More Sump Pump Info
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.
