my pipe just grab the pump put the suction hose down the drain, run the discharge hose out of the hose and turn the pump on and let it run sucking the water out of that drain and discharging out in my driveway. This is basic pumping knowledge but no one gets it, not even Home Depot or Ace hardware, they keep showing me pumps that you sit it in the water. Let me know if you understand and if there a little electric pumps like what I'm talking about.
Excellent suggestions
Great steps. Thanks for the video
Glad it was helpful!
TY. Mines clogged and I don't want to tell my bf and you explained it within 5 minutes. I think it's dryer lint
Very good explained
Thank you Jaswinder
How much sump could a sump pump pump if a sump pump could pump sump?
A sump pump could pump many sump if a sump pump could pump sump.
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
So silly 😂 wasn't expecting a good laugh clicking on a sump pump video lol
Great informal video. Thanks for sharing! Liked and subscribed.
Thanks for the sub!
Thank you very much for the information very usable
Glad it was helpful!
Okay so I am new to sump pumps. What might be is wrong with it. Examples please. A lot of rain but it keeps kicking on every couple mins. Stops rough. My basement is not under water
Faith, give us a call so we can get a better understanding of your situation and help you find a solution: 855.329.4519
When I bought my first house I was told to buy a spare sump pump in case the original one died. I did not and now it is 1030 at night and my sump pump is dead. Looks like I will be buying two now.
We sell contractor-grade pumps at wholesale prices on our website: www.rcworst.com - or give us a call and we can help you select the best replacement: 855.329.4519
Hi thanks for your video! I have muddy water in my sump pump well. It’s just not clear water. It’s spring and wet outside, so I guess this is ok.
My pump runs almost constantly, but it’s working. I have a dewatering Zoeller (spelling sorry)
Thank-You!
Great video. We have a main and a back up pump, but recently the system has been going on
(seems to operate) even if there is no rain outside. Any idea on what this means? I do not want to be taken advantage of which seems to be common. I usually get several opinions but most plumbers want a fee just to come out to evaluate. This means I am looking for other sources to troubleshoot it myself.
Sounds like you may have high groundwater issues
You forgot to talk about the foat valve and how to fix it or maintain it but helpfully otherwise
We certainly should have touched on that, but there are a LOT of floats out there. We'll work them into another video.
Hello, really enjoying your RUclips channel! I've been looking for an answer to this without success and hoping you can advise... Can the water from a sump pump be used to help fill a cistern?
It certainly CAN be, but I can't say whether your city codes like it or not.
First keep gutters clean on a regular basis not once or twice a year ,you need to keep trees cut way back if not clean gutters every month or 2 weeks during fall. haul in dirt around house grade dirt to basement .Extend gutters 10ft from house or more depends on the grade of the yard .If you still have water then install a sump pump .
What are you’re recommendation on installation of a battery back-up on a sump-pump ? I have 2 Optama Yellow top D31T and I have a Yescom 1/2 Hp submersible pump 2112 G.P.H any advice would be greatly appreciated. !
Get a Samsung Smart things hub and water sensor. Moisture on the floor from water heater TP valve, AC condensate, humidifier, et al and you get a text on your phone. Perfect and under a hundred bucks. You can also add motion sensors, CO, smoke, door sensors, sirens...basically an entire security system. We have a big house with two pumps and water is a problem if there's a storm or snow melt causes a lot of water under the foundation and if a pump fails we need to know fast.
And roger on the check valves. I don't like the puny 1 1/4" flappers adapted to 1 1/2" so I go with a 2" full flow sewage pump valve. Speaking of sewage pumps they make great sump pumps if you need to pass lots of water with solids and hold up well under hard use. But you need a decent basin, nothing under 15" diameter.
Are you all “experts” or are you true enthusiasts like us
What about a small problem that coming out of the pump water drain. And you make a video on how to get rid of it
I am not sure what you are asking. What is the problem?
I see a dangerous poly dryer vent in the background.
I have a question for you about a sump pump. I have a sump, but I also have a natural water level under my house, and the Plummer has installed the pump to where it's running every half n hour. Question should it be installed about the natural water level, and to activate when it comes above the natural level?
Nice Job! Learned a lot!
Glad to hear it!
Very informative video. I have a question though. I live in a flood plain area and have a sump pump in my basement. I would like to dig a deeper sump pit for the pump, but since I have such a high water table, how can I install a new plastic sump pit liner with so much water in the pit?
Drill several holes in the bottom of the liner.
If the discharge is yellow, what can I put in the sump area to clear the algae maybe? Bleach or isopropyl alcohol?
Is the alarm a steady buzz ?
I noticed that my sump pump has gotten Raju loud. It sounds louder than usual.
My ex husband put a back up pump on there however, I know nothing about his often I need it when I need to replace the pump.
Because it's loud now, I'm wondering if it's the alarm or is it going bad.
I have one pump and one battery backup. I guess one can have a battery backup attached to the primary battery (as me) and necessarily have a secondary pump for battery back up
Don't depend on that battery backup too much. We had one and the charge doesnt last long.
Also they cannot pump large amounts of water fast enough.
I am in the process of getting a water pump. Either a "Basepump" or a "Liberty" one. There are others too.
@Kevin n I haven't had to use it yet. But tested it a few times. Unplug elect. pump and filled the sump with water.
Turned on fast and pumped it out real quick.
I installed a tap / spigot next to the pump (PEX line) with a small hose just for that purpose.
Great video. A respectful suggested correction on your comment about educating oneself to avoid being taken advantage of by a professional. A more accurate statement would be taken advantage of by a fake professional. Real professionals never take advantage of people.
Well said!
Is it okay for washer to drain into sump basin? My only alternative is to drain it into the laundry tub, then that pump will have to work extra hard. I guess I trust the sump pump to work properly more than I do the sink pump.
Yes, that is quite common