How to Install a Sump Pump

Start with the pit. Dig it deep enough that the basin sits below the floor line, then drop the perforated basin liner in. Robert ties the incoming drain line into the side of the basin so groundwater collects where the pump can reach it. The perforations let water in from all around, not just the top. Get the basin sitting level before anything else goes in.

The Zoeller M53 has a threaded discharge on top. Wrap the threads with tape, then hand-thread the 1 1/2 inch PVC male adapter into it and snug it down. This adapter is what the whole discharge riser builds off of, so take a second to get it straight and tight. Cross-thread it here and the leak follows you all the way up.

Above the pump goes the check valve. This is the part that keeps the water in the pipe from draining back into the pit every time the pump shuts off. Without it, the pump short-cycles and burns out early. Robert sets it inline on the discharge riser with the arrow pointing up, in the direction the water flows. Tighten the clamps so it holds under pressure.

Now measure your discharge run. You want the pipe long enough to reach from the pump, up past the basin rim, and out through the foundation wall. Robert marks it and cuts it clean with a hacksaw. Take the burr off the cut end with a knife or sandpaper so the fitting seats fully. A rough end means a weak glue joint later.

Lower the pump onto the flat bottom of the basin by its handle. Keep the power cord and float switch clear of the wall so the float can swing up and down freely. That float is what tells the pump when to run. If it hangs up on the side, the pump either never starts or never stops. Give it room and check it moves before you move on.

The lid needs two openings. Use a hole saw to cut a pass-through for the discharge pipe and a second, smaller hole for the pump cord and float wiring. Robert lines the pipe hole up with where the riser lands so the lid drops on straight. Go slow with the hole saw and let it do the work rather than forcing it through the plastic.

Feed the discharge pipe up through the lid and press the lid down onto the basin rim. A sealed lid does two jobs. It keeps debris, kids, and pets out of an open pit, and it cuts down on the gurgle you hear every time the pump runs. Push it down evenly all the way around so it seats flush. Some lids have a gasket that snugs the seal.

Finish the run out through the wall and away from the house so the water does not circle right back. Plug the pump into a GFCI outlet. Then pour a bucket of water into the pit and watch. The float should rise, the pump should kick on, and water should shoot out the discharge. Listen for the check valve seating with a light thunk when it shuts off. That thunk means it is working.