{"id":74,"date":"2010-01-24T22:55:06","date_gmt":"2010-01-25T03:55:06","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/allproplumbing.us\/?page_id=74"},"modified":"2010-01-24T22:55:06","modified_gmt":"2010-01-25T03:55:06","slug":"sizing-up-your-sump-pump","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"http:\/\/allproplumbing.us\/?page_id=74","title":{"rendered":"Sizing up your sump pump"},"content":{"rendered":"

904-346-1266<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Sizing Up\u00a0your<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

sump<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

PUMP<\/p>\n

<\/font><\/font><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s every homeowner\u2019s nightmare\u2014a<\/p>\n

basement under water. Carpeting ruined.<\/p>\n

Belongings water-logged.<\/p>\n

In the ongoing battle for dry basements,<\/p>\n

sump pumps play a pivotal role. A pump typically<\/p>\n

has to be replaced every few years. But if you<\/p>\n

size it correctly, you can extend the life of your<\/p>\n

pump. What\u2019s more, you can ensure that you<\/p>\n

have the right pump for the job.<\/p>\n

When you\u2019re selecting the size of a sump<\/p>\n

pump, you need two pieces of information:<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u2022<\/p>\n

<\/span>System Capacity<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u2022<\/p>\n

Friction Head)<\/p>\n

<\/span>Total Dynamic Head (Static Head plus<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Determine System Capacity<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s important that your pump can draw water<\/p>\n

out of the basin (or \u201csump pit\u201d) faster than water<\/p>\n

flows into it. Therefore, the first thing you need<\/p>\n

to measure is the amount of water that drains<\/p>\n

into the basin during a high-flow period.<\/p>\n

During a heavy rain, stick a ruler in the basin<\/p>\n

and measure how many inches of water flow<\/p>\n

into the basin in 60 seconds. This will tell you<\/p>\n

how many gallons flow into the basin per<\/p>\n

minute, which is the System Capacity.<\/p>\n

If you have an 18-inch-diameter basin, 1<\/p>\n

inch of water is equal to 1 gallon. If you have a<\/p>\n

24-inch-diameter basin, 1 inch of water is<\/p>\n

roughly equal to 2 gallons.<\/p>\n

If you find out that more than 30 gallons of<\/p>\n

rainwater flow into the basin per minute, you\u2019re<\/p>\n

better off with a 24-inch-diameter basin. Also,<\/p>\n

the water level should never be allowed to go<\/p>\n

higher than the bottom of the inlet pipe of the<\/p>\n

foundation drain tile.<\/p>\n

But what if you\u2019re building a new home and<\/p>\n

don\u2019t have a system installed yet? In that case,<\/p>\n

there are some general guidelines.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re building on sandy soil, plan for a<\/p>\n

system capacity of 14 gallons per minute for<\/p>\n

every 1,000 square feet of home.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re building on clay soil, plan for a<\/p>\n

system capacity of 8 gallons per minute for<\/p>\n

every 1,000 square feet of home.<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Example:<\/p>\n

inches of water flow into your sump pump basin<\/p>\n

in 60 seconds. Because you have the smaller<\/p>\n

diameter basin, each inch equals 1 gallon.<\/p>\n

Therefore, your System Capacity is 18 gallons<\/p>\n

per minute.<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span>Using a ruler, you find that 18<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Determine Static Head<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Total Dynamic Head is equal to Static Head<\/p>\n

(or \u201cvertical lift\u201d) plus Friction Head.<\/p>\n

Static Head is the vertical height that the<\/p>\n

water rises through the discharge pipe. Begin<\/p>\n

measuring from the point where water enters<\/p>\n

the sump pump. Then measure up vertically<\/p>\n

to where the pipe becomes horizontal (see<\/p>\n

Figure 1).<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Example:<\/p>\n

sump pump to the point where the discharge<\/p>\n

pipe becomes horizontal is 13 feet. This is the<\/p>\n

Static Head.<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span>Assume that the height from the<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

