Sump Pump

[coopns]

Sump Pump has been going pretty steady, every 2 mins or so. It doesn't have a back flow valve so I hear the water go up and seems like more then half comes back down. Is that something I could add to the PVC pipe?

Also, about how deep should the hole be? I think it is lined with like that clay chimmney flue...could that be it? Should have small crushed stone at the bottom?

Advice/recommendations?

 

[chevys10]

Should be a check valve in the vertical line above the sump pump. Can go to any hardware store and pick one up...need to know the size of the pipe before you go.

I have one pit that is 3 feet and another that is only 1.5 feet. Depends on how they dug it when the place was built. Newer ones are a large plastic tub that gets inserted...

Stones are usually at the bottom of the ones that do not have the liner.

 

[doitmyself]

Yes, a simple check valve for under $8 can be cut into the exit pipe out of the sump pump.

My sump pit is the old style clay crock. I set the pump on a brick/cement block to elevate it off the crock floor so sediment can collect at the bottom.

Why is it running every 2 minutes?? Water must be running into the sump. I have seen instances where high ground water or a plugged drain can result in water backing up into the sump from the drain line. Adding a check valve is not the answer for this problem.

Best of luck.

 

[bepperb]

Or are you siphoning water from the outside? Is there an air gap between the outlet and wherever the water is going?

 

[Donald]

A check valve is a good idea, but it will tend to keep the pipe filled with water. If it will not freeze then you are fine. If it will freeze, then you need to rethink it.

 

[Warstud]

Originally Posted By: Donald
A check valve is a good idea, but it will tend to keep the pipe filled with water. If it will not freeze then you are fine. If it will freeze, then you need to rethink it.


Yes...what he said. To add something to this: If the water drains
out onto the lawn...don't use the check valve. If the water drains below ground...under the frost line...then go for it.

 

[coopns]

Had a quick look this morning. Only goes down about 1 foot but seems to be working. It pumps out underground about 2 feet down or so to a gravel pit about 20 feet away.

Good point about freezing line. Here is a pic.

I had some plastic over the top with a hole cut out around the pump. Thinking about moisture in the basement. The arm does move freely up/down. Thoughts on that?

The soil/window line is about 1 1/2 foot about the hose.

 

[coopns]

Here is a link to the sump pump pic. On Photobucket.

Sump Pic

 

[rjundi]

Is your float kicking it on too early?

Let it fill with more water maybe by adjusting the high set(if possible) on the pump.

 

[Nick R]

Slightly OT but still in regards to sump pumps. Our house has a sump "pit" in the corner, but no actual pump in it. It always has water in it, but it's never overflowed and it doesn't seem to have any water flow into it even during heavy rain. Is this improperly connected to what I understand to be the pipe outside the foundation, or is this normal? My grandfather has a sump pump that runs regularly, and especially during heavy rains.

 

[Warstud]

Originally Posted By: Nick R
It always has water in it, but it's never overflowed


I bet if you removed the existing water in the pit...you would get water flowing back into it. I know that some peoples pit will overflow...but mine never seems to.