There’s no doubt that South East Queensland sees a lot of rain and the team at Hughes Plumbing Contractors have been seeing a lot of requests for sump pump and pit installations and repairs. With that in mind, we’ve put together this blog to discuss installing a sump pump and pit at your home or business premises. After reading this article you still have some questions, please get in touch with our One Call We Do It All Team and one of our local licensed plumbers will be more than happy to provide professional advice and service. You can reach us on 0406 288 142 or email info@hughespc.com.au.
So, What Is A Sump Pump?
Basically speaking, sump pumps are submersible pumps that are usually used to improve drainage on a property. These devices simply remove accumulated water from a sump pit which tend to be located the basement or lower levels of a home or other building. These devices generally have the capability to remove water from your drains as well as ground water that has come up through the soil.
The basic job of a sump pump and pit is to help protect your property from flooding and direct water away from the building to help your basement, under house crawlspace and lower levels free of pooling water.
Their method of operation is that when the pit becomes full of water, your sump pump will switch on to suck out the pooling water. This water is then funnelled along pipes leading away from your building to a safe place so that it can drain away without affecting your foundations. Additionally, these drainage pipes usually possess a one-way valve to prevent water following back into the pit from the outside.
Why Do I Need A Sump Pump?
There are a number of circumstances where you should think about installing a sump pump and pit. For example, for properties that have poor drainage or regularly experience flooding on their lower levels, our local plumbers would definitely suggest one. If you’re worried about flooding at your property, we’d recommend a sump pump installation as it is effective in channelling water away from your property into a storm water drain. Additionally, we often see commercial properties with lower levels lower than their sewer and a sump pump really comes into its own here by pumping grey water and black water back up to the sewer line.
Which Sump Pump Should I Choose?
When it comes to sump pumps, there are so many different options available so it’s important to make an informed decision by thinking about the following questions:
Should I get a manual or automatic pump?
Manual sump pumps are easy to come across and may even be a bit cheaper. However, for convenience and peace of mind, our local Brisbane plumbers recommend installing an automatic sump pump.
How powerful should my sump pump be?
Dependant on the inflow rates and the pumping distance will determine how big of a sump pump you will need. Please contact Hughes Plumbing Contractors for professional plumbing advice for your site.
What length of electrical cord do I need?
Dependent on the depth of your pump station or pit and the distance to the power supply or control panel will determine how long of a power supply cord will be required, Please contact Hughes Plumbing Contractors for professional plumbing advice for your site.
What’s voltage sump pump do I need?
Many of the most common household sump pumps are operated on normal 240V circuits. However, some sump pumps use a 415V circuit however these are more commonly used in Commercial or industrial sump pump installations.
Should I get a backup alarm system?
Many of our customers choose to install a sump pump with emergency alarm notifications that come with a backup system. These systems can give you peace of mind by notifying you of faults in your sump pump which is essential during major weather events.
Why Has My Sump Pump Failed?
You’ll find that a sump pump and pit installed by a licensed plumber will be extremely reliable. In the event of water backing up or another type of error with your pump, most modern systems have battery-operated water level meters and flood alarms to let you know when something isn’t quite right. Other advanced sump pump systems have capabilities to alert a monitoring company who can then call you to let you know about the issue, although this really doesn’t occur very often.
That all said, sump pump failure does occur sometimes and a few of the common reasons for this type of problem include the following:
Overworked Sump Pump
When the weather is particularly wild a lot of water can flood through the sump pump and pit. In these cases, you pump might not be able to keep up with demands and get overwhelmed. If you live or have a business in a region with heavy rainfall year round, it may be necessary to install multiple sump pumps and pits to handle the increased volume of water.
Cheap or Malfunctioning Sump Pump
Based on our years in the plumbing game, we believe it’s essential to buy the best sump pump system you can afford. Not only are the better models stronger and last longer in trying conditions, those cheap systems made from plastic are prone to burning out under pressure. Hughes Plumbing Contractors strongly recommend investing a little bit more to purchase a quality sump pump so you can rely on them when it matters most.
Power Outages
Since sump pumps require a constant supply of electricity to work, they may stop during a black out or brown out. In these cases, your pump and pit may quickly fill up with water that could potentially lead to flooding. In order to avoid this situation, our licensed plumbers recommend using a pump that has an automatic battery or Generator backup.
Blocked Pumps
There are a number of different ways that your sump pump might get clogged, including:
• Your sump pit hole could potentially become clogged with dirt and debris if not properly maintained.
• Your float switch can become jammed. This device is what switches your pump on and off when the level of water in your pit rises and falls.
• Other mechanical parts of your pump can become blocked with dirt of other matter.
Burnt Out Pump
Sometimes there may be a fault with your pump where it doesn’t actually turn off but runs constantly whether there’s water in the pit or not. This is a serious issues that requires attention as quickly as possible as an overworked pump can quickly burn out and stop working. Not only will this cost you money, but it will render your pump and pit ineffective.
Contact The Sump Pump Experts Today
Hughes Plumbing Contractors are your local sump pump professionals. We have decades of combined experience dealing with all possible types of pump issues. Whether you’re after a new sump pump installation service, sump pump maintenance or pump and pit cleaning, look no further than our One Call We Do It All Team. We service the entire SEQ region and our 24 hour plumbers are available around the clock for emergency plumbing services. Whether you’re located in Brisbane, the Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast or anywhere else in South East Queensland, one of our fully-equipped trucks will be dispatched quickly to provide an affordable sump pump solution for your property. To book your sump pump installation or maintenance service, please pick up the phone and call us on 0406 288 142 or email info@hughespc.com.au now.
