We are sure you are concerned about keeping your basement dry but have problems finding a good sump pump because you do not know how to make a good selection. Have you listened to your relatives and friends and selected a pump based on their experience? Or have you gone to your local Big Box store and concluded the best selection is based on which pumps are on the store shelves? Sooner or later your existing sump pump will fail and you will wish you had taken more time before an emergency situation occurs to know how to buy a sump pump. The following three steps will help you.
Consider the following three steps so you are prepared when your existing pump fails.
All sump pumps have a switch to activate the motor. The type determines what is used to activate the switch. The three common switch types include: 1) The Float-Switch 2) The Diaphragm-Switch 3) The Electronic-Switch .
The FLOAT SWITCH has a float that rises and lowers based on the basin water height. As the float rises to a preset height it activates the switch (completes the circuit) which turns the motor on. When the water lowers causing the float to lower, the switch turns off (the circuit is incomplete) and the motor turns off.
The two float switch styles are the TETHER and the VERTICAL. The tether style easily gets hung up on the basin wall or caught on something in the pit. The vertical style can also get caught on the basin wall if a protective switch guard is not part of the pump-design.
Both styles require replacement every three to five years depending upon frequency of use. Rather than discard a cast-iron pump every three years, it is best to buy a replacement switch. Some brands make replacement parts easy to buy and install, especially Zoeller and Wayne. Check out the replacement parts easy to buy.
The DIAPHRAGM SWITCH has a membrance found on the side of the pump. The membrance convexes and concaves as the water rises and lowers. It is the water pressure affect on the diaphram that causes the switch to activate and cause the motor to turn on.
Generally the diaphragm lasts longer than the float; however a small pebble can get caught in the diaphragm area and cause switch failure or the membrance can get brittle and out of shape causing it to fail. If a diaphragm switch fails it is best to replace it with another type.
The ELECTRONIC SWITCH has a sensor in the water which is affected by water pressure or presence. Learn more about the Electronic Switch Controller HC6000
This switch type is far superior to the traditonal styles. There are no moving parts to fail or get hung up and no extra basin space is required because it is attached to the PVC discharge-pipe.
Installation of an electronic switch requires bypassing the traditional switch which is part of the pump or to install a manual pump and use the electronic-switch to automate it.
The best pump and motor housing is that which will dissipate heat, not crack under heavy usage or warp because of increased heat during long periods of continuous pumping, and will not corrode from sump pit water and its chemicals. Cast-iron is powder-coated with an epoxy finish to resist corrosion. Bronze is the best; cast iron is second and stainless steel is the third best. Zinc alloy and aluminum are also better than thermoplastic which rates as the poorest material to use.
Most manufacturers use canned motors which are placed inside a pump housing. The material surrounding the canned motors is stainless steel which does not dissipate heat as well as cast-iron. Zoeller is an exception because they use a cast iron motor housing plus a cast iron pump housing.
The most common mechanisms used are the screen or vortex impeller. Screens require maintenance because they get clogged easily if debris or small pebbles are present in the basin.
Installing too large of a pump for the small volume of water you have in your basin during heavy rain storms is just as bad as having too small of a pump installed to handle large volumes of water during heavy downpours. Too large of a motor will cause iit to short cycle and burn out sooner. Know how much water enters your sump pit during heavy pumping periods. It is easy to measure. Based on the volume you can find sump pumps that can handle that amount of flow per minute.
A sump pit which is at least eighteen inches in diameter is ideal. A twenty-four inch diameter pit is best. A large pit gives you the option of installing almost any brand of sump pump. A small pit limits the pump selection options available to you. Manufacturers are making good narrow sump pumps today. A narrow primary pump means there is also room for a backup pump to sit on the pit floor next to the main pump.
Most pits have small pebbles and debris and if not now they probably will have such in the future; therefore to play it safe it is best to install a pump with a vortex impeller.
The vertical length of the PVC discharge piping impacts the flow rate of water pumped from the pit, up the PVC discharge-pipe, and out from the house. Each manufacturer documents the pumping capability per minute or per hour at different height levels. You must know the maximum vertical height the water must be pumped to determine which sump pumps are built to handle the water flow in and out of your pit during heavy rainstorms. Each pump has a height level at which it ceases to function.
The existence of chemicals in the basin are not visible; however certain areas of the county do naturally have more calcium carbonate than others. The most common areas where carbon carbonate concentration is higher include the southwest and states such as Dakotas, Illinois and Ohio. Electronic switches are great; however some are affected by chemicals. There is one electronic switch that is not impacted by chemicals and has all of the many advantages those type of switches offer. The next best type of switch is a vertical solid state float switch.
Do-it-yourself homeowners have several options for easy to install sump pumps and switches. To make installation easier there are many pump manufacturers who pre-assemble the discharge pipe to the main pump. Other manufacturers assemble a main pump and battery backup pump as one unit calling it a combination sump/battery pump. Most of these pre-assembled packages also include the discharge pipe so the home owner only needs to connect the discharge pipe to the homes existing discharge pipe. Before buying always check the dimensions of a preassembled sump-pump to make sure it will fit in your basin.
Installing or replacing a sump pump is not as hard as one would think. Basically all sump pumps are installed the same way even though they have different dimensions. We provide the steps for installing a Zoeller sump-pump. Check out the steps.
Some sump pumps come highly recommended by plumbers; however until the existence of online stores, consumers who wanted to buy their own pumps were limited to what was available in the big box stores. The internet offers the plumber recommended sump pumps at discounted prices. Now the home owner can buy and install highly rated sump pumps.
The best sump-pump for you to buy is the one what fits into the basin, can pump enough gallons per minute (GPM), has replacement parts if you intend to keep the pump longer than switch failure, is made of cast iron, has a vertical float switch, and has at least a three year warranty.
We believe the best two sump pumps to buy are the Zoeller M63 and M95. Both are made of cast iron, have a vertical float switch, and have a five year warranty. Learn more about the M63 and M95. See why they are highly rated.
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