A water powered sump pump is a device which works by transferring water from underneath your home, to outside of your home.
The device is like a vacuum, every time the water pressure reaches a certain limit it triggers the water powered sump pump to turn on and reduce the water back to a safe level which cannot flood your home.

How is a water powered sump pump different from a regular sump pump?

A water powered sump pump is a backup pump for the standard sump pump. A normal sump pump draws water into a pit underneath your home, to prevent the water from rising into your basement. The water powered sump pump, pumps the water back out of the pit and sends the water back outside where its supposed to be.

Do I need a water powered sump pump?

Well if your only using a normal sump pump, yes it is a vital necessity. A normal sump pump only draws the water from flooding your basement by sending it into a pit underneath your home, if weather conditions are severe enough this pit could still flood after so much time, so without a water powered sump pump there would be no real reason to even use a normal sump pump. They do not work without each other.

How do I work it?

You don’t. The water powered sump pump is totally automatic. You will find that the pump has its own float switch and activates once the water level reaches a dangerous level, then pumps it back down to a safe level.

Will it suck up my electric bill?

Fortunately the sump pump does NOT run off electricity or batteries. The sump pump works off pressurization. there is also a adjustable timer in which you can set how long you want the pump to run every time it is activated by the water levels. Normally this time would need to be around 20 to 30 seconds depending on size of the sump pit along with how close your home is to the ground.
The best way to depict how long to set the pump isn’t to guess but to ask either the person who installs it under your home, or a sump pump professional.

How do I choose the right size pump for my home??

This is simple normally there are 3 different types of water powered sump pumps. These types being:
Residential RB- 750- This would be for your average home with a pretty normal amount of sump water needing lifting from under your home.

Residential/ commercial HB – 1000 This would be for homes with high volumes of sump water which are found to constantly flood from underneath.

Commercial CB- 1500 Which would be for buildings not standard to be used on single homes, which have a high volume of water at a frequent rate.

Remember also model types vary from store to store, just because it has a different name doesn’t mean it isn’t for the same level of water. The best way is to document your water problems around your home then ask a professional on what they would advise to use.

A sump pump is a drainage-tile system that is placed under the floor of you’re basement that channels water into a pit.

What does a sump pump do?

Some houses depending on location, climate conditions, and building structure. Have a unavoidable problem with flooding from the bottom up due to natural weather and environment conditions.
A sump pump provides somewhere for that water to go other then into your home.

How do I know if a sump pump is right for me?

If you have a serious or just annoyingly minor problem with water getting into your basement there are certain elements of your home you need to check to first identify if you have a flooding issue due to needing a sump pump, or just a overlooked minor issue that can be prevented by locating an fixing the problem.
So before assuming you need a sump pump check all drainage installed on or around your home.
Unclog all clogged gutters, downspouts dispose of runoff water at least 4 feet away from your homes foundation.
And all soil around the foundation of your home downslides at least 3 feet. *The downslide facing away from your home.
If you have a newer home make sure you don’t already have a sump pump installed.
If you still have a problem then a sump pump is right for you.

How is a sump pump Installed?

Usually a large slab of concrete is removed from the base of your home.
A large percentage of soil is also removed from underneath you’re home.
Then drain tiles, gravel, and a pit is installed in place of the concrete.

How much does it cost?

A professional normally charges around $2500 to $5000 to install a sump pump.
This being a reasonable price in comparison to the loss of value, and measure of damage of your home without the placement of a sump pump.

What are some ways to prepare for a sump pump installation?
Does your waterline run under the floor?
If so where does it run?
You might be able to find the answer to this by inquiring with a local buildings codes office. This being that usually these things are recorded upon installation and stored into files.
Think about how you may prefer your concrete to be removed being different tools may do better or worse jobs. Make inquiries about the tools to the installers being some installers will not use certain types of tools.

Will a sump pump be guaranteed to eliminate the flooding problem?

In most cases yes it will, but it depends on how serious your problem is. A sump pump gives water an alternate place to go other then straight up into your basement.
In extreme conditions this may only lessen the issue to something less threatening for your home.

Because of the water needed to operate them water sump pumps are more expensive to run. Before getting started make sure, the area where you will be working is clean and dry. While purchasing the sump pump you will also need to purchase a rechargeable 12-volt battery, a good long-term investment would be a marine deep cycle battery they are more expensive but they will run for a longer period, and their shelf life is longer when unused. When you purchase the sump pump a water level sensor, needed piping, and a check valve should be included. The check valve is usually placed in front of the pipes to prevent a back flow into the primary pump when the backup pump is being used. You need to purchase PVC suction pipe, plastic of copper piping, discharge pipe, and a plumbing kit (if needed).

For a water powered model, the mounting must be positioned over the main sump pump. You will need to connect the water supply to the new pump. If you are installing a battery powered model make, sure it is fully charged then connects it near the main pump then connects it to the discharge pipe. With the water powered sump pump an extra step is needed yo,u must attach plastic or copper piping from the backup sump pump to your water supply. Regardless of which type you install the rest if the instructions remain the same for both types of units. Add the PVC suction pipe running it to the bottom of the sump pit, emptying the entire pit. Finally hook up the discharge pipe to the primary discharge or to the outside.

Testing once a month is recommended to assure the backup pump will work when needed. A good time to test your back up system is after a rainstorm. The main sump pump will need to be temporarily disconnected from its power source to the backup system. A battery charger with a trickle charge can be used to monitor and test the battery making sure it has adequate fluid on the inside and is retaining a full charge.

Strategically placing a battery powered water alarm a few inches below the top of the sump well can alert you with a loud shrill alarm if the pumping system fails and the water level rises too high alerting you of a potential problem.

Take a marble and watch to see which way it rolls. The corner of the wall it rolls toward is the most advantageous place for the pump. Now make sure of three things before you go buy a pump. Number one, where is the power supply in reference to the placement of the pump? It should be within six feet unless you have an extension cord. Is the power supply close to the floor? It should be higher, preferably on the ceiling. An easy way to create a sump pump power supply is to purchase a light fixture add on that has outlets. Screw it into the overhead light and plug your pump into it. The pump will turn on and off with the light switch.

Now you need to know where you are going to put the water. It is probably an infraction of city ordinances to pump the water into the sewer or storm system. Usually you can run a hose from the pump to a place in your yard away from the house. However, you do need a clear path for the hose. A crimped hose will keep the pump from working.

Once you have planned the placement of your basement sump pump and the disposal of the water you are ready to look at how much flooding your basement suffers. Unless your basement develops more than an inch of water, most pumps will be of little benefit to you. In this case, you will save a great deal of money and frustration if you contact a contractor about sealing your basement against water.

The last piece of this frustrating puzzle is determining what kind of basement sump pump you need. There are dozens to choose from and the best choice will depend on water depth, water output, and sturdiness of the pump. Most wet basement sufferers can get a small, submersible pump that puts out up to thirty gallons of water per hour. These usually run just over a hundred dollars. The trick to keeping them running is to keep both the water depth sensor and the intake unit clean. Put the pump in a flat strainer, such as a deep fat frying strainer. The strainer keeps the pump from sitting directly on the floor and still allows water to reach the pump.

A tall basement sump pump is better for water more than a foot deep. However, most of these are not submersible. A float monitors the water depth, as much as three feet, and trips the on off switch when it drops. Again, they are not terribly expensive and any hardware store can help you pick out the best basement sump pump for your needs.