2<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

Determine Friction Head<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Determining Friction Head is more involved<\/p>\n

than finding out the Static Head. Friction Head is<\/p>\n

\u201cthe equivalent length of pipe\u201d plus the actual<\/p>\n

length of pipe multiplied by the \u201cfriction loss\u201d<\/p>\n

divided by 100.<\/p>\n

What follows are four steps in figuring out<\/p>\n

Friction Head.<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Step 1. Determine Equivalent Length<\/p>\n

of Pipe<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The equivalent length of pipe is determined<\/p>\n

by how many pipe fittings are required for your<\/p>\n

system. Table 1 shows the equivalent length of<\/p>\n

pipe for various fittings, based on pipe size.<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Example:<\/p>\n

pipe, with three 90-degree elbows and 1 check<\/p>\n

valve. According to Table 1, three elbows add<\/p>\n

10.5 feet of equivalent pipe, while the check<\/p>\n

valve adds 11.5 feet. The total equivalent feet<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span>Assume you\u2019re using 1\u00bc-inch<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Step 2. Determine the Actual Pipe Length<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The actual pipe length is the length of pipe<\/p>\n

running horizontally out of the house. You should<\/p>\n

be able to see where the pipe discharges<\/p>\n

outside of the house.<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Example:<\/p>\n

discharge pipe is 100 feet.<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span>In our example, the length of<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Step 3. Determine Friction Loss<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Friction loss is how much friction slows the<\/p>\n

flow of water moving through the pipe. Table 2<\/p>\n

shows what friction loss occurs for different<\/p>\n

pipe sizes, depending on how many gallons of<\/p>\n

water per minute move through the pipe.<\/p>\n

With Table 2, use your System Capacity<\/p>\n

number as the \u201cgallons per minute.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Example:<\/p>\n

through your 1\u00bc-inch pipe, it would create a<\/p>\n

friction loss of 5.25 per 100 feet of pipe.<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span>If 18 gallons per minute flow<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Figure 1. A Sump Pump System<\/p>\n

The Sump Pump<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

of pipe is 22 feet.<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

3<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

Step 4. Put it All Together<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

To figure out Friction Head, add the actual<\/p>\n

length of the discharge pipe to the equivalent<\/p>\n

length of pipe from fittings<\/p>\n

friction loss and divide by 100.<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span>. <\/span><\/span>Then multiply by the<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Example:<\/p>\n

discharge pipe (100 feet) with the equivalent<\/p>\n

length of pipe from fittings (22 feet) to get 122<\/p>\n

feet. Then multiply this by the friction loss per<\/p>\n

100 feet of pipe (5.25) and divide by 100.<\/p>\n

122 x 5.25<\/p>\n

6.40 is the Friction Head<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span>Add the actual length of the<\/span><\/span>\u00f7 <\/span>100 = 6.40 feet<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Determining Total Dynamic Head<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Now that we\u2019ve determined Static Head and<\/p>\n

Friction Head, we simply add the numbers to<\/p>\n

get Total Dynamic Head.<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Example:<\/p>\n

the Friction Head (6.40) to get a Total Dynamic<\/p>\n

Head of 19.40. Round up to 20 feet.<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span>Add the Static Head (13 feet) to<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Selecting the Pump<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

You now know your System Capacity (18<\/p>\n

gallons per minute) and you know the Total<\/p>\n

Dynamic Head (20 feet). So you\u2019re ready to<\/p>\n

select a pump.<\/p>\n

Most sump pumps have charts or curves<\/p>\n

that show how many gallons per minute they<\/p>\n

can pump for different lengths of head (See<\/p>\n

Figure 2). You\u2019ve already determined how<\/p>\n

many gallons per minute must be pumped out.<\/p>\n

So look at these charts and make sure that the<\/p>\n

pump can handle that many gallons per<\/p>\n

minute.<\/p>\n

You don\u2019t want a pump that is either too<\/p>\n

small or too powerful. If the pump is too small,<\/p>\n

it won\u2019t be able to keep up with water flowing<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Table 1. Equivalent Length of Pipe<\/p>\n

Due to Fittings<\/p>\n

Table 2. Friction Loss Per 100 Feet of<\/p>\n

Plastic Schedule 40 Pipe<\/p>\n

Figure 2. Sample Sump Pump Performance Curves<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

