Basement Pump Maintenance

Table of Contents

1. Types of Sump Pumps[+]
   1. Submersible
   2. Pedestal
   3. Battery Backup
   4. Combination
2. Best 5 Basement pump maintenance[+]
   1. 1. Wayne 58321-WYN3 CDU980E 3/4 HP Submersible Cast Iron and Stainless Steel Sump Pump with Integrated Vertical Float Switch, Large, Silver
   2. 2. Superior Pump 92551 1/2 HP Cast Iron Pedestal Pump
   3. 3. AmazonCommercial 1/3 HP Thermoplastic Submersible Sump Pump with Tethered Float Switch
   4. 4. WAYNE – 1/2 HP Sump Pump with Integrated Vertical Float Switch and 12 Volt Battery Back Up Capability, Battery Not Included – Up to 5,100 Gallons Per Hour – Heavy Duty Basement Sump Pump System 
   5. 5. Professional EZ Travel Collection, Hot Tub, and Swimming Pool Drain Pump with Hose Pond/Flood Pump (Up to 3,700 Gallons per Hour)

A good sump pump is invaluable in times of flooding or to prevent mildew. Sump pumps reside in a pit below the basement’s surface or sit on the basement floor. Once the water reaches a certain level, the pump turns on and pumps the water outside and away from the home’s foundation.

We used sump pump reviews and user experience to examine the features and benefits sump pumps offer and select some of the top-rated sump pumps on the market. 

Types of Sump Pumps

When shopping for a new sump pump for your home, there are four main types: submersible, pedestal, battery backup, and combination.

Submersible

A submersible sump pump is designed to work in a sump basin pit located below your basement floor’s surface. When water enters your basement, it flows into the pit. Once the water in the pit reaches a certain level, it triggers a sensor on the sump pump. The pump then turns on and begins pumping water out of your basement via a pipe running to the home’s exterior.

Since the pump sits in a sump basin, submersible pumps are quieter than other sub pumps and are out of the way of other activities in the basement. Typically, they are more expensive than other sump pump types.

Pedestal

Unlike submersible pumps, which live in a sump pump basin, pedestal pumps sit on the basement floor. They draw in water from the pump’s base and, like a submersible pump, pump the water through a pipe leading to a drainage area outside the home.

The pump’s motor, which is not waterproof, is located at the top of the unit. Pedestal pumps are less expensive than submersible pumps and don’t require the expense of digging a sump pump basin; however, the motor’s position on the unit’s exterior makes them noisier than submersible pumps.

Battery Backup

Pedestal and submersible sump pumps cannot work without electricity, which is significant given that flooding often occurs during storms that knock out power. A battery backup sump pump works similarly to a standard sump pump but uses a battery instead of an electric outlet for power. When a power outage sidelines your sump pump, the battery backup pump will step in to pump water out of the basement.

The average battery-powered sump pump can pump up to 100 gallons of water on a single charge. Since battery life is limited, a battery backup will eventually give out during extended power outages.

Combination

The best sump pump brands include a built-in backup. These versatile units combine a standard electric sump pump with a battery backup, offering max protection against all flooding hazards. Combination pumps use a single pump and are more cost-effective than purchasing two separate pumps.

They also tend to be larger than standard submersible pumps, so if you have an existing sump pump basin, a combination unit may not fit. Check the unit’s minimum basin size requirements before you purchase.

Conclusion

You need more than just the pump when setting up a sump pump in your basement. If you’re using a submersible sump pump, you’ll need a sump pump basin and cover to hold the pump. Basins come in various sizes, so make sure you know what size the sump pump you purchase requires.

Best 5 Basement pump maintenance

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1. Wayne 58321-WYN3 CDU980E 3/4 HP Submersible Cast Iron and Stainless Steel Sump Pump with Integrated Vertical Float Switch, Large, Silver

Specifications

• Brand: Wayne
• Color: Silver
• Material: Stainless Steel

The Wayne CDU980E consistently ranks among the top sump pumps in online reviews, and it’s easy to see why. This pump comes with a powerful 3/4 hp motor that moves up to 5,490 gallons per hour (GPH), which is more than other pumps we researched, including several more expensive models.

Conclusion

It’s a submersible sump pump, making it quieter than pedestal-type pumps. This is useful if you spend a lot of time in your basement and don’t want a noisy pump interrupting your movies and projects. Durability is another standout feature of the Wayne CDU980E. It has a cast iron and stainless steel body that protects the internal motor from water damage. Wayne is confident in this design that the pump has a five-year warranty, the longest among sump pumps.

