“We like the house a lot. It’s got all the features we’re looking for. The only thing that worries me is the sump pump in the basement. Obviously the house has some sort of water problem.”

It’s easy to imagine a prospective home buyer voicing concerns about a sump pump located in a basement or crawl space. But is having one always a bad sign? Is a house automatically better off without one? How reliable are they at keeping water out of a basement or crawl space? One way to answer these questions is to examine the “pros and cons.”

PROS

• Effective water removal. When a sump pump has been properly installed, it’s the most effective way to move water away from the foundation and help keep the basement or crawl space dry in wet conditions.
• More reliable than other waterproofing treatments. Despite what many people think, coating the outside of a foundation with a moisture barrier is no guarantee against water infiltration into a basement or crawl space. Both the coating and the foundation can (and often do) develop cracks that admit water. Water can also come in through cracks in the concrete floor, or along the joint between the floor and the wall. A properly functioning pump is more reliable than a “passive” system like a moisture barrier.
• Able to handle major leaks. Unlike a curtain drain system that relies on gravity alone to remove water, it can move a great volume of water in a relatively short time. This capability is important whenever a severe storm or an unanticipated leak occurs.

CONS

• Electricity required. Power outages often occur during heavy rainstorms that can cause water to enter a basement. But when the power goes out, a standard one won’t work, so the basement can fill up with water. To prevent this catastrophe, you need to install a sump pump that includes a battery backup system.
• Possible radon hazard. Putting a hole in the concrete floor of a basement or crawl space creates an opening where radon gas from the soil can enter the foundation. Since exposure to radon can cause cancer, it’s important for any house with a sump pump to be tested for radon. If hazardous radon levels are detected, they can be reduced to acceptable levels by an experienced radon mitigation contractor.
• Unattractive appearance. In the past and even today, installation leaves an exposed hole in the foundation that is rough and unsightly. Seeing an open hole that’s dirty and partly full of water will not make homeowners feel good about their basement or secure about avoiding water damage. But it doesn’t have to be this way. As shown in the photo, sump pumps like those available from Basement Systems, Inc. have a neat, clean appearance that inspires confidence rather than fear.

BOTTOM LINE

To a homeowner or home buyer, a sump pump can be a liability or an asset, depending on how it functions and how it looks. If properly functioning, it provides excellent protection against water intrusion and water damage in a basement or crawl space protection that is in many ways more fail safe than waterproof coatings. To provide the best protection and the best finished appearance, it’s important to install a top-quality pump that incorporates a battery backup system and an airtight cover. This type of sump pump is typical of the models available from Basement Systems.

Source by Samantha Walton

If you’re looking for simple ways to increase the value of your home, a sump pump is a great place to start. Why? They help keep the lower levels of your home — whether it is a basement or cellar dry throughout the year.

Keep the Basement Dry

By keeping the basement dry, a sump pump provides a safe and livable space for you and your family to enjoy. You may even wish to transform your dry basement into a spare bedroom, home office, game room, or home theatre. But you must first install a reliable sump pump system. After all, no one wants to sleep, work, play games, or watch movies in a damp, moldy space.

So how does a sump pump operate?

When excess water accumulates in your basement or crawl space, a sump pump will collect and pump the water outdoors, keeping the inside of your home dry. Like anything with movable parts, a these pumps should be routinely checked to ensure that it is working properly and efficiently. A clogged pump or one with a dead battery or loose cables doesn’t do a whole lot of good. Experts recommend getting your pump inspected at least once a year.

A Battery Backup

Some homeowners already have a sump pump, but it might be finicky and occasionally fail for no reason. Or perhaps their current one runs like a charm, but when they lose power, they lose their pump as well. And what if you go on vacation, and, while you’re gone, your home is hit with heavy flooding that your primary pump just can’t handle? In cases like these, a Battery Backup pumps can save the day. With a Battery Backup sump pump, you can stay protected 24-7, even during the worst storms, heaviest floods, or when your primary pump fails to turn on or simply isn’t doing the job. A Battery Backup pump also includes a charging system that will recharge the battery once power has been restored.

A Basement Floor Drain

If you happen to experience a plumbing leak, a basement floor drain can help. By expelling water downwards and preventing moist air from rising into the basement, a basement floor drain offers maximum waterproofing protection.

Many top-of-the-line pumps, come with a built-in floor drain. They also come with an airtight cover that keeps moisture, odors, and even radon from rising upwards into the basement. The airtight cover also helps to quiet noise created by the pump, and acts as a safeguard to protect small children from an otherwise open sump hole. And finally, with a sump pump alarm, you will be alerted immediately if water rises above the point where it should have turned on.

With the proper sump pump system, you can ensure — without a shadow of a doubt — that the lower levels of your home are dry, safe, and livable. And as previously mentioned, a dry basement can be used in a number of ways, and ultimately increase the value of your home!

Source by Tay Wright

The maintenance and cleaning out of a sump pit is critical for the performance of the sump pump. Once the basement sump is installed then it is up to the installation contractor to clean out the sump pit prior to commissioning the system and signing it off. In both preformed sump chambers and sump pits there is always a big chance that the pit will be full of builders rubble and debris from the site works. The installation company should remove all debris from the pit or chamber and then use a Aqua vac to remove any silt or fines which may be at the bottom of the chamber. It is at this point the operative should test all the fittings and pipe work is correctly glued and or screwed together and make sure that there is no debris in the bottom of the sump pumps which could cause it to jam in the event of the sump pumps being activated.

