Question/s RE: Sump Pumps.

JustAnotherSaver

Just looked at the Timberwise video here: http://www.timberwise.co.uk/our-services/basement-waterproofing/a-basement-waterproofing-project-from-start-to-finish/

Nice transformation, but i'm skeptical about nationwide companies now.

He raises a point of battery backup pumps though. Is this a separate pump or do you need a pump with a built in battery backup?

Also, can someone run again the need of a fused spur by me. I'm not sure why you'd want an on/off switch for a pump when you'll always need it on surely?

From looking in Screwfix & Machine Mart, it looks like the search term is "dirty water pump" as they look similar to what we've already got in. I wonder if it'd be worth having our current one in, as it sort of works, but also a brand spanker - so there's 2 on the go. Doesn't help a storm in a powercut issue, but 2 is better than 1, right?

mttylad

Yes, but you would have to dig another sump hole so its lower than the normal water level as the float switch needs to be up top.

I have one in a washing up bowl sized hole in my cellar with the float switch held right down near the bottom, so if it gets water in above the few inch required to keep it primed (full of water) it will go off. Luckily the cellar has not flooded again.

Putting another in will also require you adding another outlet pipe, where does the current one go?

Adding them in - might be best to add a socket somewhere that the plug can be pushed up through a hole in the floorboards and plugged in - that gives you the ability to disconnect it.

JustAnotherSaver

mttylad wrote: »

Yes, but you would have to dig another sump hole so its lower than the normal water level as the float switch needs to be up top.

I have one in a washing up bowl sized hole in my cellar with the float switch held right down near the bottom, so if it gets water in above the few inch required to keep it primed (full of water) it will go off. Luckily the cellar has not flooded again.

Putting another in will also require you adding another outlet pipe, where does the current one go?

Adding them in - might be best to add a socket somewhere that the plug can be pushed up through a hole in the floorboards and plugged in - that gives you the ability to disconnect it.

Never thought of that one. See, i may ask a lot of questions but i prefer to be in the know than guess or think i've got it right

As for where it pumps, there's 2 air bricks at the front of the living room. From inside it looks like it leads TO the air brick, but from outside you can see a pipe above the air brick which leads into the drain, which is a shared drain with the neighbour from which the downpipe off the roof leads into.

cyclonebri1

How many more threads are you going to spread this over.

The original topic said due to your lack of knowhow, get a sparky in, we can't hit you over the head on the internet but the temptation is there.

You have had all the answers to all your question, they all end up at the same conclusion, it's your call

plumb1_2

My God man, why don't you listen to the advice give, and get a sparkie in.

Do you really have a house to do all the repairs you have posted on the forum??? As you seem to spend so much time posting and doing nowt.

cyclonebri1

plumb1 wrote: »

My God man, why don't you listen to the advice give, and get a sparkie in.

Do you really have a house to do all the repairs you have posted on the forum??? As you seem to spend so much time posting and doing nowt.

Oh no, please don't say you suspect a dash of spam???,;););)

I got a wiff myself

JustAnotherSaver

The wife is leaning towards wanting to go the management route (sump pump installation) & has asked a few things.

1) Do we really need a battery backup one? I know about the event of a power cut, but to be honest, the area doesn't get that many power cuts, plus it's not like under there is actually 'flooding'. Since we've been looking under the boards it just settles at 4.5"-5.0" and then stops. I'd be inclined to think just a mains powered one would be sufficient but i'm open to suggestions & good reasons.

2) Having had someone look at the job, we need a new one really. Thing is, how do you select one for the job? I'm assuming "sump pump" & "dirty water pump" that are coming up in the searches are one & the same thing.
With them ranging from £50 or so up into the £1000s, then how do you select? As it's a serious thing, i wouldn't want a bargain basement one but equally top of the range would be overkill.

3) Would that pit really need to be dug deeper? I'm guessing it'd about 1.5ft-2.0ft deep currently.

4) How'd you make sure it didn't suck in all the crap down there? I'd be getting someone to install it, but just so i make sure they're not a half-a-job-harry.

I_have_spoken

If you have a basement, a sump pump is probably a good investment. And if you have a sump pump, a battery backup would be a great idea, as well. In this segment, Lou had the opportunity to speak with an expert on the subject for the "ins and outs" of not only how to protect your basement, but how to choose the right sump pump for your home

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2nAId3uDoTY

JustAnotherSaver

We don't have a basement. This would be for underneath our lounge floor only.

It'll be into the new year before i can get someone looking at this, so in the meantime, does anyone have a response for 1-4 a couple posts back?

Thanks.

JustAnotherSaver

Someone put a bit of food for thought our way today & it got me thinking...

They have experience of sump pumps themselves & said they don't like the pump with a float - they prefer a pump you can switch as, reason being - "there's less to go wrong".

I asked if this would really be a good idea, since when the pump is fitted, you wont know what the level is at, so it could be drawing air. He said if it's drawing air for hours on end then it'll knacker it, but if it just gets switched on, have a look outside, not pumping anything, turn it off - it'll be ok.

So it made me wonder about this approach as an alternative. With the float, we could have it kicking in every hour or so & virtually being "always on". If wired to a switch though & it wasn't a float-pump, then we could just flick the switch once per day/week/whatever & be done with.

Both having their disadvantage - the float one i expect would often be on (not ideal) and the switch one you'd have to nip outside to see if it's pumping (not ideal).


Anyone have experience of the switch ones vs the float ones as i'd not heard of the switched ones while i was reading up on them.