Sump Pump Installation

Sump pump installation is a fairly intensive do-it-yourself project and should only be taken on if you feel capable of such a project. But by performing the sump pump installation yourself, you will be saving a lot of money while providing protection for your basement and its contents.

The project will involve the installation of a sump basin, optional installation of an interior perimeter drain and finally installing a sump pump and discharge piping.

Sump Pump Installation Tools

You will need the following tools in order to complete your sump pump installation.

Sledgehammer or Electric Jack Hammer
Post Hole Digger and/or shovel
Hack Saw
Drill, drill bits and hole saw
Wrench
Measuring Tape
Safety Glasses

Sump Pump Installation Supplies

You will need the following supplies during a sump pump installation.

Pre-Mixed Concrete
Gravel or Crushed Stone
1 1/2" Schedule 40 PVC Pipe and Connectors
PVC Primer and Solvent
Check Valve
20 or 30 Gallon Sump Well
Sump Pump
3 or 4" Drain Tile if installing curtain drain system

Installing a Sump Pump Basin

Installing a sump pump basin, pit or well is the first step in getting a system up and running. The following steps describe how to install:

Select the location for the new sump well (preferably the lowest point in the basement.) keep in mind the location of any underground drain lines when selecting the location.
Mark out a circle that is 4 to 5 inches larger than the basin that you will be installing.
Remove the concrete from within that circle (either with a sledge hammer or electric jack-hammer.)
Dig down through the hole in the concrete until the selected basin will sit completely within the hole (you want the lip to be just below the basement floor level.)
Backfill around it with gravel to within 2 to 3 inches from the top of the liner.
Mix up some cement and re-cement the floor area up to the basin. Since the liner was set lower than the floor the cement will naturally slop down into the pit creating an effective floor drain.

Once the concrete drys, you are now ready for sump pump installation steps.

Interior Perimeter Drain Installation

Installing a perimeter curtain drain is an optional step in your sump pump installation, but will greatly increase the effectiveness of the system. This is a very labor intensive process that will take some time to complete. So if you decide to install a perimeter drain, complete the following steps at the same time as your are installing the sump basin above (must be completed before you backfill around sump pit):

Mark the location of any underground drain lines around the perimeter of your basement. You will have to be careful when removing the concrete around these areas.
Remove a foot wide section of concrete around the perimeter of the basement using a sledge hammer or electric jack hammer. Be careful not to damage to concrete footer when removing the flooring concrete.
Dig the trench out so that it is around 6 to 8 inches deep and slopes slightly toward the sump basin.
lay the drain tile into the newly formed trench so that it forms a loop with both ends ending at the sump basin.
Carefully cut holes in the sump basin that will allow the perimiter drain lines to drain into the sump basin.
Cover the drain tile with gravel and then re-cement the floor over the drain tiles.

Sump Pump Installation

You are almost done with the sump pump installation. The only things left are installing a sump pump and a discharge line. The following steps will guide your through the process of installing a sump pump:

Install the discharge pipe through the wall using the drill and hole saw. Make sure that the pipe will send the water away from the foundation.
Connect a check value using the rubber boot to the discharge pipe coming into the house.
Connect sump pump to a section of pipe and place it in the basin. Make sure that the pump is centered in the pit and the float moves freely.
Connect the pipe from the pump to the bottom of the check valve using the rubber boot.
Drill a 3/16" hole in the discharge line 4 to 6 inches above the sump pump. This will prevent airlocks between sump pump and the check valve.
Plug the pump directly into a grounded outlet. This outlet should be on a dedicated circuit to prevent other devices from overloading the circuit breaker. If your are using a submersible sump pump, tape the electrical cord to the discharge pipe as it comes out of the basin.
Test your new pump by filling the pit with water from a 5 gallon bucket..