By ShowMeStepByStepPublished Updated
Based on a video by Apple Drains.
A sump pump is the one piece of gear standing between a wet basement and a dry one. When groundwater rises, the pump kicks on and pushes it out before it ever reaches your floor. Robert from Apple Drains Drainage Contractors has been doing this since 1997, and in this video he sets up a complete system on a Zoeller M53 pump so you can see every connection up close.
You will set the basin liner into the pit, thread a PVC adapter onto the pump, add a check valve so water cannot fall back in, cut and fit the discharge pipe, drill the lid, and seal it up. The whole job uses hand tools and a drill. If you can handle a hacksaw and a socket, you can handle this.
Water problems rarely travel alone. If you are already chasing leaks around the house, take a look at how to fix a leaky faucet while you have the tools out.
Many areas require a plumbing or electrical permit, especially when the discharge ties into a storm drain or you add a dedicated circuit. Check with your local building department first, since an unpermitted discharge line can fail an inspection when you sell.
Deep enough that the basin rim sits at or just below the floor line and the pump rests flat on the bottom, usually around 22 to 30 inches. A pit that is too shallow makes the float cycle constantly; extra depth is fine as long as the discharge still clears the foundation wall.
Plug it into a GFCI-protected outlet, and a dedicated 15 or 20 amp circuit is strongly preferred so a breaker tripping elsewhere never leaves the pit unprotected. Never run one on an extension cord.
The check valve sits in the discharge pipe above the pump and stops the column of water in the pipe from draining back into the pit each time the pump shuts off. Without it the pump short-cycles, which wears the motor out fast.
Run it out through the foundation wall and at least 10 feet from the house, sloped so it drains away. Dumping it right next to the foundation just sends the same water back into the pit.
Yes. The whole job uses hand tools and a drill and takes an afternoon when a pit and discharge path already exist. Digging a new pit through a finished slab or adding a new circuit is where most people bring in a pro.
Pour a bucket of water into the pit and watch the float rise, the pump kick on, and the water push out through the discharge. If the float sticks or the pump hums without moving water, check that the float swings freely and the check valve faces the right direction.
8 steps · about 10 minutes.Check off each step as you go and your progress saves automatically.
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.
Tip
Set a few inches of gravel under the basin so it drains evenly and does not settle over time.
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.
Tip
Check the arrow on the valve body before you clamp it. Backward and it blocks flow completely.
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.
Tip
Rest the pump on a brick or the built-in stand so silt on the basin floor does not clog the intake.
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.
Tip
Run a bead of silicone around the pipe pass-through if you want to seal out radon and basement humidity.
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.
Tip
Add a length of pipe or a splash block at the outlet so the discharge drains at least six feet from the foundation.
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Quick reference
5 questions, answers, and one-line explanations. Tap to expand.
1.Why does the sump basin need perforations or holes in its liner?
Answer: To let groundwater seep in so the pump can move it
The holes let rising groundwater flow into the basin where the pump can send it away.
2.What job does the check valve on the discharge pipe do?
Answer: It keeps pumped water from draining back into the pit
The check valve stops water in the pipe from falling back down each time the pump shuts off.
3.Why keep the float switch clear of the basin wall?
Answer: So the float can swing up freely to turn the pump on
The float has to rise and fall without snagging so the pump cycles when it should.
4.Where should the discharge line send the water?
Answer: Away from the house so it cannot circle back
Routing water well away from the house keeps it from seeping right back into the pit.
5.What kind of outlet should a sump pump be plugged into?
Answer: A GFCI-protected outlet
A GFCI outlet cuts power fast if the wet-location pump develops a fault.
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