How to Install Sump Pumps

If you have water collecting in your basement, installing a sump pump can solve the problem. A sump pump removes collected water and deposits it far from the house. Installation of a sump pump is usually done by a professional, but you can do it yourself if you are willing to invest some time and effort. Just make sure to install your pump in the location where the water collects, which is usually the lowest area in your basement.

Difficulty: Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Jackhammer with spade bit
• Spade
• Gravel
• Wooden float
• Cement
• Trowel
• Drill
• Wire ties
• Check valve
• Screwdriver
• PVC pipe
• PVC glue

Installing the Liner

1. Use the jackhammer to break through the concrete in the floor of your basement. Cut around the perimeter of a 4-by-4 foot square area.

2. Use the jackhammer to cut through the center of the square and break the concrete into smaller pieces. Remove these pieces carefully.

3. Dig a hole in the dirt under the concrete deep enough that the sump pump liner can fit into it easily.

4. Place the liner in the hole and surround it with gravel. Level the gravel with a wooden float at a level of 1 inch above the bottom surface of the concrete.

5. Pour cement over the gravel around the liner and level it with the wooden float. Smooth the surface of the concrete with a trowel, and let it cure for a day or two.

Installing the Pump

6. Glue the male adapter into female adapter in the pump's discharge pipe.

7. Drill a hole into the discharge pipe about 6 inches above the pump. This will allow the water to flow back into the pump and keep the pump primed even when it is turned off.

8. Use wire ties to attach the pump's electrical cords to the discharge pipe.

9. Carefully lower the pump into the liner and put on the lid.

10. Install the check valve on the open end of the discharge pipe. To install, slide the rubber couplings over the pipe and use a screwdriver to tighten the hose clamps.

Running Pipes

11. Drill a hole in the side of your house for the piping to lead through. From the inside of the house, bore a 1/4-inch hole through the rim joist and siding. Then go outside, find the hole, and use a 2-inch bit to drill the finished hole.

12. Slide PVC pipe through the hole. Attach additional lengths of PVC pipe with PVC glue to connect the first pipe with the pump.

13. Attach other lengths of PVC pipe to the opposite end of the first pipe, leading outside and away from the house. This will allow the water to drain away from the house and prevent flooding.

14. Caulk the opening between the hole in the rim joist and the pipe. Make sure the caulk is high -grade and flexible, since it must absorb the pump's vibrations. Seal the hole from both the inside and the outside of the house.

15. Plug the pump into a GFCI receptacle. There should be two plugs: one that powers the motor and the other that powers the float.

Tips & Warnings

• You will probably need to rent the jackhammer. It shouldn't cost more than $50 to rent it for the necessary amount of time.
• Make sure that the hole that you make with your jackhammer does not hit your home's water supply line or sewer line.

Resources

• Popular Mechanics--Illustrations of installing a sump pump