Quoted from AlexRogan84:Hate seeing those flooded basements. One thing to mention about sump pumps is the location of the discharge. Ensure it is carrying the water far enough away from the sides of the foundation so not to just seep back into the ground and go right up against the foundation again. This will depend on your house and how far down the water table is. You can add some length to the discharge hose to get it out to the middle of the lawn or onto a surface that carries it to a storm drain. For anyone with a sump pump that runs and runs and runs, it might just be trying to pump the same water over and over and will wear out over time. Helped a neighbor like this years ago.
Good point.
Sorry to hear about your flood Silver U!
I install (2) sump pump pits in every home that I build. That gives you space to install (2) separate sump pumps that each have their own dedicated electrical outlet/ circuit. If one pump fails or trips the circuit breaker,the other pump still operates.
If your pump operates often, I recommend replacement every 5 years or keep an extra on hand for quick replacement in an emergency. The float switches go bad and stop working.
I also recommend an additional battery back up pump or water powered pump. The water powered pumps are nice but check the specs on how much it will pump depending on the depth of your foundation/exterior grade. A automatic standby generator is the final piece of the puzzle. Battery back up pumps are great but not for more than a few hours.
Also moisture sensors with alarms are great but must be mounted in a location where it gives you time to react to the problem. I’ve seen alarm techs mount them on the concrete floor next to the sump pump! This will notify you when it’s too late to do anything. It needs to be located in the pit at least 6” below the floor height or it’s worthless.
I put all the info in writing and make the customer sign it if they don’t select the options listed above.