Sump pump installation and battery backup
A sump pump lifts water out of a pit in the basement floor before it spreads across the room. Fitting one can mean three quite different jobs, and the rule on where the water goes afterwards depends on which side of the city boundary you live.
Three different jobs
A first pump in a basement that has none. The floor is cut, a basin is set in the hole, and a pipe is run up the wall and out through the framing above the foundation. If there is no drain tile feeding the basin, it only collects water from the ground right around it.
A replacement. The old pump comes out of the existing basin and a new one goes in, usually with a new valve on the pipe. This is the quick job, and the moment to ask why the old pump wore out.
A backup. A second, smaller pump sits above the first and runs from a battery. It takes over when the power fails or the main pump jams. Storms cause both.
The parts of a sump pump setup
Section through a sump basin and the wall the pipe leaves by.
- Inlet Water collected by the drain around the footing runs into the basin.
- Basin A pit with a lid, set into the floor. Holes in the sides let groundwater in.
- Main pump Sits at the bottom and runs on house current.
- Float switch Rises with the water and switches the pump on.
- Check valve Stops the water in the pipe from dropping back into the basin when the pump shuts off.
- Backup pump and battery Take over in a power cut or when the main pump fails.
- Discharge pipe Carries the water through the wall and out to the yard.
Where the water may go
Not into the floor drain, the laundry sink or any pipe that leads to the sanitary sewer. The City of Racine no longer permits groundwater in that sewer, and Mount Pleasant's plumbing code says the same.
The city describes the usual outlet as a pipe to the surface of the yard or to a cut in the curb. Mount Pleasant wants the pipe to end at ground level facing the street and does not allow curb cuts at all. The details, and the city program that helps pay for a first pump in some houses, are in the sump pump rules guide.
Wherever it ends, the outlet should be far enough from the foundation that the water does not run straight back down the wall to the basin.
Looking after it
The City of Racine tells homeowners in its program that the pump is theirs to maintain once it is in, and that it should be tested from time to time so it works when the rain comes.
Testing is simple. Lift the float, or pour a bucket of water into the basin, and watch the pump start, empty the pit and stop. Go outside and check that water came out of the pipe. Do it before the spring thaw and again before autumn storms.
Before you agree to a pump
- Is the basin being tied into drain tile, or will it only gather water around the pit?
- Why did the old pump fail, and is the new one a different size?
- Does the price include a new check valve, a sealed lid and a high-water alarm?
- How long will the backup battery run the pump, and who replaces the battery when it ages?
- Where exactly will the pipe end outside?
- Who takes out the plumbing permit?
Sump pump questions
My pump starts every few minutes. Is it failing?
Not necessarily. Constant cycling can mean a high water table, a float that sticks, a check valve that lets water fall back, or a pipe that empties beside the wall and recycles the same water. Each has a different remedy, so describe the pattern when you call.
Will a sump pump on its own dry out my basement?
The City of Racine is plain about this in its program notes: a pump improves drainage around the basin, but it does not stop water coming through walls or windows. A pump with no drain feeding it protects a small area.
Is a water alarm worth having?
Yes, for what it costs. A float alarm on the basin lid sounds when the water rises above where the pump should have started, which gives you time to act before the floor is wet.
Talk it through with a local company
Call and describe what the water is doing. You will speak with an independent local waterproofing company about coming out to look at your house.
For homeowners: basements, crawl spaces, sump pumps and drainage.
Call (262) 257-3901Racine Basement Waterproofing Help is a referral service, not a contractor. Calls may be recorded. Referral disclosure.