Sump pit.

[Spitfire]

Need advice on preventing sand from entering a sump pit to protect against sump pump stall or lock-up. The sump pit contains a plastic cylindrical enclosure (typical 18" diameter x 22", deep made for sump pits), with 3/8" diameter holes drilled in side wall & base. The enclosure is surrounded with small size 'P' gravel.

Have installed a 1/2 h.p. Zoeller ejector sump pump, since my last 1/4 h.p. regular Zoeller sump pump locked-up from accumulation of sand in summer of '08 rain storm. Please advise.

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[Hustlin' Hank]

Have you tried setting your pump on a couple bricks to raise it up

2" ? This should do the trick as long as you clean it out before the sand accumulates to the top of the bricks.

Hank

[Erma1ina]

)

I second Hustlin' Hanks' advice.

[spitfire]

spitfire had written this in response to

: Hank,

Thanks for your quick reply.

I forgot to mention that I currently have both sump pumps on top of one layer of bricks. I was hoping that I could filter out the sand with some type of liner constructed with a fine mesh material that would allow the water through but prevent the sand from entering the sump pit. Cleaning out the two pits after every rain storm can be a real hassle for an old retiree.

Spitfire

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[Hustlin' Hank]

"Plan B" Take a 5 gallon bucket and drill MANY holes in the sides at different levels. Cover outside of 5 gallon bucket with landscape material and attach firmly. Set pumps on brick inside 5 gallon buckets in case sand enters. Clean out as necessary.

My concerns: Why so much sand? Why 2 pumps? Why is so much water?

Hank

[HeyBub]

I have no experience with sump pumps, but there have to be pumps that can handle sand, rocks, marbles, bits of twig, and the occasional small dog.

I Googled "debris pump" and got lots of hits, including this one that can handle solids up to three inches in diameter with a head of 138 feet!

[sligoNoSPAMjoe]

It sounds like the OP is in Florida with a basement or a rather low area that floods each rain.

[bob haller]

da with a basement or a

he could go very deep.

imagine the 3 foot deep sump is now 8 feet, with the pump sitting on a pedestal at 4 foor down.

the sump would have to fill with 4 feet f sand before clogging the pump.

i would ge concerned if too much sand is moving, somewhere is getting undermined

as always make certain yard slopes away from home, gutters and downspouts are working well and dumping water far away from building