Read our handy guide on how to replace the sump pump in your home. If you need help, do not hesitate to hire a plumber to complete the job. However, with this guide, you should be able to complete the process on your own.
Not all homeowners know how to install a sump pump in their basement or crawl space. When your sump pump breaks, it can cause a lot of issues. Luckily, the sump pump installation is not that difficult if you possess some DIY skills and the proper tools.
How to Install a Sump Pump
In case you do not know, a sump pump is typically located in the basement or crawl space of a home to protect the property from flood water. An electrical self-activating pump serves to redirect groundwater before it floods your home. Water causes not only structural and surface damage, but it can also lead to mold growth. Mold can cause health issues and lead to bug infestation. A working sump pump can help prevent these issues. Learn more about how choose sump pump.
If you do not know how to install a sump pit or the pump itself, it is best to rely on the expertise of a professional plumbing company. But if you are confident in your DIY skills, you can use this guide to install it on your own.
Tools & Materials:
- Cement
- Check valve
- Corrugated pipe
- Drill bits
- Electric drill
- Fittings
- Gravel
- Hammer
- Increaser
- J hooks
- Pipe cutter
- Pressurized fittings
- PVC pipe
- Silicone sealant
- Sump pump
- Wire ties
Step 1: The first thing you need to do is to find the spot in your basement or crawl space in which the groundwater is collected. For the most part, this is near the Ground Fault Interrupter Outlet (GFCI), which is where the sump pump gets plugged in. If you do not have this already, an electrician will need to install it before you can begin.
Step 2: Dig a hole that is approximately wider than the width of the sump pump itself by 10 inches. Also, it should be 6 inches deeper than the length of the sump pump. Place about three inches of gravel at the bottom of the hole.
Step 3: Place the sump pump on top of the gravel and surround it with more gravel, leaving about 1 or 2 inches of the exposed surface at the top.
Step 4: Using PVC pipe glue, attach the discharge PVC pipe to the male adapter. Insert this into it the female adapter located on the sump. Use a ¼-inch drill to make a 6-inch weep hole above the sump itself.
Step 5: Attach the sump pump’s electrical cord to the discharge pipe with wires. Insert the check valve on the discharge pipe’s open end.
Step 6: Insert the pump into the sump, making sure that the valve is installed vertically.
Step 7: In order to ensure that the water is channeled away from the house via the pump, it is best to use 1½-inch and fittings that have been pressurized.
Step 8: Install J hooks on the joists to hang the PVC. Make a hole on the wall from the outside to run the PVC.
Step 9: Next, apply the silicone sealant to the hole outside where the pipe sticks out.
Step 10: Add the connections so that the water will be redirected four feet or more away from your home.
Step 11: Affixing a 1½-inch increaser at the end of the pipe will help the water to flow properly. The corrugated pipe and PVC pipe should be attached for even water distribution.
Step 12: Around the corrugated pipe, add more gravel to hold the sump pump in place, while also covering it.
Step 13: Plug the sump pump in and then cover the sump.
Call DrainCom if further assistance is required or advice on how to install a sump pump. Call us any time to schedule an appointment for all of your plumbing needs.
