How to Size a Sump Pump

The #1 question we get from customers is, "how do I get the right-sized pump?" Our pump expert tells you what to look for and how to properly size a sump pump before you buy one that's too small or big to work properly.

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The product experts at Power Equipment Direct answer your most common power equipment questions.

Thanks for watching!

[livenotonevil]

We've lived in our house for 3 years. The previous owners had lived here for several years before us. They claimed they never heard the sump run. They're right, because I discovered when we moved in that it was rusted and didn't work at all.

We've been getting rain this year like I've never seen in my life. More rain is in the forecast for at least the next week.

I'm trying to be proactive by purchasing a new sump as an insurance against disaster

I only know that the bad pump was 1/3 HP, and was submersible.

If it rarely ever is needed, am I better off with one that doesn't have to be sitting in water to be properly lubricated? A pedestal perhaps?

Also, the bottom of the sump is only 13 inches whereas the top is at least 15. What is considered the "diameter" of the sump?

[ContinuousRefinement]

The city is moving the 6" main from a location outside of the city limits to a location inside the city limits; the new location is up-hill from our existing sewage system; it's on us to install a sewage lift station to connect to the new city main.

The contractor I spoke to states that I need to spend about $5K on my sewage lift station.

Can't I go to Menards and purchase the product they have on the shelf? It's 1/2 horse with grinder and 70 gallon basin; 2" discharge?

Do these require a septic tank in addition to the sump tank?

[kyled]

Hello and thank you for your informative video. Is it possible to use a smaller sump pump with a smaller line for smaller sump pit inflows? I find 1/3HP might be a bit too much. Thank you for your time.

[chriswitkowiak]

Last night we noticed out sump stopped working/burned up. We have been in the house for a month so not sure how old the pump was. In doing some investigating we noticed that the wash machine drains into a utility sink which then appears to run horizontally under the basement floor and into the sump pit. Given this, do I need to up my HP for the new sump - I was originally thinking 3/4 HP for the new one. The vertical lift is about 9 ft, then runs horizontal about 8 ft to the septic and then out to the septic a TBD length. The pipe is 1.5" D. Any recommendations are greatly appreciated!

[neilluyt]

Hi I'm from South Africa Looking for some advice. I want to purchase a sump pump to use it for a greywater system. I know that's not it's intended use but we do try conserve as much water as possible. I want to put the sump pump into a storage tank that will collect laundry and shower water and then connect it to a short hose to pump it out onto my lawn. My question is can I install a valve of sorts in the outlet line if I find that the water flow is too high. I don't want the sprinkler to overthrow onto my paving. Do let me know your thoughts. Thanks

[fellahalmontaser]

Hello I want to replace my 1/3 hp pentair hydromatic WA1 10 sump pump which is 7 years old with a liberty 253 1/3 horsepower model. My sump pit is 14” wide and 20.5” deep. My discharge pipe is from the bottom of pit vertically 33”, horizontally 17”, back to vertical 48”, and then at an angle of 16”, and finally horizontally to the outside of home about 45” inches give or take which goes into a discharge line outside that I have buried underground. Is the liberty pump I want to install equipped to do the job with what I got going on?

[daritchey]

I live near the marsh in Florida near the Atlantic ocean. When it rains, we get some flooding in the backyard and need to install a sump pump. I have a 30 inch basin and will push the water approximately 50 feet. The vertical to pump the water is no more than a one foot and the piping is 1.5 inch. I tried a 1/3 hp pump and when it rained heavy for about 10 minutes, the pump could not keep up and the basin overflooded. Would you recommend I use a 1/2 hp or maybe as big as 1 hp? Thank you.

[lifeisgood]

Is there anyway to figure out how much water you expect to get before buying the sump pit?

I guess I’m going to buy 24 inch diameter culvert pipe and cut it to 5 feet tall, and the drill holes in it and bury it.
I’ll put the pump out door about 2 feet below the footer. I guess I just have to dig my hole, and then look at it in a rainstorm event.
I figure a 24 inch 5 foot tall pipe is over engineered enough that it should work. But maybe it will only get wet two times a year during heavy rains. Live in TN

[ionymous]

3:13 I get that you don't want to oversize the pump because it's a waste and costs more, but to say it's going to cycle more often and burn out, doesn't make sense. Does it create more water?

[josegarza]

Can you use it to drain a swimming pool