If your house is below the water table or your basement is prone to flooding, you will want a sump pump in your basement.
There are two kinds of sump pumps: pedestal pumps and submersible pumps. Pedestal sump pumps are the more inexpensive option, and the motor sits above the basement floor.
Learn how to install a pedestal sump pump in your own home with this simple step-by-step guide from Blain’s Farm & Fleet.
Before installing a pedestal sump pump, determine if there are municipal codes and regulations for the project. You may need a permit.
Because you will be breaking into the concrete basement floor, it’s important to determine if you have sewer and utility lines running under your house’s foundation.
Choose the location in your basement where you want to install your pedestal sump pump. You want the sump pump to be in the lowest-lying area. A downward slope will help water run to the sump basin if your basement should flood.
Your sump pump should be located near an outside wall, so the PVC discharge pipe can run outside your house. You will also need the pump to be located near an Ground-Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI) electrical outlet. This way, you can plug the pump in.
After you have determined the sump pump’s location, flip the sump basin liner upside down. Then, trace a circle around it with a permanent marker. This will give you an outline of the drilling area.
There are a few options for how to go about breaking up the concrete floor. The most efficient way will be to rent a jackhammer. You can try to use a sledgehammer, but the safest way is with a jackhammer.
If you use a jackhammer, make sure the basement is well-ventilated. Running a jackhammer indoors can cause potentially fatal carbon monoxide poisoning without proper ventilation.
Be sure to wear safety glasses and work boots when breaking up the concrete.
Once you’ve broken up the floor, use a round-point shovel to dig the remaining hole. The top of the sump basin needs to line up to the floor level.
Pour a small amount of gravel in the hole, wrap the sump basin liner with filter fabric, and submerge the liner in the hole. Fill in the gaps with gravel, leaving about six inches between the gravel and the top of the hole.
Following the instructions, mix up the concrete and pour it on the gravel. You want to fill the gap between the gravel and basement floor. Use a pointed trowel to even the concrete with the existing basement floor.
Check the manufacturer’s label to find the appropriate cement drying time.
While your concrete is drying, you can make the hole for the discharge piping. The size of the PVC pipe will depend on the size of the pedestal sump pump check valve. Attach the check valve and PVC pipe to the sump pump, and run the PVC piping up the wall.
Using the proper size hole saw with a drill, drill through your house’s wall. Continue the PVC piping through the hole. You will need to use a PVC elbow joint to connect the PVC piping running from the check valve to the discharge hole.
Using silicone caulk, make a seal around the inside and outside of the PVC pipe. This will make the seal water- and air-tight.
You’ll install the pedestal sump pump outside the basin. Follow the directions that come with the sump pump. As you install it, make sure the pump float doesn’t touch the side of the sump basin.
Lower the pump into the basin, and measure the correct amount of PVC pipe to reach the discharge pipe. Cut the PVC to the correct length with a hacksaw. Using PVC cement, connect the PVC pipe to the adapter.
Finally, plug in the pedestal sump pump. You can test the sump pump by filling the basin with water. Turn on the pedestal sump pump to make sure it works.
You will also want to check outside to make sure the water is being properly discharged away from your house. When the sump pump is all set, put on the sump lid.
For more step-by-step guides like this one, check out our Home Maintenance Blog.