4<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

August 2005<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

<\/font><\/font><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

<\/font><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

<\/font><\/font><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

<\/font><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

into the basin. If the pump is too powerful, it will<\/p>\n

\u201cshort cycle.\u201d This means the pump will start<\/p>\n

and stop frequently, which can cause premature<\/p>\n

pump failure.<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Example:<\/p>\n

feet, you have only one choice among the four<\/p>\n

pumps shown in Figure 2. Only Pump 1 will be<\/p>\n

able to handle 18 gallons per minute. The other<\/p>\n

three pumps can\u2019t handle any more than 12<\/p>\n

gallons per minute.<\/p>\n

Note that changing to a larger size of pipe in<\/p>\n

this case might lower the friction head enough<\/p>\n

to enable you to use a different pump (Pump 2<\/p>\n

on the chart).<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span>If the Total Dynamic Head is 20<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Maintaining the Pump<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Periodically maintain your pump by doing the<\/p>\n

following:<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u2022<\/p>\n

sure that its up-and-down movement is not<\/p>\n

restricted.<\/p>\n

<\/span>Check the operation of the float to make<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u2022<\/p>\n

running to make sure it is discharging water.<\/p>\n

Several things can cause water not to be<\/p>\n

discharged, including a stuck check valve,<\/p>\n

the impeller loose on its shaft, or a plugged<\/p>\n

water pipe.<\/p>\n

<\/span>Check the outside pipe when the pump is<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u2022<\/p>\n

months, put enough water in the sump<\/p>\n

pump basin to trigger the float switch. That<\/p>\n

way, you ensure that the pump is still operating<\/p>\n

<\/span>If the pump has not had to run for several months<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/em><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/em><\/strong><\/strong><\/em><\/strong><\/em><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/em><\/strong><\/strong><\/em><\/strong><\/strong><\/em><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/em><\/strong><\/strong><\/em><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/span>\u00a0<\/p>\n

<\/font><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s every homeowner\u2019s nightmare\u2014a<\/p>\n

basement under water. Carpeting ruined.<\/p>\n

Belongings water-logged.<\/p>\n

In the ongoing battle for dry basements,<\/p>\n

sump pumps play a pivotal role. A pump typically<\/p>\n

has to be replaced every few years. But if you<\/p>\n

size it correctly, you can extend the life of your<\/p>\n

pump. What\u2019s more, you can ensure that you<\/p>\n

have the right pump for the job.<\/p>\n

When you\u2019re selecting the size of a sump<\/p>\n

pump, you need two pieces of information:<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u2022<\/p>\n

<\/span>System Capacity<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u2022<\/p>\n

Friction Head)<\/p>\n

<\/span>Total Dynamic Head (Static Head plus<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Determine System Capacity<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s important that your pump can draw water<\/p>\n

out of the basin (or \u201csump pit\u201d) faster than water<\/p>\n

flows into it. Therefore, the first thing you need<\/p>\n

to measure is the amount of water that drains<\/p>\n

into the basin during a high-flow period.<\/p>\n

During a heavy rain, stick a ruler in the basin<\/p>\n

and measure how many inches of water flow<\/p>\n

into the basin in 60 seconds. This will tell you<\/p>\n

how many gallons flow into the basin per<\/p>\n

minute, which is the System Capacity.<\/p>\n

If you have an 18-inch-diameter basin, 1<\/p>\n

inch of water is equal to 1 gallon. If you have a<\/p>\n

24-inch-diameter basin, 1 inch of water is<\/p>\n

roughly equal to 2 gallons.<\/p>\n

If you find out that more than 30 gallons of<\/p>\n

rainwater flow into the basin per minute, you\u2019re<\/p>\n

better off with a 24-inch-diameter basin. Also,<\/p>\n

the water level should never be allowed to go<\/p>\n

higher than the bottom of the inlet pipe of the<\/p>\n

foundation drain tile.<\/p>\n

But what if you\u2019re building a new home and<\/p>\n

don\u2019t have a system installed yet? In that case,<\/p>\n

there are some general guidelines.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re building on sandy soil, plan for a<\/p>\n

system capacity of 14 gallons per minute for<\/p>\n

every 1,000 square feet of home.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re building on clay soil, plan for a<\/p>\n

system capacity of 8 gallons per minute for<\/p>\n

every 1,000 square feet of home.<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Example:<\/p>\n

inches of water flow into your sump pump basin<\/p>\n

in 60 seconds. Because you have the smaller<\/p>\n

diameter basin, each inch equals 1 gallon.<\/p>\n

Therefore, your System Capacity is 18 gallons<\/p>\n

per minute.<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span>Using a ruler, you find that 18<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Determine Static Head<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Total Dynamic Head is equal to Static Head<\/p>\n

