Diy installation/sump pumps

You can DIY one that operates perfectly. While you may be tempted to get started and work things out as you go, it is advised that you get all your tools in order first. This will save you time and trouble, and you won??? Where do you install it? Your sump pump should be installed at the lowest point of your basement. You have probably noticed moisture accumulating here during rainy seasons.

In this spot, you will dig a hole large enough for it to sit in. Its top should sit flush with the floor. The difficulty level of this step depends on what your basement floor is made of. If it is concrete, you will have to use a sledgehammer or jackhammer. Make sure you understand how to use these powerful tools and don??? Wrap your filter fabric around the exterior of the basin of your sump pump.

This will prevent it from getting clogged. Then, sit your sump pump into the hole and fill some of the space around the bottom with dirt. The float valve is one of the most important components of the sump pump. This valve, which rises with the water levels, causes the pump to turn on when necessary. Test the float valve before going any further, so that you don???

The check valve is as important, as it channels the water in the right direction??? Run a hose or pipe to the exterior of your house. Make a hole in the wall large enough to accommodate the pipe. You can use a drill or driver fitted with a hole-saw bit. This is where you experience the fruits of your labor. Plug the pump in, but before you close the hole over, test it out. You can fill the basin with water manually. It should automatically turn on when the float valve rises and the water should pump right out through the hose.

Now that you know your sump pump works, it is time for you to close the hole around the sump pump. Next, remove the concrete floor and dig the sump hole at least 12 inches deeper than the liner.

Then, seat the liner in the hole, place gravel around the sides of the sump liner, and concrete back over the floor. To learn how to install the check valve, keep reading! Did this summary help you? Yes No. Log in Social login does not work in incognito and private browsers. Please log in with your username or email to continue. No account yet? Create an account. Edit this Article. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. By using our site, you agree to our cookie policy.

Cookie Settings. Learn why people trust wikiHow. Download Article Explore this Article parts. Tips and Warnings. Things You'll Need. Related Articles. Article Summary. Part 1. Check out your basement during a good rain. Most basement water problems aren't the result of problems in the basement, but the result of poor outdoor drainage. Before you go tearing up your basement, check to make sure you don't have other problems first.

Make sure your gutters are unclogged and free of leaves and other debris, and that water can flow easily through them into the downspouts. The downspouts should dump water 4—5 feet 1. Make sure the soil around your foundation slopes at least a couple of feet away from the house. If you've got pits that catch the water and force it downward, you might have problems getting water in your basement.

Correct these issues before thinking about a sump. Determine if you've got a gravel foundation under your concrete floor. Most homes built in the last thirty years have foundations built upon a certain amount of gravel to correct for inconsistencies in the excavation process. If you've got contact with the builder of the home, you should be able to figure this out, or ask neighbors with similar homes whether or not this is the case.

Look to see if you have a good location for a sump. You'll want to place the sump near a wall in the basement, since the sump pump discharge will need to exit the basement and travel at least 10 feet 3.

Look for a spot that will be easy to work in, and where you can punch a hole through a rim joist to reach outside. Stay at least 8" away from the foundation wall, to avoid hitting any footings. Make sure you're not going to cut into the waterline. If the water enters your home through the wall, you'll be fine, but check the building codes in your area to make sure where the line will be if it comes in under the home.

Typically, the pipes will run from the street, 4—6 feet 1. Trace the outline of the sump liner on the floor. Leave a 3—4 inch 7. Part 2. Remove the concrete floor. This can be relatively quick work with an electric jackhammer, if you can rent one. When you've got squares cut, move the jackhammer at an angle to pry up the pieces and remove them from the area. Alternatively, you can make do with a hammer drill rigged with a masonry bit, a good sledgehammer, and a masonry chisel.

Using the largest masonry drill bit you can chuck in the drill, begin making holes every few inches in the concrete along the outside perimeter, then use the hammer and chisel to crack the concrete between the holes.

Continue drilling holes and hammering the concrete until you can remove it in chunks. If your floor has reinforcing steel mesh installed in it, you may need a pair of heavy wire cutters or a metal grinder to cut it. Dig the sump hole. You will want to dig the sump hole at least 12" deeper than the sump liner. Use 5 gallon Place, or replace, some coarse gravel in the bottom of the hole, so that the sump liner sits flush with the basement floor when placed in the hole.

This gravel will promote good drainage, and help water move into the sump where it can be pumped away instead of moving into your basement at another spot.

It may be difficult to dig the sump if the soil is sandy and wet. If water infiltration is causing the hole to erode there are a few options.

You can wait for the soil to dry, dig faster than the water enters or use a garden hose. For the garden hose method, you will need to place the sump liner in the started hole and fill it with water. Then use a garden hose and push it under the liner. The water from the hose will push the sand out from under the liner and will stop the erosion. The weight of the liner will cause it to fall in the void underneath.

As the liner drops into the ground you may have to wiggle the liner to keep it straight Depending on the liner used, you may have to drill numerous holes in the sump liner to allow water to enter so the pump can pump it away.

The drilled holes should be smaller in diameter than the size of gravel used so that gravel does not come through. Seat the liner in the hole. Place gravel around the sides of the sump liner, coming up to about 6" below the level of the floor.

Be sure to get a flat spade bit to use with the jackhammer. Set your sump basin upside down on the floor, then draw a circle about 4 to 6 inches outside the perimeter of the basin. Be sure to stay at least 10 inches from the walls to avoid the foundation footing. Use the jackhammer to break through the slab along the outline. Make sure to wear hearing protection and a particle mask while doing this work—it is a very loud and messy job.

With the concrete out of the way, dig the hole to the required depth. You will want the top of the basin to be exactly flush with the floor surface. Set the sump basin in the hole, and fill the gaps around the perimeter with loose gravel. Level the gravel in the excavation to level about 1 inch above the bottom of the floor slab then fill the remainder of the excavation with concrete. Smooth the surface of the concrete level with the surrounding floor, using a trowel, and allow it to set for at least 24 hours.

Set the sump pump in the basin as directed by the manufacturer. Install a check valve onto the outlet of the pump. Check valves typically are installed with hose clamps so it is easy to remove the pump for servicing or replacement. Connect a short length of PVC pipe to the open end of the check valve, then glue a or degree PVC elbow to the short pipe to route the discharge piping toward the basement foundation wall.

Add another length of pipe, followed by another or degree elbow at the wall. Install a vertical pipe from the elbow to the rim joist above the foundation wall. Using a hole saw, drill a hole through the rim joist and the exterior siding to route the discharge pipe through the wall.

Continue the piping with a degree elbow and a straight horizontal pipe running through the hole in the rim joist. Once outdoors, you can route the pipe back down to the ground and out to a suitable drainage point so the water flows away from the house. Seal around the hole in the rim joist with caulk. If the grade is not suitably sloped away from the house, you may need to install a dry well outside to handle the sump pit discharge.

A dry well is a deep pit filled with gravel which allows water to gradually be absorbed into the surrounding soil. If using a dry well, make sure to position it a suitable distance away from the foundation. Do not run the discharge into a sewer unless you are sure this is permitted by the local building code.

A very common error is to discharge a sump pump into a basement utility sink. In most communities, this is strictly prohibited, as rainwater and groundwater can overwhelm a municipal sewer system.

Always follow local guidelines for discharging a sump pump. Plug the sump pump into a GFCI-protected receptacle.