{"id":1671,"date":"2020-01-30T11:13:25","date_gmt":"2020-01-30T16:13:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.weilhammerplumbing.com\/blog\/?p=1671"},"modified":"2021-02-11T16:45:31","modified_gmt":"2021-02-11T21:45:31","slug":"how-to-determine-which-sump-pump-size-you-need","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.weilhammerplumbing.com\/blog\/how-to-determine-which-sump-pump-size-you-need\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Determine Which Sump Pump Size You Need"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>In general, a sump is a collection bowl that holds liquids.\nFor instance, your car has a sump to collect oil. As for your home, a sump pump\nis a vital plumbing appliance that provides a long list of benefits and an unparalleled\nlevel of security. So, if you are on the market for a new sump pump, it is important\nto procure the proper unit for your home or office. Otherwise, you could be in\nfor a plumbing disaster down the line. This obligation starts with determining\nwhich size sump pump you need.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Continue reading to learn how to size a sump pump, correctly.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"750\" height=\"742\" src=\"https:\/\/www.weilhammerplumbing.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/Zoeller-Sump-Pump-Vertical-Master-Switch-e1580400705369.jpg\" alt=\"Indianapolis Sump Pump Services 317-784-1870\" class=\"wp-image-1672\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.weilhammerplumbing.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/Zoeller-Sump-Pump-Vertical-Master-Switch-e1580400705369.jpg 750w, https:\/\/www.weilhammerplumbing.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/Zoeller-Sump-Pump-Vertical-Master-Switch-e1580400705369-300x297.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\" \/><figcaption>Indianapolis Sump Pump Services 317-784-1870<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Sump Pump Operation<\/h1>\n\n\n\n<p>In order to know which sump pump make and model is best for\nyour home or office, it is necessary to understand some basics surrounding sump\npump operation and maintenance. Sump pumps are designed to eliminate excess flood\nwater filtering through loose aggregate and soil surrounding a property\u2019s\nfoundation. In most cases, they are installed in a small pit that is dug in the\nfloor of a basement, usually 2 feet deep and 18 inches wide. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The pump portion of a sump pump system is designed to detect\nwater levels within the sump pit using a specialized float device. When water\nin the sump pit gets too high, the float completes an electrical circuit, turning\non the pump and sending the excess water away from the property through a series\nof plumbing pipes. Such systems also have a one-way \u201ccheck valve\u201d that is designed\nto prevent expelled water from returning to the pit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Maintenance and Installation<\/h1>\n\n\n\n<p>Because sump pumps require electricity to work, it is vital\nto also have a backup sump pump battery (or an alternative back-up power source)\nin the case that your power goes out. In regions where precipitation patterns\nare consistent or high, it is necessary to have an entire back up sump pump system\nto manage the larger flow of water. As with anything electrical near water, it is\ncritical to have your sump pump connected to an outlet that has a ground fault\ncircuit interrupter (GFCI).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Sump Pump Size<\/h1>\n\n\n\n<p>When you are talking about sump pump size, you are really\nreferred to output. Sump pumps come in a wide range of make and models, all\nwith varying outputs. This is basically the capacity to which the sump pump can\ndisplace water. Factors that will influence the sump pump output you need\ninclude property size, location of pump, distance of plumbing pipes, and more. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While shopping around, look for a chart on the side of the sump\npump. This chart will depict how much flow and head values. <em>Flow<\/em> refers\nto how many gallons of water per minute the sump pump can move, while <em>head<\/em>\nrefers to how far the water must vertically travel from the pump to the outlet\npipes. These values are inverse, which means as the flow rate lowers, the head rate\nincrease. You see, a sump pump must use more energy to push more water farther upwards.\nTherefore, if you have a sump pump that is not the proper output, it can be\nwasting energy or using up too much.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">In order to know which sump pump size you need, you must\ncalculate your flow rate. In order to do this, you have to wait for a rainy\nday. Here\u2019s how:<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">On a rainy day, run your sump pump until the water level is\nbelow the shuts off level.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Then disconnect the power and measure the distance to which the\nwater rises in 1 minute. This is your flow rate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"background-color:#e9f7fd\" class=\"has-background\"><strong>USE FOR REFERENCE: <\/strong><br>18\u201d SUMP PUMP: 1 INCH OF WATER = 1 GALLON<br>24\u201d SUMP PUMP: 1 INCH OF WATER = 2 GALLONS<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Next, multiply your flow rate by 1.5, which will give\nallowance for severe storms and flooding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Then measure the vertical distance from the bottom of the\nbasement to the sump pump outlet pipe. This is your head distance. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Now that you have flow and head values, refer to the chart\non the side of your sump pump to see if it is sufficient.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading\">A Fair Warning<\/h1>\n\n\n\n<p>A power rating of 1\/3<sup>rd<\/sup> horsepower is recommended\nfor the average residence, however, aside from flow rate and head values, there\nare several other factors that can impact the proper sump pump size you need. For\ninstance, components like elbow joints, check valves, and narrow piping, can\nincrease friction levels, thus requiring a more powerful unit. That is why it\nis strongly recommended to consult with a licensed plumber to learn the best sump\npump options for your home or office.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Sump Pump Service and Repair in Indianapolis<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Call Weilhammer Plumbing Co. Inc. at 317-784-1870<\/strong> when you need skilled and dependable <a href=\"https:\/\/www.weilhammerplumbing.com\/plumbing-services\/sump-pumps.php\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\">Indianapolis sump pump services<\/a> you can trust. Our licensed plumbers offer a wide range of standard and master plumber services for both residential and commercial properties, including help with sump pump installation, replacement, repair, and maintenance. We also sell top-of the-line Zoeller sump pumps at wholesale price! Get the best package deal on a brand new sump pump that includes installation and maintenance! Request a free estimate, today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"145\" src=\"https:\/\/www.weilhammerplumbing.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/1-Plumber-Indianapolis-Indiana-1024x145.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1520\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.weilhammerplumbing.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/1-Plumber-Indianapolis-Indiana-1024x145.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.weilhammerplumbing.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/1-Plumber-Indianapolis-Indiana-300x42.png 300w, https:\/\/www.weilhammerplumbing.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/1-Plumber-Indianapolis-Indiana-768x108.png 768w, https:\/\/www.weilhammerplumbing.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/1-Plumber-Indianapolis-Indiana.png 1388w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In general, a sump is a collection bowl that holds liquids. For instance, your car has a sump to collect oil. As for your home, a sump pump is a vital plumbing appliance that provides a long list of benefits &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.weilhammerplumbing.com\/blog\/how-to-determine-which-sump-pump-size-you-need\/\">Continue reading <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1672,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,43],"tags":[45,767,764,765,762,761,766],"class_list":["post-1671","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-plumbing-repair","category-sump-pump-repair","tag-indianapolis-sump-pump-repair","tag-measure-flow-rate-sump-pump","tag-sump-pump-help","tag-sump-pump-installation-indianapolis","tag-sump-pump-output","tag-sump-pump-size","tag-sump-pump-tips"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.weilhammerplumbing.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1671","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.weilhammerplumbing.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.weilhammerplumbing.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.weilhammerplumbing.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.weilhammerplumbing.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1671"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.weilhammerplumbing.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1671\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1673,"href":"https:\/\/www.weilhammerplumbing.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1671\/revisions\/1673"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.weilhammerplumbing.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1672"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.weilhammerplumbing.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1671"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.weilhammerplumbing.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1671"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.weilhammerplumbing.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1671"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}