(or \u201cvertical lift\u201d) plus Friction Head.<\/p>\n

Static Head is the vertical height that the<\/p>\n

water rises through the discharge pipe. Begin<\/p>\n

measuring from the point where water enters<\/p>\n

the sump pump. Then measure up vertically<\/p>\n

to where the pipe becomes horizontal (see<\/p>\n

Figure 1).<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Example:<\/p>\n

sump pump to the point where the discharge<\/p>\n

pipe becomes horizontal is 13 feet. This is the<\/p>\n

Static Head.<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span>Assume that the height from the<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

2<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

Determine Friction Head<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Determining Friction Head is more involved<\/p>\n

than finding out the Static Head. Friction Head is<\/p>\n

\u201cthe equivalent length of pipe\u201d plus the actual<\/p>\n

length of pipe multiplied by the \u201cfriction loss\u201d<\/p>\n

divided by 100.<\/p>\n

What follows are four steps in figuring out<\/p>\n

Friction Head.<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Step 1. Determine Equivalent Length<\/p>\n

of Pipe<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The equivalent length of pipe is determined<\/p>\n

by how many pipe fittings are required for your<\/p>\n

system. Table 1 shows the equivalent length of<\/p>\n

pipe for various fittings, based on pipe size.<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Example:<\/p>\n

pipe, with three 90-degree elbows and 1 check<\/p>\n

valve. According to Table 1, three elbows add<\/p>\n

10.5 feet of equivalent pipe, while the check<\/p>\n

valve adds 11.5 feet. The total equivalent feet<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span>Assume you\u2019re using 1\u00bc-inch<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Step 2. Determine the Actual Pipe Length<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The actual pipe length is the length of pipe<\/p>\n

running horizontally out of the house. You should<\/p>\n

be able to see where the pipe discharges<\/p>\n

outside of the house.<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Example:<\/p>\n

discharge pipe is 100 feet.<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span>In our example, the length of<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Step 3. Determine Friction Loss<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Friction loss is how much friction slows the<\/p>\n

flow of water moving through the pipe. Table 2<\/p>\n

shows what friction loss occurs for different<\/p>\n

pipe sizes, depending on how many gallons of<\/p>\n

water per minute move through the pipe.<\/p>\n

With Table 2, use your System Capacity<\/p>\n

number as the \u201cgallons per minute.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Example:<\/p>\n

through your 1\u00bc-inch pipe, it would create a<\/p>\n

friction loss of 5.25 per 100 feet of pipe.<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span>If 18 gallons per minute flow<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Figure 1. A Sump Pump System<\/p>\n

The Sump Pump<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

of pipe is 22 feet.<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

3<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

Step 4. Put it All Together<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

To figure out Friction Head, add the actual<\/p>\n

length of the discharge pipe to the equivalent<\/p>\n

length of pipe from fittings<\/p>\n

friction loss and divide by 100.<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span>. <\/span><\/span>Then multiply by the<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Example:<\/p>\n

discharge pipe (100 feet) with the equivalent<\/p>\n

length of pipe from fittings (22 feet) to get 122<\/p>\n

feet. Then multiply this by the friction loss per<\/p>\n

100 feet of pipe (5.25) and divide by 100.<\/p>\n

122 x 5.25<\/p>\n

6.40 is the Friction Head<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span>Add the actual length of the<\/span><\/span>\u00f7 <\/span>100 = 6.40 feet<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Determining Total Dynamic Head<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Now that we\u2019ve determined Static Head and<\/p>\n

Friction Head, we simply add the numbers to<\/p>\n

get Total Dynamic Head.<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Example:<\/p>\n

the Friction Head (6.40) to get a Total Dynamic<\/p>\n

Head of 19.40. Round up to 20 feet.<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span>Add the Static Head (13 feet) to<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Selecting the Pump<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

