Service life for a sump pump?

[jimpen]

Well when my ex-GF bought her house her father came over and installed a battery powered backup sump pump. It only goes about halfway down the height of the sump hole, but it prevents an overflow just in case. That might be a way to do it..

 

[JDgreen227]

Being in the country, I always have to worry about a power outage so I do have a battery powered backup pump...last time the juice went off I was visiting relatives in Illinois and was worried sick about possible damage...but there was none. Makes me envy those folks who have a gravity drain for the sump pit....I could have one, IF I wanted to put down about 600' of underground pipe...:laughing:

 

[whistlepig]

We don't have a wet basement but do have a sump pump. Our water softener back flushes into the sump pump pit. Pretty corrosive stuff. We got 13 years of use out our first sump pump.

 

[JDgreen227]

Just an update here...the screws holding the plastic base on the pump I mentioned in the beginning of this thread rusted out and the base came off, rendering the pump useless. I took it out, went to Sears and asked them to replace it under the "Limited Lifetime Warranty" and they no longer sell the model...meaning I have to wait for store management to decide whether to give me a refund, or if I so choose I can have a new model (submersible type, not pedestal type) with same hp but ONLY 3 year warranty. Screw 'em.

 

[teejk]

Mine will last forever. Our house was built on a lot that would have been better used as a sand/gravel pit. But code being code, I still had to do the exterior/interior foundation drain tile with the sump pit/pump in the basement. I don't even know if the pump works and unless we get back to a Noah's ark thing, I don't think I ever will. But interesting discussion...I would think that the "on-off" would be fatal (well pumps have that start-up torque that shortens their life) but somebody said continuous use was worse. I learn a lot here.

 

[whistlepig]

These are good sump pumps.

Zoeller M98 - 1/2 HP Cast Iron Submersible Sump Pump w/ Vertical Float Switch

 

[jaotguy]

Mine will last forever. Our house was built on a lot that would have been better used as a sand/gravel pit. But code being code, I still had to do the exterior/interior foundation drain tile with the sump pit/pump in the basement.

same here ... 273" of sand beneath me , I'm on top of a hill .... the water table is 45' below me ... and a sump pump and pit that has never had water in it .....

 

[JDgreen227]

These are good sump pumps.

Zoeller M98 - 1/2 HP Cast Iron Submersible Sump Pump w/ Vertical Float Switch

Thanks for the link...everywhere I read says that brand is great. The submerged type of pump runs much cooler but the limited travel of the float means much more stop/ start cycles compared to the pedestal type.