It is important when cleaning out a sump pit or chamber that you have a standby pump with a flexible hose because if you are in an active water situation and have only one discharge line leading from you sump pit out then you will need the standby pump to remove water whilst you check the primary pump for wear etc. It is also very handy to have a large catchall tray which means you can take out the pumps without making a mess to any fixtures or fittings if you sump pit or chamber is inside. Other very handy tools when you need to clean out a sump pit is a acid for getting rid of lime scale residue which may have built up inside the chamber. Another essential when dealing with the clean out of a sump pit or chamber is a hose connected to mains water. This helps to wash out any debris but also to test the pumps quickly once cleaned and ready for action.

When cleaning out a sump pit which is being utilised for not just ground water i.e sewage then you are in a different ball park. The same principles apply to a clean water sump chamber but you will need to take a lot of extra precautions and you will need to have the appropriate immunisations for dealing with foul sump systems.

It may be best to not make this a job you do in house but outsource this to a professional foul sump maintenance company.

Remember it is vital to maintain pumps like your boiler to keep them reliable. The cleaning of the sump pit/chamber is a essential part of this process.

Source by Anitha Hari

What is a Sewage Pump?

A sewage pump is used to transfer sewage liquids and solids from one place to another. Usually, in residential applications, sewage includes soft solids up to 2″ in diameter is pumped from a sewage basin to a sewer system or a septic tank. A sewage pump is installed at the lowest point of the sewage basin.

Since the pump is submerged most of the time, it is also referred to as a submersible sewage pump. Sewage pump can be automatic, manual or dual mode. A dual mode pump contains a piggyback plug, which allows the pump to be used as either manual, wherein the pump bypasses the switch and is plugged in directly into the socket or as automatic, wherein the pump is plugged in through the floating switch and works only when the switch is activated.

Due to a possibility of sewage overflow, it is generally not advised to use a manual sewage pump inside of a sewage basin.

Sewage pumps are centrifugal pumps, with special design enabling solids to pass without clogging the pump. When the pump is turned on, the motor starts to rotate the impeller, creating the pressure that pushes water into the impeller and goes into the discharge pipe.

The sewage pump is powered through a 10-25 ft. electric cord. Depending on the model, the voltage can be 115, 230, 460, or 575 volts. The pump housing, which contains a motor and an impeller, is made with cast iron and is built for long term use.

Types of Sewage Pumps

Effluent Pumps – effluent pumps are the pumps most often uses in small on-site system. They are designed to pump effluent, the effluent flowing out of a septic tank. This effluent is relatively clear liquid because the solids have developed out in the septic tank. Effluent pump can pump higher levels and more efficient than the other types of sewage pumps because these pumps don’t have to handle sewage solids.

Solid Handling Pumps – these pumps is also called sewage ejector pumps made to pump raw sewage. Raw sewage contains too many solids for most pumps, so only solids-handling pumps should be used where raw sewage has to be pumped.

Grinder Pumps – a grinder pump is much like a solid-handling pump. It can pump raw sewage. The difference is that the grinder pump has rotating blades, like garbage grinders that cut and grind the solids into small particles before the sewage is pumped.

Benefits of Sewage Pumps

Sewage pump is designed to remove water build-up from basements and crawlspaces and safely deposit it through the waste water system of a house. The operation of a sump pump is relatively simple, although their installation is more complicated.

Here the major benefits of having a sewage pump:

• Prevent flooding damage – When heavy rains trigger a flood of water into your basement, you can quickly have 15 inches of flood water covering the floor and damaging almost everything inside, which can be especially devastating if you store valuable items in the basement. With a working sump pump, this disaster can be averted easily.

• Reduce the threat of mold and mildew – Continual dampness inside a basement from water in stagnant pools will contribute to the growth of mold and mildew. Not only are these both damaging to building material, but they are health problems as well.

• Reduce the risk of fire – The water will short-circuit the appliances in the basement, such as laundry machines, water heaters, and heating systems. So, aside from ruining these valuable appliances, water can also create a fire danger. A sump pump will keep the water from threatening equipment that could trigger household fires.

Maintenance and repairs of this device

• If a ground fault circuit interrupter is installed at the outlet or in the electric panel, make sure it is working. Use the test button on the unit to confirm proper ground-fault protection.

• Remove the cover. There are 3 common types of lids, each with slightly different removal methods.

• Inspect the pit for a silt or debris that might obstruct the float or clog the pump impeller or discharge tube.

• Make sure that it is positioned so that the float that turns it on and of moves freely and is not obstructed by the walls of the sump, discharge piping or other objects.

• Check the drain line from the pump until it meets the air gap for any signs of corrosion, holes, damages or leaks.

• Check for a small 3/16 to 3/8 inch weep hole in the discharge pipe directly above it.

• Visually inspect all alarm mechanisms (if applicable), exposed metal parts and connections for corrosion. You may apply a silicone water repellant spray to deter corrosion. Refer to manufacturer usage instructions to apply silicone spray.

• Verify that there is a check valve in place on the drain line just above the pump cover. Contact a licensed plumber to add a check valve if one is not present.

• Check to make sure the air gap in between the interior and exterior discharge pipes should be open and clear of debris.

Conclusion

There are many pumping station facilities, including pumps and equipment for pumping fluids from one place to another. They are used for a variety of infrastructure systems, such as supplying water to canals, and the removal of sewage to the processing site. This station in sewage collection system also called lift station, are designed to handle raw sewage that is fed from underground pipelines.

Businesses can benefit from using sewage pumps as it can handle loads of water in a small amount of time. It is cost efficient if you have a sewage pump to handle those unwanted water and wet waste.

Learn more about how sewage pumps work and how they can help your business.

Source by James Roberts