I recently cleaned out my sump pump and pit and noticed that the brick that I'm using for a base has discolored my sump pump and makes the water muddy. Is there any alternative out there that I can use to support my pump? Also what routine maintenance should I be doing to the pump besides cleaning the debris from the intakes that built up over the winter and spring?
My sump pump sits on the bottom of the sump which is plastic. Of course the bottom has a bunch of rough concrete in it because the guys who poured my basement floor didn't bother covering it first.
My sump pump sits on a stack of 2 of those cheap round patio "stones" you can find at any big box store. The patio stones sit on a layer (6 inches?) of river rock spread on the bottom of the sump pit. This has worked out well -- keeping the pump intake above the debris.
I haven't done any maintenance in 24 years. The first owner told me to put some particular liquid in the sump to keep it smelling good, but I forget and my notes are in the file cabinet. But I've never done it and never noticed a smell.
The main pipe of the first one rusted through at about 14 years, and as I usually do, I disassembled the thing to save any useable parts, and it didn't seem like anything was close to wearing out except that metal pipe. The new one has a plastic pipe, and here's a place I'm all in favor of plastic.
I don't know what it sits on. I just dropped it in there until it stopped. Once it was tilted a bit and I straightened it out by moving the bottom. I guess that IS maintenance. Sorry.
Well I had a couple of basement floods last spring and I highly recommend that anyone who has a basement flood clean out the pump water intakes after the flood subsides because I noticed that mine were clogged with little pieces of paper that found there way into the pit from the floor.
Good idea about the patio stone Ermalina, sounds like a cleaner alternative to the red clay brick.
mm wrote:
Also what routine maintenance should I be doing to
Start the pump manually once a month or so, so that the bearings do no seize up from lack of use.
Mark
The few pumps I have are in a 5 Gallon barrel type plastic container with a much of holes in it. Keeps the debris away from the pump. The Barrel type plastic works well for the Swimming pool cover as its got nice round edges so its easier then just tossing it on the pool cover...
ScottI recently cleaned out my sump pump and pit and noticed that the brick
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