Pit, pump, pipe and a battery for power cuts
Sump pump installation in Tigard
A sump pump is the part that actually removes water. Drains bring water to it. The pump lifts it out of the house and sends it somewhere it can soak away or run off.
The parts of a sump system
What each part is for
The pit
A perforated basin sunk at the low point. In a crawl space it sits in the soil under the liner. Its lid should seal, to keep damp air and soil gas in the ground.
The pump and its switch
A submersible pump with a float or sensor. Switches fail more often than motors, so ask what kind is fitted and how it is tested.
The check valve
A one-way valve on the pipe. Without it the water in the pipe drops back into the pit each time the pump stops, and the pump starts again.
The battery backup
A second pump on a battery, or a battery that runs the main pump. Heavy rain and power cuts tend to arrive together.
An alarm
A sounder or phone alert for high water. It is a small extra that tells you about a failure before the floor does.
Where the water may go in Tigard
The pipe should end far enough from the house that the water does not circle back to the foundation, and on your own ground. Clean Water Services does not step in when one lot drains onto the next, so an outlet aimed at the fence becomes your dispute to settle.
Connecting the pipe to a public storm drain or the curb needs approval from Clean Water Services. A pipe that stays on your lot is a private drainage system, and that needs building approval. Ask the company which applies and who is applying.
A buried discharge line means a trench across the yard, and that means an 811 locate first. The Tigard guide has the steps.
Signs the pump you have is not coping
It runs every few minutes in dry weather. It hums but the water level does not drop. It clunks loudly at the end of each cycle. Water comes back into the pit as soon as it stops.
Any of those is worth a call. A pump that cycles constantly wears out early, and the cause is often the valve or the switch and not the pump.
Ask the installer
- How long will the backup run the pump on one charge, and how will I know the battery needs replacing?
- Is the pump on its own electrical circuit, and is an electrician included?
- How far from the wall does the pipe end, and what stops the outlet freezing or clogging with leaves?
- Can I test the system myself, and how often should I?
Sump pump questions
Does a crawl space need a sump pump?
Only if liquid water collects there. A crawl space that is damp but never has standing water needs a liner and dry air, not a pump.
Can the pump empty into a floor drain or laundry sink?
Do not assume so. Those drains lead to the sanitary sewer, which is a different system from the storm drains. Ask the company where the discharge is allowed to go and have the answer written into the contract.
How often should a sump pump be replaced?
There is no fixed date. Ask the installer how long that model is expected to last, and test it before each wet season by pouring water into the pit.
Ready to have someone look at it?
Describe what you are seeing and where in the house it is. The company on the phone will tell you whether it is work they take on and when they could come out.
Get a waterproofing company on the phone
For homeowners with water coming into a basement or crawl space, or a yard that drains toward the house.
Call (503) 555-0120Calls can be recorded. Read how the referral is paid for and what happens to your details.