Back-up options for sump pump

[boone7247]

I have one of those back-ups that uses water pressure. I haven't lost power since I've had it but I do test it every 6 months by unplugging my regular pump and dumping 15 gallons and it seems to work great.

I must be an idiot because I can't for the life of me picture how this works. Yes, I will go to google/youtube after posting this, I just wanted everyone to understand, I am stupid.

And I confirmed my stupidity. It is, in fact, a thing, that I will need to look into. I need a sump update and would love to get rid of my battery.

 

[BCClone]

I have three kids and a bucket.

 

[VeloClone]

My back up involves a magician's hat...

 

[JM4CY]

I am very gun shy of any of those water pressure pumps. I knew a guy who had one installed by a high quality and respected plumber in the area. Guy went south for a vacation and I went to check on the house and the basement was completely flooded. Apparently there was some small small pin hole in the system somewhere and water came in from outside and the the water used for the system to blow it out went all over the basement. After helping him deal with that for weeks, that kind of system would get a hard "No thank you" from me.

 

[aeroclone]

I don't know. Maybe they put a lien on the house so that it must be paid before you can sell the house. And not having it tested might void your flood insurance.

This is America, no one here carries flood insurance.

 

[CYdTracked]

Just buy a decent generator (2000ish watts should be enough probably) and plug it into that if you lose power. Battery backup is only going to buy you a little bit of time but won't last long if you have an extended power outage. Also doesn't hurt to buy a submersible pump as a backup if your sump pump ever fails too. You can find decent ones for under $100 and all you would have to do is hook up a garden hose to the discharge. I actually have 1 I use to flush my tankless water heater once a year that could double as a backup if needed.

If you have a floor drain nearby you should be fine too. My first home didn't have a sump pit when I bought it and we installed one just a few feet away from the floor drain. Lost power once and the pit just overflowed and ran right into the drain so was no big deal. Current home the sump pit is maybe 10 feet or less from the floor drain in the unfinished storage/utility room so if it ever failed or lost power I'm not too worried about it because not only does the sump not run much in this house unless things are just super saturated but the path it would have to take from the sump pit to the floor drain wouldn't damage anything either.

 

[ISU22CY]

Have a barracuda system with the battery backup. Test it every month. Also have my portable tailgate generator in the garage filled up. The battery backup one makes a very noticeable beeping sequence and figure it'll give me 50 minutes max. Enough time to get my butt up from bed fire up the ol generator outside the basement window.

Ran into the issue when we first moved in where we lost power for over a day and only had a normal sump pump. Learned the hard lesson.

Next project is to dig up the first sump pump basin and also put in a second one with an interior drain along side the perimeter.

 

[Cardinal and Gold]

This guy's for hire. He's not here to impose, but will get you something real nice

 

[agardini]

I'm guessing it might be a backflow test, to make sure water that's pumped out of the pit doesnt backflow back into the city lines. Same thing you have to have every year for a sprinkler system.

Its probably per-city what they'll do, Ankeny will send a letter threatening to shut off your water service if you don't do the annual test.

What test do you need to do in ankeny or they'll threaten to shut your water off? I've owned my house for nearly 8 years and haven't done any test or anything.

 

[cyflier]

Yea, my main two thoughts were a generator and auxiliary pump, or just buy the backup system.

Generator wont be worth a crap if youre out of town and dont know the power is out.

 

[alarson]

What test do you need to do in ankeny or they'll threaten to shut your water off? I've owned my house for nearly 8 years and haven't done any test or anything.

Backflow test for sprinkler system