Useful information is often hard to come by and this is why we’ve come to your rescue when you need to figure out how to install your sump pump. Now the submersible type of pumps requires a little bit more patience, time and work in order to be properly built-in.
When it comes to pedestal sump pumps, half of your job has already been done by the manufacturer. You still need to pay attention to a few tricky details but the overall difficulty is significantly lower with these devices.
Here’s how you start
It is best if you first inspect the contents of your set and explore all the individual components. Becoming familiar with your sump pump is vital because it will ease your installation endeavors a lot. Also, make sure you read the instruction manual carefully because certain brands might have some specific requirements during installation.
The most grueling task is to dig the pit. You will need a big enough hole which must fit the liner and the pump itself. This is where you pay some close attention to the dimensions of your unit and the required depth and diameter of the pit according to the manual.
Our advice is to dig the pit a couple of inches wider than the liner. The excess space you will then fill with rocks and gravel for better insulation. Wrapping the liner in some filter fabric is also a good idea. It will prevent debris, silt, and larger particles from infiltrating the pit and clogging your sump pump.
Pay attention to depth. You want your liner to completely fall into the pit. If it doesn’t, then is your submersible sump pump really submerged? Needless to say, you have to pick the lowest spot on your basement floor for the pit. Put a paper on the bottom of the liner to create a nice flat surface for your pump to rest on.
Putting The Pump In There
Once you have enough water in the pit, put the pump in there and see what happens to the float switch. If it goes all the way up then this means that it would start the pump once you plug it in. You don’t want that. You want the float to be somewhere halfway up.
In other words, the float switch must have enough room to go up and down. If it can’t detect the water level, then the pump will never start automatically.
Connecting The PVC Pipes
What you will need here is the following:
- A hacksaw
- A tape measure
- A screwdriver
- Zip ties
Lead your PVC pipe (if it isn’t already there) to the sump pump pit. This pipe will be connected to the actual device but you have some measurements to do first. Measure the height of the pump all the way up to the check valve. Then, subtract 3/4 –inch because we need to tuck in the PVC pipe in there.
Proceed with sawing the PVC pipe. Connect the check valve to the existing discharge pipe. In case you can’t go in a straight line with those pipes, make sure you buy some 45-degree or 90-degree elbows in order to lead the way out of the house.
We recommend that you don’t run your pipes in the middle of your basement but get them to a wall as quickly as possible.
The Power Cord
This aspect is often neglected but it shouldn’t be. Safety is always first and you have a few things to consider when it comes to plugging your pipe into the circuit. First of all, the liner will also have a lid. The power cord has to go through the openings of the lid and this is best done even before you connect the pipes.
Then, you should lead the cord as far from the pit as possible. Some people use zip ties to secure the cord high up and around the discharge pipe. Both things are going to the wall, right? Finally, make sure you use a GFCI outlet for extra safety. Our last tip is to never use an extension cord for your sump pump. Always go with a designated outlet especially for the unit.