How far can you run a sump pump discharge line?
The discharge point should be at least 10 feet away from your foundation, but 20 feet is better. Otherwise, the water will reabsorb into the soil, and your pump will need to remove it again. A constant flow of water damages your foundation, contributes to erosion, and quickly wears out your sump pump.
For most average-sized homes in areas with average water tables, a 1/3 HP sump pump should be sufficient. Typically, 1/3 HP pumps can handle 7' – 10' vertical lifts from the sump pit if they have one 90-degree elbow and a horizontal pipe run between 3 feet and 25 feet.
Since discharges can't be run into sewer or septic systems, the only option is to run them out into your yard. A professional sump pump installer will work with you to determine a good location for the discharge to exit your home and pump the water to a place where it can run off efficiently.
A good rule of thumb is to keep the end of the discharge pipe at least 5 feet away from the lot line, or more where possible. Avoid discharging the sump pump to the street. This can result in ice and safety problems during the winter months both on streets and on sidewalks, and can damage pavements.
Overworked Sump Pump
Sump pumps safely discharge water that would otherwise flood a home's basement or foundation safely away from the property. Heavy rains can cause your sump pump to work overtime to protect your home against flooding. This increases the risk of the sump pump overheating or getting burned out.
It is the most common sized sump pump and handles most water tables easily. A 1/3 HP sump pump can handle 7 to 10 feet vertical lift off the sump pump, a 90-degree elbow and a horizontal pipe running between 3 and 25 feet.
If a pump could produce a perfect vacuum, the maximum height to which it could lift water at sea level would be 33.9 feet, as shown in Example 1. This number is the maximum theoretical lift, but in practice no pump built can produce a perfect vacuum.
The average homeowner sump pump is between 1/3 and 1/2 horsepower. The average discharge rate is between 2500 to 3200 gallons per hour (gph) or 42 to 53 gallons per minute (gpm).
A sump pump should only run when it is needed. This could be a significant amount, and for various reasons. If you live in a very wet climate, then the water table may be higher than your basement floor, which means that the pump could run 2 or 3 times a day for a couple of minutes.
WHERE SHOULD MY SUMP PUMP WATER GO? Run your sump pump drainage away from your home. Do not let it flow onto driveways, sidewalks or other paved surfaces. Discharge must be clear, clean water such as ground water or residential air conditioner condensate.
Where is the best place to discharge sump pump?
Most commonly, sump pump experts recommend having it pump to an external discharge line, which then goes out of the home and into the yard toward a downward slope. When the discharge line ends, it should be far enough away from the home that the water doesn't pool around your home's foundation again.
Your sump pump water should discharge to a designated area, such as a dry well, a creek or pond, or even a neighborhood drain. Be careful not to set your drain point somewhere that water will return to your home. Ideally, keep the pup 10 to 20 feet away from the foundation of your home.
A sump pump should only run when it is needed because the water in the basement has reached a certain level. Those who live in areas where it rains frequently will see their sump pump running fairly often. In some cases, it might turn on a few times per day.
It is critical that sump pumps discharge to the yard or storm sewer, not to the sanitary sewer. It is illegal to connect your sump pump into your sanitary lateral. Not only can this cause serious health and safety concerns, it is also costing county rate payers.
The sump pump discharge line should be either buried in the yard or extended out above-grade at a downward slope. If the pipe is buried, it should be buried at least 12 centimetres below the frost line (the maximum depth of ground below which the soil doesn't freeze).
A sump pump is a relatively inexpensive water mitigation system. But like any piece of equipment in your home, it will eventually fail which can result in flooding, water backups, or water damage to your basement.
Sump pump and/or liner is too small or too big - The sump pump may just not be big enough to handle the job, so it runs continuously to keep up (see #1 above). Or the pump is powerful enough but the sump pit may be too small, causing it to fill up too fast and triggering the sump pump to work overtime.
It's perfectly normal for a sump pump pit to always have some water in it. This water can be the result of rain, snowmelt, or seepage from the ground. That being said, when the water rises to a certain level, this should trigger your sump pump's float switch. This will cause the pump to turn on and start working.
Housed in the sump pit, this pump is usually placed in a corner of the basement. The pit or tank is connected to a groundwater collection system, which either draws groundwater from the soil surrounding the structure or absorbs it from the terrain.
Overworked Sump Pump
If you've recently experienced heavy rains, your sump pump may be overwhelmed by a heavy flow of water. When your sump pump is overwhelmed or overworked, it can end up breaking down or malfunctioning.
How far from the wall should a sump pump be?
