Home » Home & Garden » Home Improvement

Sump Pump Review - Which is Right for You?

Ranked #15,540 in Home & Garden, #220,410 overall

How Do Sump Pumps Compare? Which Is Best for You?

Did your last sump pump fail too soon after you bought it? How do you know if there is a best sump pump on the market? How do sump pumps compare? This article will provide factors to consider when reviewing major brand sump pumps, how the brands compare and how you can decide which is best for you.

What Factors Should Be Reviewed?

There are eight major factors to consider when comparing sump pumps: mechanism causing the sump pump to operate, material used in construction, operational capability, dimensions, size of discharge, protection against debris, spherical solids or sludge, energy consumption and manufacturer warranty.

Sump Pump Pit Dimensions

  • Each sump pump has unique measurements.
  • A sump pit with an 18" diameter basin or larger provides the greatest flexibility in selecting a sump pump.
  • A tether float requires a larger diameter-based pit than a vertical float or diaphragm styled pump does.

Flow Rate Capacity

What are the volumes at which pumps can discharge water?
  • Generally the higher the horse power (HP) the greater the volume of water that can be move per minute (or per hour) at a specific height.
  • HP ranges from , 4/10, , .
What are the advantages and disadvantages of HP capability?
  • High horse powered pumps keep up with heavy flow of water into the pit.
  • Low horse powered pumps use less electricity.

Construction Material Used In Sump Pumps

What are the different materials used?
  • Thermoplastic: Outer casing is made of a hard, durable plastic.
  • Cast Iron and Stainless Steel: The outer casing and bolts are made of metal.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of the different mechanisms?
  • Plastic weighs less and is cheaper.
  • Cast iron and stainless steel lasts a lifetime, weighs more and is constructed to handle heavy duty usage. This material is more expensive.
;

Float-Switch Mechanisms Used

Sump pumps operate when water triggers the mechanism which causes the sump pump to run.

What are the different types of mechanisms?
  • Tether floats hang freely from the side of the pump. As the water raises so does the float which triggers a switch that causes the pump to run. When the water level drops the float lowers to the side of the pump.
  • Vertical floats have a ball that moves up and down on a vertical rod. As the water surrounding the pump raises, the float also rises and triggers the switch and hence activates the pump. When the water level lowers the ball lowers.
  • A diaphragm is a membrane, located on a drum shaped mechanism on the side of the pump, which is sensitive to water pressure. As the water level rises, the water pressure increases and the diaphragm become concave, thereby activating the switch to turn on the sump pump. When the water level drops, the switch turns off.
  • A probe is sensitive to water pressure and the pump is activated electronically.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of the different mechanisms?
  • The tether float gets obstructed from movement easier, the switches require more frequent replacement, but the pump is cheaper.
  • The vertical float is protected against obstruction of movement; the switch requires more frequent replacement than a diaphragm or probe but less than the tether float. Some brands have built in switches and other have external switches which offer the ability to change the switch without removing the sump pump from the pit.
  • A diaphragm and probe are very dependable and require less service. The sump pump is more costly.

Discharge Port Diameter

What are the different sizes?
  • Some are garden hose or 1 inches in diameter.
  • The standard size is 1 inches in diameter.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of the different sizes?
  • The smaller the discharge diameter the smaller HP the pump should be.
  • A size of 1 inches is required to handle heavy volumes of water.

Want More Detail?

To see more details on submersible sump pumps, backup battery sump pumps, and water sump pumps and discover product features, customer reviews and price comparisons for major manufacturers such as zoller, Wayne, Little Giant, and Basement Watchdog sump pumps. Go there now!

by

jghaas3

We, George and Judy, believe life is meant to be enjoyed to the fullest. We are eager learners and find value in exploring new fields of knowledge.... more »

Feeling creative? Create a Lens!

Explore related pages

Related Tags