Are you afraid of having a downpour during extreme rain? If yes, then you should get your hands on the sump pumps. These can extract a large amount of water that fills in your basement after experiencing high rain. We have discussed five types of sump pumps in the article below for your help. I hope by reaching the end, you can make a decision to choose the one that fulfills all your water-extracting requirements.
Types Of Sump Pumps – Getting Started
There are different types of sumps pumps available in the market which can be installed in your house and serve the purpose (also keep in mind different pumps comes with different types of noises). Let us discuss five sump pump types in the article below, so you can have a clear idea about them. But before talking about types of sump pumps, let me summarize “what is sump pump”!
What Is A Sump Pump?
A sump pump is an amazing machine or device that can save your house from water damage. It is installed at the lowest level of your home and solves all the water-related problems for the homeowners.
You will find the sump pumps in the basements or the crawl spaces of the houses and it only gets activated when the water level exceeds the normal range. It moves water from one place to the other and drains it into the drainage systems to keep the basements safe from floods and excess water. If you want to learn more about sump pumps, we have a detailed article about sump pumps over here.
5 Types Of Sump Pumps
1. Submersible Sump Pumps
By the name, you can have an idea that Submersible Sump Pumps stay under the water and are very powerful. They are immersed/submerged in the pit and can get the job done very easily. You won’t be needing any other source to move the excess water out if submersible sump pumps are installed in your basement. These are effective and can drain/pump out thousands of gallons of water in an hour or less which is insane.
These pumps get activated when the water level exceeds the normal range and work until the last drop is pumped out. They are ideal for people who live in rainy areas as there are high chances that their basements can get flooded with water. Different models of the submersible sump pumps are present in the market and you can choose according to what fulfills your requirement.
One of the most important features of these powerful pumps is that they can remove the debris which means the device won’t get clogged/blocked. These will pump the water out efficiently and do not even appear on the surface which maintains the aesthetic appeal of your basement. The only drawback of these amazing pumps is that they are extremely expensive. Even when you opt for the cheapest version, it will still cost you more than all the other types.
They only have a useful life of 5 to 10 years which is very less for the money you will be paying. Moreover, the replacement or maintenance of these pumps will be a difficult process as they are located under the water. Hence these are a good option but you can face difficulties such as leaks or motor failure more often.
2. Pedestal Sump Pumps
Pedestal sumps pumps are the go-to option in most houses because they are affordable, are mounted on the top and have an exterior motor. An extended column or a shaft is used for draining because the motor has to be kept away from the water. Unlike submersible sump pumps, these are easily accessible when you need to repair or replace them.
Staying away from or not coming in contact with the water can increase the useful life of the motor to almost three decades which is great. Hence you are spending less money on the purchase and maintenance when compared with sump pumps types present in the market. However, these might not have high power and will take hours to pump out the water from a flooded basement.
Pedestal Sump Pumps are long as they are above the water so these will be visible which can be unpleasant for the eyes. These are ideal if you live in a place where the chances of rain are relatively less so they are used occasionally. Using these constantly when you have your basement flooded with huge amounts can be disappointing sometimes.
3. Water powered Sump Pumps
As it is evident from the name that Water-powered Sump Pumps use water to get the job done. These will not operate on electricity which is best if you live in an area where outrages are common. They are very uncommon and unpopular among the people but are extremely handy. These create a vacuum to drain the water out of the pit.
When we compare the life expectancy of the water-powered sump pumps with other types, they have the longest useful life as they do not rely on a motor. You do not even have to worry about maintenance and replacement as water cannot cause them damage because it is the source generating power for them. Most of the time, people use these as a backup option when electric-powered pumps cannot work because of outrage during extreme rainfall.
The drawbacks of these water-powered pumps include their efficiency. They need more water for generating high power to extract the floodwater. When the amount of water is low, the efficiency can be affected. To overcome this problem, people use municipal water to extract the water from the flooded basements. This can be pricey as you have to pay for the extra water and get the basement renovated as well.
4. Battery Backup Sump Pumps
The Battery-Backup Sump Pumps are a type of submersible sump pump and they use a battery in case of emergencies. Like the water-powered pumps, these are also a great backup option but they rely on the batteries in case of a power outage. You can use two main types of battery-powered pumps in the market. Some of these are regular submersible pumps but they have an extra battery installed inside the device to be on the safe side.
Whereas, the others are solely powered by the batteries and are located under the water. These are ideal for small pits where the space is limited. They might lack the power and capacity to extract the water out like the submersible pumps that use electricity as a power source. The batteries installed in the pumps are not powerful enough to pump out thousands of gallons of water in an hour or two.
It is recommended to use these pumps as a backup because you will be disappointed in the long run. It is not efficient enough and might take 12 to 15 hours to clean and drain all the water from your basement. These are expensive and come with low suction power which can be an off for most people. The name itself suggests using these pumps as a backup, so you should only make use of these when out of electricity during extreme weather conditions.
5. Combination Sump Pumps
The Combination Sump Pumps can be powered by both, the battery and the electricity to cater to all your needs. Like the water and battery-backup pumps, these are used when the homeowners cannot risk and want full protection against flood. The experts recommend using these pumps as they are considered reliable and perform efficiently in all conditions.
These types of sump pumps come with primary and secondary pumps. The battery is used to operate the primary pump when you face an electricity outage. Whereas, the secondary pump uses electricity to generate power and pump the water out. The battery itself gets activated when there is no electricity. These have high power and do not compromise on performance like the submersible sump pumps.
As these are installed under the water in the crawl spaces of your home, you cannot reach them easily. These are expensive and might not be preferred by everyone. They are big in size and won’t fit in normal-sized pits. There are high chances of leaks, breakage, and motor failures because they are constantly in contact with the water.
FAQs of Of Sump Pumps
Which type of sump pump is better?
In my opinion, the submersible sump pump is better than all the types that are available on the market. It has high power and can extract gallons of water in an hour or two. If you live in a place where it rains every now and then, you should definitely get your hands on this pump.
How do I know what kind of sump pump I have?
You can easily know the type of sump pump that is installed in the crawlspace of your house. You can observe whether it is located above or below the water surface. Secondly, you can see the power source, whether it uses water, electricity, or a battery.
How many years does a sump pump last?
A high-quality sump pump will last for almost a decade or more. Even if you purchase an average quality pump, it will last for 5 to 10 years easily but you have to keep it maintained.
Wrapping Up Types Of Sump Pumps Guide
Five different types of sump pumps are discussed in the article above. You can read them in detail and choose the one that will fulfill your requirements for extracting the water. These are extremely important devices that can protect your house from water damage. Hence these are considered an investment by the people who live in rainy areas.
Adam Wilson is the plumbing products Editor for Mechanics Gear, covering everything related to plumbing. He have 15 years of experience as a plumber and written about plumbing gear for over two years and plans to continue writing for a long while to come. Since he started sharing his plumbing knowledge on Mechanics Gear, he loves nothing more than relaxing in his home and and writing his plumbing experiences. Adam Wilson likes finding new plumbing products and dive into, from manuals, forums and different plumbing groups.