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Pros

• Quiet operation
• Stainless steel and cast iron construction
• Powerful 3/4 hp motor
• Five-year warranty

Cons

• Relatively expensive
• Harder to maintain than pedestal pumps

2. Superior Pump 92551 1/2 HP Cast Iron Pedestal Pump

Specifications

• Brand: Superior Pump
• Color: Black
• Material: Stainless Steel

The Superior has a different design than other pumps on our list. Its motor rests on a pedestal at the top of a tall shaft, not at the bottom of a sump basin like a submersible pump. This keeps the motor far from the water below, which results in a longer-lasting pump design. It qualifies for a five-year warranty because its electrical components have less exposure to water.

Conclusion

The 1/3 hp motor on this pedestal sump pump isn’t as powerful as it would be on a submersible pump, but it has an excellent output of up to 3,000 GPH to keep your basement dry. Since the motor isn’t down in a sump pit, it’s noisier than submersible models, but the noise isn’t a problem if your pump doesn’t run very often.

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Pros

• Easy to maintain
• Long warranty
• Powerful 1/3 hp motor

Cons

• Noisy operation

3. AmazonCommercial 1/3 HP Thermoplastic Submersible Sump Pump with Tethered Float Switch

Specifications

• Brand: AmazonCommercial
• Color: Black
• Material: Aluminium

Amazon is a recent entrant in the basement sump pump market with its AmazonCommercial line. The company generally has an excellent reputation for customer service, and its white-label AmazonBasics products are surprisingly effective, given their lower prices. The AmazonCommercial AB-P100 is a superb example because it offers a high flow rate for an affordable price.

Conclusion

This pump is affordable because its plastic body isn’t as durable as steel or cast iron. Still, Amazon sells a more powerful cast iron variant for about $25 more if you want something more robust. These pumps have a one-year warranty, which isn’t as long as the five-year coverage with more established products like the Wayne CDU980E.

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Pros

• High flow rate
• More affordable than similar products
• Vertical lift up to 29 feet

Cons

• Plastic construction
• Short warranty

4. WAYNE – 1/2 HP Sump Pump with Integrated Vertical Float Switch and 12 Volt Battery Back Up Capability, Battery Not Included – Up to 5,100 Gallons Per Hour – Heavy Duty Basement Sump Pump System 

Specifications

• Brand: Wayne
• Material: Cast Iron
• Style: WSS30V combination sump pump system

The Wayne WSS30VN is a bundle of two pumps: the main and backup pumps. Together these pumps allow flood protection, even when the power goes out. You can buy the battery backup pump separately, but we wanted to highlight that battery backup pumps aren’t a stand-alone solution.

Conclusion

Most battery backup pumps don’t offer a high flow rate to pump water and last only as long as the battery does. Essentially, you’re paying for redundancy to keep water out of your basement when the primary sump pump loses power. Like other submersible sump pumps, you can expect quiet operation from the Wayne WSS30VN. The primary pump has a powerful 1/2 hp motor that can move up to 5,100 GPH, almost as much as our top pick, the Wayne CDU980E.

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Pros

• It comes with a primary and backup sump
• Battery backup during power outages
• Quiet operation

Cons

• Expensive
• Battery sold separately

5. Professional EZ Travel Collection, Hot Tub, and Swimming Pool Drain Pump with Hose Pond/Flood Pump (Up to 3,700 Gallons per Hour)

Specifications

• Brand: Professional EZ Travel Collection
• Material: Plastic, Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene
• Style: 3,700 GPH

The Professional EZ Travel Collection Hot Tub and Swimming Pool Drain Pump is a versatile pump you can use to drain ponds, pools, water tanks, hot tubs, and even basements. This kit has everything you need to start, including an extra-long 25-foot electrical cord and a 25-foot hose.

Conclusion

The Professional EZ Travel Collection Hot Tub and Swimming Pool Drain Pump have a 4.4 out of 5-star Amazon rating based on 54 reviews. MikeBinAZ said, “I drained my 25,000-gallon swimming pool in about 24 hours with this guy! Drained it all the way down to about 1 inch of water left.” T.J. Daughtery said, “For the price, it was almost the same cost as renting a pump from the pool supply, but without the hassle.”

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Pros

• Versatile, 3,700 gallon-per-hour capacity, portable

Cons

• No filter, outlet hose size is non-standard

Thank you for reading!