What Size of Best Sump Pump Should You Buy for Your Basement?

What Capacity Are Your Working With?

Pick a rainy day to try this experiment. Take your current sump pump and run it until the water level recedes to shut off level. Unplug the pump for one minute, and please do not forget to plug it back in (or you will have other issues).

Measure the level to which the water was raised. Usually, a sump pump will have a water level of 20 gallons (or inches) in one minute. Take the number and multiply it by the number 20. You take that number and multiply it by one hour.

You then take that number and multiply it by the safety capacity.

The equation for the size of your best sump pump should be, inches of water by one hour by 1.5. This should equal the gallons of water required for safety and hour capacity.

This is one way to do it.

The Motor Power

This is another example you can try if the first one does not work for you. The strength should equal power. Most homeowners get the .33 horsepower. Others have worked with the .25 horsepower.

Do you live in a location that is prone to flooding? The .5-hp(option) might be your best fit. The reason is that it can get rid of more than 3,000 gallons of water an hour.

Now some of you might not need something that large. You can try to get by with the .25 horsepower and see if that works. One thing to note is that more companies are starting to list the exact number (concerning horsepower) on the package. That reduces the need for measuring the exact size.

Are There Other Considerations?

Yes, you can use other options to pick the right size. One thing to remember is the size of your sump pump pit. Some of you may have wider pits. The wider the pump pit, the more water it can get rid of per hour. That means it will throw off the above equation in a big way.

You also need to watch the water as it moves through the discharge pipe. What height does it go to? One thing to remember is that the pump will have to work that much harder the further away it is.

You want something that keeps everything closer so that the pipe does not have to work too hard to discharge the water.

A Reminder for Those Seeking the Submersible Sump Pump

Most homeowners can get away with the 1/3 HP pump. The reason is they can handle the 7-10' vertical lifts. This only applies if they have a 90-degree elbow angle and a pipe that runs between 3-25 feet horizontally.

Please ask a plumber in your area if you have any questions or concerns(especially if you feel you cannot do this on your own).

You can find more information(concerning sump pump sizes)by clicking the link below.