Sump pump. Expected lifetime.

I have a septic sump in the basement. Waste from a basement half bathroom goes there. Also the air conditioner drain goes there and a 2" ID pipe but I don't know what it carries. Main household waste bypasses the sump and goes direct to drain. The sump is emptied via a pump and a "U" tube to the main drain.

How long, on average, will this sump pump last? It is now four years old. I have installed a high water alert using a modified smoke detector so that I should have some warning before the sump backs up into my basement.

Thanks,

Peter.

Reply to
PVR
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How long, on average, will this sump pump last? It is now four years old. I have installed a high water alert using a modified smoke detector so that I should have some warning before the sump backs up into my basement.

Thanks,

Peter.

I'd expect anywhere from 5-20 years, depending upon quality of the pump and frequency of usage

Reply to
RBM

They last until they fail. They may fail in 24 hours or 24 years. My last home had the sump pump come on about twice in the about 10 years I lived there. My new home is not on the top of the hill like my last one and the pump runs a lot more. The original one wasted about 12 years, I replaced it with a better one. I also have an alarm. I was lucky to spot the failure of the last one before damage occurred. I am considering adding a water powered pump as a backup in the event of a power outage.

Reply to
Joseph Meehan

animals and used for different purposes.

A sewage (you might call it a septic pump if it pumps to a septic tank) pump is used for sewage and should be in a sealed receptacle and should not overflow if the pump fails, unless you open it up when it is overfull.

A sump pump is not a sealed system, although it may have a lid. It removes excess water from the basement and "french drains" as well as any perimeter drains around the foundation. Depending on the waterflow and pump quality, these may last a couple of years to 10 years and may overflow if they fail. As mentioned in another posting if you have city water, you could install a water powered backup pump such as the Basepump.

Because of a finished basement and high water table in my area, I always keep a spare pump on hand as well as having a water powered backup pump installed.

How long, on average, will this sump pump last? It is now four years old. I have installed a high water alert using a modified smoke detector so that I should have some warning before the sump backs up into my basement.

Thanks,

Peter.

Reply to
EXT

He has a macerator pump, not a sump pump

Reply to
RBM

A sewage (you might call it a septic pump if it pumps to a septic tank) pump is used for sewage and should be in a sealed receptacle and should not overflow if the pump fails, unless you open it up when it is overfull.

Do you think the gromets that the float and power cords run through, or the bushings that the vent pipe run through are going to hold back overflow?

A sump pump is not a sealed system, although it may have a lid. It removes excess water from the basement and "french drains" as well as any perimeter drains around the foundation. Depending on the waterflow and pump quality, these may last a couple of years to 10 years and may overflow if they fail. As mentioned in another posting if you have city water, you could install a water powered backup pump such as the Basepump.

Because of a finished basement and high water table in my area, I always keep a spare pump on hand as well as having a water powered backup pump installed.

How long, on average, will this sump pump last? It is now four years old. I have installed a high water alert using a modified smoke detector so that I should have some warning before the sump backs up into my basement.

Thanks,

Peter.

Reply to
RBM

On of these days I am going to have to take that learn to read course. Thanks. Please disregard my advice.

Reply to
Joseph Meehan

A sewage (you might call it a septic pump if it pumps to a septic tank) pump is used for sewage and should be in a sealed receptacle and should not overflow if the pump fails, unless you open it up when it is overfull.

Do you think the gromets that the float and power cords run through, or the bushings that the vent pipe run through are going to hold back overflow?

Yes, to some extent. While leaks could occur under some conditions, DWV systems are legally required to be tested to hold a certain amount of water pressure without leaking. Damaged or poorly repaired seals, could leak under minor overflow. Most sump pumps have NO seals, and are prone to flowing over the floor as soon as the water reaches the top when the pump fails.

A sump pump is not a sealed system, although it may have a lid. It removes excess water from the basement and "french drains" as well as any perimeter drains around the foundation. Depending on the waterflow and pump quality, these may last a couple of years to 10 years and may overflow if they fail. As mentioned in another posting if you have city water, you could install a water powered backup pump such as the Basepump.

Because of a finished basement and high water table in my area, I always keep a spare pump on hand as well as having a water powered backup pump installed.

How long, on average, will this sump pump last? It is now four years old. I have installed a high water alert using a modified smoke detector so that I should have some warning before the sump backs up into my basement.

Thanks,

Peter.

Reply to
EXT

Your advise is fine, as usual, it's just that as a macerator, it'll probably come on more that twice in 10 years, barring cronic constipation

Reply to
RBM

A sewage (you might call it a septic pump if it pumps to a septic tank) pump is used for sewage and should be in a sealed receptacle and should not overflow if the pump fails, unless you open it up when it is overfull.

Do you think the gromets that the float and power cords run through, or the bushings that the vent pipe run through are going to hold back overflow?

Yes, to some extent. While leaks could occur under some conditions, DWV systems are legally required to be tested to hold a certain amount of water pressure without leaking. Damaged or poorly repaired seals, could leak under minor overflow. Most sump pumps have NO seals, and are prone to flowing over the floor as soon as the water reaches the top when the pump fails.

I've never seen a residential sewage ejection kit, that has more than a large rubber gromet with a slit in it for the wires to pass through. They're designed to keep the gas in, but the only thing that's going to keep the liquid from overflowing is the pump

A sump pump is not a sealed system, although it may have a lid. It removes excess water from the basement and "french drains" as well as any perimeter drains around the foundation. Depending on the waterflow and pump quality, these may last a couple of years to 10 years and may overflow if they fail. As mentioned in another posting if you have city water, you could install a water powered backup pump such as the Basepump.

Because of a finished basement and high water table in my area, I always keep a spare pump on hand as well as having a water powered backup pump installed.

How long, on average, will this sump pump last? It is now four years old. I have installed a high water alert using a modified smoke detector so that I should have some warning before the sump backs up into my basement.

Thanks,

Peter.

Reply to
RBM

When I was writing my original post I could not think of the correct name (macerator). Therefore I used the word "septic" as an alternative.

So how long, ON AVERAGE, should the macerator last before a replacement is needed?

Peter.

Reply to
PVR

goes there. Also the air conditioner drain goes there and a 2" ID pipe but I= don't know what it carries. Main household waste bypasses the sump and goes= direct to drain. The sump is emptied via a pump and a "U" tube to the main = drain.

I have installed a high water alert using a modified smoke detector so that = I should have some warning before the sump backs up into my basement.

It depends on the pump, I have an 80 yr old pump thats still fine, the motor is nearly as big as a 5 gallon bucket, cheap stuff can only last

3-8 years.
Reply to
ransley

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