How to Install a Sump Pit and Pump

If you have some basement wetness issues in a single corner, you can eliminate this by installing a sump pump evacuation system.

Things You'll Need

• sump pit
• filter fabric
• shovel
• concrete saw
• 5 gallon buckets
• concrete trowel
• 1 or 2 bags of concrete
• sump pump
• 1 1/2" pvc pipe
• 1 1/2" pvc fittings
• hole saw
• drill
• flexible exterior 8' extension pipe
• pvc primer and cement

Instructions

1. The firs thing you need to do is cut out the concrete where you want to install the sump pip. Measure the diameter of the pit and add 6". Mark the concrete in a square fashion. Now you will cut the concrete with the concrete saw. You will have to hit the cut out piece with a sledge hammer in order to break it up enough to pull it out. CAUTION: MAKE SURE THERE ARE NO PIPES RUNNING UNDER THE AREA YOU ARE CUTTING.

2. Now you will dig out the hole down so the sump pit sits 1/4" down from the top of the current concrete. Discard the dirt and stone with 5 gallon buckets. Wrap the pit in filter fabric before installing the pit in the hole. This will keep stone and dirt from entering the pit.

   Fill the voids on the side of the pit with gravel. Use a small amount of water and the end of your shovel to compact the gravel and avoid settling. Leave 4" from the top of the pit for concrete.

3. Double check the pit and make sure it is level. Once level, mix concrete in the 5 gallon buckets and dump around the perimeter of the sump pit. Repeat until full. Use your trowel to smooth out the concrete and blend it into the existing floor. let the concrete cure for 12 hours.

4. It is time to install the sump pump. I have chosen a pedestal style pump because of the extra power to pump water up and out of a building. First, attach the float ball arm to the pedestal. Next, secure the piece of pvc into the coupler and tighten the coupler. Now gently drop the pedestal pump into the sump pit making sure that the pedestal sits flat on the bottom. Now take the lid that came with the pit and slide it into place. The lid should have a notch in the middle that allows for the pvc pipe. This holds the pump in place.

5. Now that you have your pump installed, find the closest box sill to the pump and drill a 1 3/4" hole to slide the evacuation pipe through. The pipe should stick out of the house about 6". Now take a level and bring the portion of the pipe in the house up so that there is at least 1/4" per foot of pitch toward the outside and install a support bar or use zip ties to support the pipe. Now level down to the vertical pipe and make a mark where the vertical pip is plumb. Cut the evacuation pipe there. Using primer (usually purple) and pipe cement, glue a 90 degree elbow onto to pipe. Then glue another measured portion of vertical pipe to the 90 degree elbow. Use couplers to attach the two vertical sections of pipe.
   Make sure you go outside and attach the flexible extension to the evacuation pipe and run it away from the house.

6. It is now time to test the pump. If there is no water in the pit, fill up a clean 5 gallon bucket with water and dump it in. Plug the pump into the nearest 120 volt outlet. The pump should start and pump the water out of the house. Check for leaks and watch the water level. The only place there could possibly be any leaks are at the pump where the pipe attaches and at the middle coupler. If you have leaks at the 90 degree elbow, you did not follow the instructions and will probably have to start over running the pipe. If the coupler leaks, use a wrench to tighten as much as possible. Test until there are no leaks.

   Congratulations! You now have a catch for that trouble spot in your basement.

Tips & Warnings

• If the trouble spot is in a finished area, frame a closet around the pump to conceal. Incorporate built in shelving for a custom appeal. For instructions on how to frame a wall, see my ehow on "properly framing a wall."

• If you choose a submersible pump, the same method applies. The pump is simply completely submerged in water versus the pedestal motor being out of the pit.

• When cutting the concrete, pour water on the area you are cutting to keep dust down. Where a mask to avoid breathing concrete dust.

• All outlets within 6' of a water source or water container should be GFCI outlets. If this is the case with your project, please change out the outlet.