Try to find the lowest point – if your basement is already prone to flooding, just see where the water tends to collect. 3) Try to stay at least 8 to 12 inches away from the wall; remember that you will be digging into the ground and there is a concrete footer underneath your wall's cinder blocks.
Some commercial properties require 24-hour a day pump circulation, but as a homeowner, this is not advisable. If you are lucky enough to own an Energy Efficient, Variable Speed swimming pool pump (VSP) then , yes, technically you could run your pump for 24 hours a day.
Pumps are limited to about 32 feet of suction head. This is the limit by atmospheric pressure. So, pumps must be located within 32 ft.
Most sump pumps have a built-in fitting for a certain sized discharge pipe, typically 1.25” or 1.5” inside diameter. (Because most sump pump discharge pipe is PVC, determining interior diameter is important. These pipes will be closer to 1.5” and 2” on the outside respectively.)
| Height | 30 in |
|---|---|
| Sump Ideal Functioning Volume | 37.8 Gallons |
| Glass Material - Front | 5/8" Regular Clarity Non-Tempered |
| Glass Material - Back | 5/8" Regular Clarity Non-Tempered |
| Glass Material - Left Side | 1/2" Regular Clarity Non-Tempered |
Sump pumps should not be running constantly and if they are then it is more than likely that there is a problem. If water starts to enter your basement, then this is when the sump pump kicks into life and starts the process or removing water from the basement.
If you have excessive odors coming from the pump, dropping a chlorine tablet in the basin every few months should help get rid of any algae growth causing the smell. Chlorine will also help neutralize any iron ore algae and prevent it from clogging the pump.
The most energy-efficient sump pumps use less than 0.5 horsepower. A ⅓ horsepower sump pump uses around 800-1050W while running and 13,000-4,100W to start up, whereas a 0.5-hp sump pump uses more than 1.5 times that amount just to start up.
Why Do Some Homes Have Sump Pumps and Others Don't? A sump pump is a device that eliminates moisture and prevents flooding in a home. Typically housed in a specially constructed pit below the main surface of a basement, a sump pump collects excess water from drains and pumps it out of the pit and away from the house.
Redirect Your Sump Pump to a Rain Barrel
Most of the time, this is into a storm drain or a sewer. But why waste that water when you could use it to water your thirsty garden or trees and bushes. If you redirect the water from your sump pump into a rain barrel, you can do just that.
How far up should the weep hole be on a sump pump?
It is important to start this hole about 6” above the Sump Pump, and to drill it at a 45-degree angle UPWARDS. This will allow the water that will inevitably shoot out of this hole to be directed downwards.
The reason for 2 sump pumps per pit is to ensure you have a fail-safe in case the first one, or your home's power fails.
An increase in groundwater is one of the most common reasons your sump pump may be running without rain. A broken pipe, nearby construction, or overflowing water sources can increase the amount of groundwater, which can then pool at the bottom of your home and turn your sump pump on.
Dry running of the pump can damage the mechanical seal and the motor. For this reason, the float switches should be arranged so that the fill level in the shaft does not fall below the minimum level required to operate the pump.
Discharge lines should also be deep in the ground so that they don't freeze during cold winter days. As such, we suggest that you install it two feet below the frost line. If you don't do so, it can freeze and clog, making it impossible for the sump pump to do its job.
Water-powered sump pumps can result in more expensive water bills. They use about two gallons of your home's water supply to pump out one gallon of sump water.
Make sure that the pit has a hard, level bottom (like bricks or concrete) for placing the new pump on. Never place a sump pump directly on earth or gravel because it can cause excessive impeller-wear or jamming.
As long as your property has a downward slope from the point of discharge to the end of the pipe location, it can be any length that you want, subject to engineering requirements for size and drain capacities, etc.
While it may seem simple and harmless to discharge your sump pump down a regular drain in your home, it's actually a bad idea to send that water into the sanitary system. On top of potentially being illegal, this method can overwhelm the sewage system and cause other issues.
WHERE SHOULD MY SUMP PUMP WATER GO? Run your sump pump drainage away from your home. Do not let it flow onto driveways, sidewalks or other paved surfaces. Discharge must be clear, clean water such as ground water or residential air conditioner condensate.
Do sump pump discharge lines freeze?
During the winter, discharge pipes can freeze and prevent water from escaping. Whenever water backs up, it can damage your sump pump or your home.
This way, they can keep water from getting back into your home and causing more unintentional damage. To install a sump pump in your home, the contractors serving your area will need to: Lay drainage pipes around the perimeter of your home.
If your sump pit reaches deep below the floor, then it's gathering much more water than it needs to – and it's forcing your pump to work longer and harder to pump water out. This will unnecessarily shorten the life of your system, increase the likelihood of overheating, and cost you extra on your electric bill.