No matter what the reason, installing a sump pump or sewer pump is much easier to install into your basement before concrete is poured. If you are concerned about water getting into your basement then the less expensive sump pump and basin is the way to go. But if you are like me and have a sewer pipe that runs out your wall and not under your basement concrete slab, and want to install a bathroom, laundry, bar, or utility basin then you will have to consider a sewer pump.
Sump Pump
A sump pump is usually a 1/3 horse power pump that is either submersible or a pedestal type pump. The submersible pump is placed at the bottom of a plastic tub, which by the way has small holes in it to let in water and not rock and dirt, and has a float, or bobber, with a switch inside. When the water rises in the plastic tub, the float rises and makes a connection in the switch and turns on the pump. The 1/3 horse power sump pump can then pump the water up through a pipe outside your home. A 1/3 horse power pump can pump water approximately 25 feet high and if you have to pump higher then that a 1/2 horse pump is required.
The pedestal type pump is also 1/3 horse power and is very tall and has the “motor” part at the top. There is a shaft that runs down a tube from the motor to the blades that move the water into a pipe and outside your home. These pumps also have a float, or bobber, but the switch is not inside. The bobber travels up and down a second tube which has an on switch at the top and a off switch at the bottom. The benefit of the pedestal sump pump is that it can be placed in a smaller diameter basin. The reason is that float is more controlled and travels on the same path, the second tube. With this pump, the float does not get caught on the side of the basin if it is too close. This can sometimes be an issue with the submersible type pump.
Sewer Pump
A sewer pump is very similar to the submersible sump pump. One of the main differences is the horse power and the ability to handle solids that would come from a toilet. No need to get into graphical detail here. Installation is the same where the sewer pump sits in a plastic tub or basin and instead of many small holes to let in water from below your slab, there is usually only one big hole that your sewer line would go through. Keep in mind that a sewer pump and basin is not a replacement for a sump pump because the sewer pump and basin is completely sealed off from the ground. If ground water is a problem in your home, a sump pump is still required.
Sump Pump and Sewer Pump Installation
Regardless of the type of pump you have installed, installation is very similar. All you have to do is dig a hole in the basement that is deep enough to hold the plastic basin. The top of the basin should be level with the top of your finished basement floor. This would typically be the top of the concrete slab. If you are installing a sewer pump you have to plan ahead and layout your basement floor plan and precisely place piping where your toilets, sinks, showers, utility sinks, washer and bar may be. All this piping should then run from you items mentioned above and run to a main sewer pipe and then into your sewer basin. Piping from the basin, or actually the pump, should then be run to the outside or main house sewer line following your pump and basins manufacturer’s instructions. After installed you will have and easy time adding additional features to your basement.