You now know your System Capacity (18<\/p>\n

gallons per minute) and you know the Total<\/p>\n

Dynamic Head (20 feet). So you\u2019re ready to<\/p>\n

select a pump.<\/p>\n

Most sump pumps have charts or curves<\/p>\n

that show how many gallons per minute they<\/p>\n

can pump for different lengths of head (See<\/p>\n

Figure 2). You\u2019ve already determined how<\/p>\n

many gallons per minute must be pumped out.<\/p>\n

So look at these charts and make sure that the<\/p>\n

pump can handle that many gallons per<\/p>\n

minute.<\/p>\n

You don\u2019t want a pump that is either too<\/p>\n

small or too powerful. If the pump is too small,<\/p>\n

it won\u2019t be able to keep up with water flowing<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Table 1. Equivalent Length of Pipe<\/p>\n

Due to Fittings<\/p>\n

Table 2. Friction Loss Per 100 Feet of<\/p>\n

Plastic Schedule 40 Pipe<\/p>\n

Figure 2. Sample Sump Pump Performance Curves<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

4<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

August 2005<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

<\/font><\/font><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

<\/font><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

<\/font><\/font><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

<\/font><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

into the basin. If the pump is too powerful, it will<\/p>\n

\u201cshort cycle.\u201d This means the pump will start<\/p>\n

and stop frequently, which can cause premature<\/p>\n

pump failure.<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Example:<\/p>\n

feet, you have only one choice among the four<\/p>\n

pumps shown in Figure 2. Only Pump 1 will be<\/p>\n

able to handle 18 gallons per minute. The other<\/p>\n

three pumps can\u2019t handle any more than 12<\/p>\n

gallons per minute.<\/p>\n

Note that changing to a larger size of pipe in<\/p>\n

this case might lower the friction head enough<\/p>\n

to enable you to use a different pump (Pump 2<\/p>\n

on the chart).<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span>If the Total Dynamic Head is 20<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Maintaining the Pump<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Periodically maintain your pump by doing the<\/p>\n

following:<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u2022<\/p>\n

sure that its up-and-down movement is not<\/p>\n

restricted.<\/p>\n

<\/span>Check the operation of the float to make<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u2022<\/p>\n

running to make sure it is discharging water.<\/p>\n

Several things can cause water not to be<\/p>\n

discharged, including a stuck check valve,<\/p>\n

the impeller loose on its shaft, or a plugged<\/p>\n

water pipe.<\/p>\n

<\/span>Check the outside pipe when the pump is<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u2022<\/p>\n

months, put enough water in the sump<\/p>\n

pump basin to trigger the float switch. That<\/p>\n

way, you ensure that the pump is still operating<\/p>\n

<\/span>If the pump has not had to run for several months<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/em><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/em><\/strong><\/strong><\/em><\/strong><\/em><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/em><\/strong><\/strong><\/em><\/strong><\/strong><\/em><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/em><\/strong><\/strong><\/em><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s every homeowner\u2019s nightmare\u2014a<\/p>\n

basement under water. Carpeting ruined.<\/p>\n

Belongings water-logged.<\/p>\n

In the ongoing battle for dry basements,<\/p>\n

sump pumps play a pivotal role. A pump typically<\/p>\n

has to be replaced every few years. But if you<\/p>\n

size it correctly, you can extend the life of your<\/p>\n

pump. What\u2019s more, you can ensure that you<\/p>\n

have the right pump for the job.<\/p>\n

When you\u2019re selecting the size of a sump<\/p>\n

pump, you need two pieces of information:<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u2022<\/p>\n

<\/span>System Capacity<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u2022<\/p>\n

Friction Head)<\/p>\n

<\/span>Total Dynamic Head (Static Head plus<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Determine System Capacity<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s important that your pump can draw water<\/p>\n

out of the basin (or \u201csump pit\u201d) faster than water<\/p>\n

flows into it. Therefore, the first thing you need<\/p>\n

to measure is the amount of water that drains<\/p>\n

into the basin during a high-flow period.<\/p>\n

During a heavy rain, stick a ruler in the basin<\/p>\n

and measure how many inches of water flow<\/p>\n

into the basin in 60 seconds. This will tell you<\/p>\n

how many gallons flow into the basin per<\/p>\n

minute, which is the System Capacity.<\/p>\n

If you have an 18-inch-diameter basin, 1<\/p>\n

inch of water is equal to 1 gallon. If you have a<\/p>\n

24-inch-diameter basin, 1 inch of water is<\/p>\n

roughly equal to 2 gallons.<\/p>\n

If you find out that more than 30 gallons of<\/p>\n

rainwater flow into the basin per minute, you\u2019re<\/p>\n

better off with a 24-inch-diameter basin. Also,<\/p>\n

the water level should never be allowed to go<\/p>\n

higher than the bottom of the inlet pipe of the<\/p>\n

foundation drain tile.<\/p>\n

But what if you\u2019re building a new home and<\/p>\n

don\u2019t have a system installed yet? In that case,<\/p>\n

there are some general guidelines.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re building on sandy soil, plan for a<\/p>\n

