The Pump is Only Part of a Sump Pump System

Besides the pump, there are other elements of a good sump pump system that are very important. 

1. The Sump Liner - You don't want your pump to clog up in a muddy hole in the floor. Instead, you should have a sturdy liner or housing for your sump pump with holes in it to accept water directly from the ground as well as a larger inlet hole to allow your perimeter drainage system to empty into it. 

2. Airtight Sump Lid - The sump should have an airtight lid on it to prevent water from evaporating out of the sump hole into your basement, to stop stuff from falling in that can clog the pump or switch, and to quiet the system. 

3. A Floor Drain in the Sump Lid - Not if, but when you have a plumbing leak and the water floods out onto the basement floor, you'll want to use your sump hole to drain the water away. With an airtight lid, the water will fill up your basement. Putting a floor drain in the sump lid is the answer. I know you're thinking, but won't a sump drain allow water vapor to evaporate into my basement? NO! Not with our Basement Systems' airtight floor drain. It's a specially designed cup and ball underneath the floor drain which allows water to go down but doesn't allow air to come up.

4. Stand for the Pump - A "CleanPump Stand" will elevate the pump off the bottom of the sump liner, allowing for some sediment, mud, debris, or gravel that washes into the sump liner to settle to the bottom of the sump liner without clogging or otherwise affecting the pump. 

It also keeps the check valve and discharge pipe clean. A check valve (one-way valve) should be installed on all sump pump discharge lines, so when the pump shuts off the water in the pipe doesn't flow back into the sump hole, which would then have to be pumped again on the next cycle.

5. Pump Alarms - How would you know if your sump pump has failed and you were in danger of being flooded? Unless you have an alarm, then the answer is, when your basement is already flooded. Which is exactly what you are trying to avoid. A battery powered alarm that sounds off automatically when the water reaches a level above the point where the pump(s) should normally turn on is essential.  Our patented WaterWatch alarm tells you there is a problem before the floor gets wet, so you have a chance to do something about it.