A primary sump pump is your first and often the last line of defense against a flooded basement. It's important to pick the right one.
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Primary sump pumps run on standard AC electrical power in your basement and are only effective when your home has power. But, when the power goes out, you'll need a battery backup sump pump to keep water from flooding your basement.
Sump pumps are essential to protect your basement against flooding. Without one, a basement has no defense mechanism against drainage, seepage, storm surges, or seasonal thawing that can all wreak havoc in your basement.
All homes with a basement should have a sump pump, and if yours doesn't, we recommend you get one soon. The unfortunate thing about sump pumps is that people often don't think about them until it's too late and they experience flooding issues.
We also recommend getting an automatic sump pump that will instantly activate as soon as high water levels are detected in your sump pit. Watch the video below to learn the difference between automatic and non-automatic sump pumps.
There are two types of primary sump pumps: submersible and pedestal sump pumps. Described below, there are benefits and drawbacks for each type of pump. Ultimately, your decision will come down to how large your sump pit is, how high/far you need to pump the water, how much you want to spend, and how much power you'll need to pump out the water that drains into your pit through your discharge pipe.
Submersible sump pumps are placed below water at the base of your sump pit, and you'll need a bigger pit than with a pedestal pump for this reason.
Because these pumps and their motors operate underwater, the noise level is reduced, which is a pleasant feature for those who spend time in the basement. Another benefit of a submersible sump pump is that the water helps to cool the motor, which is especially important during extended periods of use, like during heavy storms. It would be disastrous to have your sump pump break down or overheat during a torrential downpour.
Submersible sump pumps are more powerful than pedestal pumps and can pump out solids and debris that may find their way into your sump pit, making them more expensive but greatly worth the investment. For applications where you need to pump water higher than a few feet to get it outside, you'll benefit from submersible sump pumps that have greater horsepower (HP) ratings and the ability to pump more gallons per hour (GPH) through your system than with a pedestal pump.
How to Pick the Perfect Submersible Sump Pump
Pedestal sump pumps are primarily used in situations where the sump pump pit is either narrow or shallow. Because the entire motor is located above the water of the sump pit, they don't require much space but are consequentially louder.
Pedestal sump pumps were the residential standard until modern submersible pumps became popular. Look for a pump made of cast iron, as these will hold up well to the wear and tear of protecting your basement. If your sump pump pit contains any solids, you'll want to go with a submersible pump instead, since pedestal pumps can't handle small debris in your sump pit.
Again, if the operating noise of your sump pump is a concern, choose a submersible pump instead, since the motors on these pumps sit above the water and are more prone to overheating.
How to Pick the Perfect Pedestal Sump Pump
Primary sump pumps are necessary to protect your basement from overflowing water, but when the power goes out, your sump pump will be useless without backup power. If you don't have an emergency portable generator or a home standby system ready to kick in when power fails, the only option you have for protecting your basement during a power outage is a battery backup sump pump system.
Battery backup sump pumps operate with battery power, giving you extra time for your sump pump to operate if and when it needs to during a storm and power is lost. They can be sold individually or can be combined with your primary sump pump in a convenient combination sump pump system.
The point of a sump pump system is to keep flooding out of your basement and give you peace of mind whether you are home to hear the alarm or not. Today's modern sump pump technology allows wifi-enabled pump systems and water alarms to text, call, or you as soon as a problem is detected.
With a smart sump pump system, you'll be sure your basement is safe from anywhere in the world. Plus, some systems provide complete diagnostics and software so you can monitor the status of your pump, alarm, float switch, and more all from your computer or smartphone app.
Submersible sump pumps are the preferred choice for most residential applications, but not all pumps are made equal!
Submersible pumps come in multiple horsepower ratings and have different accessory options, and it can be confusing to choose between them.
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This guide will explain everything you need to know to confidently choose the right submersible pump for your sump pit and ensure it's the right size for the job. After all, a properly sized sump pump saves money and hassle in the long run.
There are four major factors to consider to be confident you're choosing the right submersible pump for the job. There's a saying about "bigger is better," but with sump pumps, this is not true.
Oversizing a sump pump can lead to constant cycling and premature burnout of your pump system. Under-sizing a pump can lead to the same issue, so it's important to choose a submersible pump that most closely fits the needs of your sump pit.
To properly size a submersible sump pump and safely put together a proper sump pump system, you'll need to:
Horsepower is the most important factor when determining which sump pump is best for your application, and it's used to determine how much power your pump can produce to empty your sump pit through the discharge piping.
It's important to understand that each submersible sump pump has its own pump curve and recommended uses, so make sure to check the specifications of the pump to make sure it's going to work for you since total pump output can vary between manufacturers. This information can be found for each pump on our product pages.
If you're replacing a previous pump, typically you should stick to the same horsepower (HP) rating as your old pump unless you experienced any issues with that pump before it failed. Every sump pump has a data plate that can be checked to determine all the most important pump information, including HP ratings and model number for reference.
If you can't locate the information or can't find your user manual, we have a manual lookup tool you can use to find your old pump's manual.
For most average-sized homes in areas with average water tables, a 1/3 HP sump pump should be sufficient. Typically, 1/3 HP pumps can handle 7' - 10' vertical lifts from the sump pit if they have one 90-degree elbow and a horizontal pipe run between 3 feet and 25 feet.
If you live in an average-sized home with an above-average water table, you will most likely need a 1/2 HP sump pump. These pumps will generally pump about 35%-40% more than their 1/3 HP counterparts, and can also handle higher vertical lifts for water being pumped through your discharge pipe.
When you have a slightly higher vertical lift (10-15 feet) or a long horizontal run (example: 30-150 feet), you may notice a loss of water flow due to the increased friction from the longer runs. For those conditions, you may need a higher pumping capacity (HP and GPH) to overcome that loss.
For people living in high water table areas, flood plains, low-lying areas susceptible to flooding, or have a deeper basement, you will likely need a stronger 3/4 HP sump pump
or a 1 HP sump pump.
These pumps will generally provide a 20% - 25% increase in pumping capacity over a 1/2HP sump pump. In addition, if you have an installation where you need a high vertical lift or head (20-30 feet) and/or a long horizontal run (150-250 feet), 3/4 - 1 HP pumps provide the additional power needed to pump that water. These higher-output sump pumps are also ideal for outdoor pump applications.
When dealing with higher GPM and longer pumping distances, special attention needs to be placed on choosing a proper discharge pipe diameter to prevent problems with higher-powered pumps.
Float switches, water alarms, and backup pumps are all necessary to prevent your basement from flooding, which is why you need a sump pump in the first place.
Most sump pumps will come with a float switch, or you can purchase a replacement separately. We recommend electronic float switches because they take up less space in your sump pit and are the most reliable switches on the market.
With water alarm systems, wifi-enabled kits can be purchased that connect to your sump pump and call, text, or you if anything is going wrong with your sump pit. They are extremely useful to have because a regular beeping water alarm won't do much good if no one is home to hear it.
Backup sump pump systems are your only hope of preventing a flood if you lose primary power at home and don't have a generator standing by. You can buy a backup sump pump system separately, or get one included with your primary pump by getting a combination sump pump system.
We take pride in looking for the best of the best submersible pumps on the market. Not only that, but we also compiled lists of the top-selling, highest-rated, and expert-recommended submersible pumps that real customers have purchased, used, and reviewed. Take a look below and see the best submersible pumps of the year, which are updated in real-time.
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