system capacity of 14 gallons per minute for<\/p>\n

every 1,000 square feet of home.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re building on clay soil, plan for a<\/p>\n

system capacity of 8 gallons per minute for<\/p>\n

every 1,000 square feet of home.<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Example:<\/p>\n

inches of water flow into your sump pump basin<\/p>\n

in 60 seconds. Because you have the smaller<\/p>\n

diameter basin, each inch equals 1 gallon.<\/p>\n

Therefore, your System Capacity is 18 gallons<\/p>\n

per minute.<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span>Using a ruler, you find that 18<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Determine Static Head<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Total Dynamic Head is equal to Static Head<\/p>\n

(or \u201cvertical lift\u201d) plus Friction Head.<\/p>\n

Static Head is the vertical height that the<\/p>\n

water rises through the discharge pipe. Begin<\/p>\n

measuring from the point where water enters<\/p>\n

the sump pump. Then measure up vertically<\/p>\n

to where the pipe becomes horizontal (see<\/p>\n

Figure 1).<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Example:<\/p>\n

sump pump to the point where the discharge<\/p>\n

pipe becomes horizontal is 13 feet. This is the<\/p>\n

Static Head.<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span>Assume that the height from the<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

2<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

Determine Friction Head<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Determining Friction Head is more involved<\/p>\n

than finding out the Static Head. Friction Head is<\/p>\n

\u201cthe equivalent length of pipe\u201d plus the actual<\/p>\n

length of pipe multiplied by the \u201cfriction loss\u201d<\/p>\n

divided by 100.<\/p>\n

What follows are four steps in figuring out<\/p>\n

Friction Head.<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Step 1. Determine Equivalent Length<\/p>\n

of Pipe<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The equivalent length of pipe is determined<\/p>\n

by how many pipe fittings are required for your<\/p>\n

system. Table 1 shows the equivalent length of<\/p>\n

pipe for various fittings, based on pipe size.<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Example:<\/p>\n

pipe, with three 90-degree elbows and 1 check<\/p>\n

valve. According to Table 1, three elbows add<\/p>\n

10.5 feet of equivalent pipe, while the check<\/p>\n

valve adds 11.5 feet. The total equivalent feet<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span>Assume you\u2019re using 1\u00bc-inch<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Step 2. Determine the Actual Pipe Length<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The actual pipe length is the length of pipe<\/p>\n

running horizontally out of the house. You should<\/p>\n

be able to see where the pipe discharges<\/p>\n

outside of the house.<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Example:<\/p>\n

discharge pipe is 100 feet.<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span>In our example, the length of<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Step 3. Determine Friction Loss<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Friction loss is how much friction slows the<\/p>\n

flow of water moving through the pipe. Table 2<\/p>\n

shows what friction loss occurs for different<\/p>\n

pipe sizes, depending on how many gallons of<\/p>\n

water per minute move through the pipe.<\/p>\n

With Table 2, use your System Capacity<\/p>\n

number as the \u201cgallons per minute.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Example:<\/p>\n

through your 1\u00bc-inch pipe, it would create a<\/p>\n

friction loss of 5.25 per 100 feet of pipe.<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span>If 18 gallons per minute flow<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Figure 1. A Sump Pump System<\/p>\n

The Sump Pump<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

of pipe is 22 feet.<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

3<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

Step 4. Put it All Together<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

To figure out Friction Head, add the actual<\/p>\n

length of the discharge pipe to the equivalent<\/p>\n

length of pipe from fittings<\/p>\n

friction loss and divide by 100.<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span>. <\/span><\/span>Then multiply by the<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Example:<\/p>\n

discharge pipe (100 feet) with the equivalent<\/p>\n

length of pipe from fittings (22 feet) to get 122<\/p>\n

feet. Then multiply this by the friction loss per<\/p>\n

100 feet of pipe (5.25) and divide by 100.<\/p>\n

122 x 5.25<\/p>\n

6.40 is the Friction Head<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span>Add the actual length of the<\/span><\/span>\u00f7 <\/span>100 = 6.40 feet<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Determining Total Dynamic Head<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Now that we\u2019ve determined Static Head and<\/p>\n

