3C Plumbing installs and replaces sump pumps to help keep your home’s basement dry, prevent flooding and water damage, and control moisture in the air.
How to Select a Sump Pump
The selection of a sump pump depends on the application in which it will be used. When choosing a sump pump consider the following:
- Automatic vs. Manual Operation:
- A manual sump pump requires that you turn the pump on and off when appropriate. This is not recommended for most basement applications.
- An automatic sump pump has a switch wired to the pump to turn it on or off at preset water levels. Automatic switches include pressure switches, low level pressure switches and float switches.
- Horsepower: Sump pump horsepower will vary from 1/4 horsepower to multiple horsepower.
- Head Pressure: The head pressure of a sump pump describes the maximum height that the pump will move water.
- A sump pump with a 15’ max head (also called a shutoff head) will pump water up 15’ before it completely loses flow.
- Other considerations may be added to overall head pressure, including loss from elbows/bends and friction loss from long horizontal runs.
- Cord Length: It is also important to consider the length of the cord of any special switches that may be connected to your pump.
- Phase & Voltage: Sump pumps are available in single and three phase. The voltages offered include 115, 230, and 460 volt.
- Backup System & Alarm: If redundancy and an alert system are vital for operation of your sump pump, consider a backup system and/or alarm.
The next time you have a problem with your sump pump, or if you are just tired of dealing with a wet basement and want to have one installed, call (317) 850-5114 for prompt, reliable service.