Friction Head, we simply add the numbers to<\/p>\n

get Total Dynamic Head.<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Example:<\/p>\n

the Friction Head (6.40) to get a Total Dynamic<\/p>\n

Head of 19.40. Round up to 20 feet.<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span>Add the Static Head (13 feet) to<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Selecting the Pump<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

You now know your System Capacity (18<\/p>\n

gallons per minute) and you know the Total<\/p>\n

Dynamic Head (20 feet). So you\u2019re ready to<\/p>\n

select a pump.<\/p>\n

Most sump pumps have charts or curves<\/p>\n

that show how many gallons per minute they<\/p>\n

can pump for different lengths of head (See<\/p>\n

Figure 2). You\u2019ve already determined how<\/p>\n

many gallons per minute must be pumped out.<\/p>\n

So look at these charts and make sure that the<\/p>\n

pump can handle that many gallons per<\/p>\n

minute.<\/p>\n

You don\u2019t want a pump that is either too<\/p>\n

small or too powerful. If the pump is too small,<\/p>\n

it won\u2019t be able to keep up with water flowing<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Table 1. Equivalent Length of Pipe<\/p>\n

Due to Fittings<\/p>\n

Table 2. Friction Loss Per 100 Feet of<\/p>\n

Plastic Schedule 40 Pipe<\/p>\n

Figure 2. Sample Sump Pump Performance Curves<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

4<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

August 2005<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

<\/font><\/font><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

<\/font><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

<\/font><\/font><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

<\/font><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

into the basin. If the pump is too powerful, it will<\/p>\n

\u201cshort cycle.\u201d This means the pump will start<\/p>\n

and stop frequently, which can cause premature<\/p>\n

pump failure.<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Example:<\/p>\n

feet, you have only one choice among the four<\/p>\n

pumps shown in Figure 2. Only Pump 1 will be<\/p>\n

able to handle 18 gallons per minute. The other<\/p>\n

three pumps can\u2019t handle any more than 12<\/p>\n

gallons per minute.<\/p>\n

Note that changing to a larger size of pipe in<\/p>\n

this case might lower the friction head enough<\/p>\n

to enable you to use a different pump (Pump 2<\/p>\n

on the chart).<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span>If the Total Dynamic Head is 20<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Maintaining the Pump<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Periodically maintain your pump by doing the<\/p>\n

following:<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u2022<\/p>\n

sure that its up-and-down movement is not<\/p>\n

restricted.<\/p>\n

<\/span>Check the operation of the float to make<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u2022<\/p>\n

running to make sure it is discharging water.<\/p>\n

Several things can cause water not to be<\/p>\n

discharged, including a stuck check valve,<\/p>\n

the impeller loose on its shaft, or a plugged<\/p>\n

water pipe.<\/p>\n

<\/span>Check the outside pipe when the pump is<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u2022<\/p>\n

months, put enough water in the sump<\/p>\n

pump basin to trigger the float switch. That<\/p>\n

way, you ensure that the pump is still operating<\/p>\n

<\/span>If the pump has not had to run for several months<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/em><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/em><\/strong><\/strong><\/em><\/strong><\/em><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/em><\/strong><\/strong><\/em><\/strong><\/strong><\/em><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/em><\/strong><\/strong><\/em><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

904-346-1266 \u00a0 \u00a0 Sizing Up\u00a0your \u00a0 sump \u00a0 PUMP \u00a0 It\u2019s every homeowner\u2019s nightmare\u2014a basement under water. Carpeting ruined. Belongings water-logged. In the ongoing battle for dry basements, sump pumps play a pivotal role. A pump typically has to be replaced every few years. But if you size it correctly, you can extend the life […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","template":"","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/allproplumbing.us\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/74"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/allproplumbing.us\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/allproplumbing.us\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/allproplumbing.us\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/allproplumbing.us\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=74"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/allproplumbing.us\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/74\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":75,"href":"http:\/\/allproplumbing.us\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/74\/revisions\/75"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/allproplumbing.us\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=74"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}