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SUMP / EJECTOR PUMPS


What is a Sump Pump and how does it work?

A sump pump is a small pump installed in the lowest part of a basement or crawlspace. Its job is to help keep the area under the building dry and to prevent it from flood­ing. Usually, sump pumps are installed in specially constructed sump pits. Water flows into the sump pit through drains or by natural water migration through the soil. The sump pump's job is to pump the water out of the pit and away from the building so the basement or crawlspace stays dry.  The pipe usually has a one-way valve called a check valve at the pump end to keep the water from flowing back into the pit.

Most sump pumps turn on automatically through a float activator arm or a pressure sensor. The pressure sensor works just like its name suggests: Water exerts more pressure on the sensor than air does, which causes the pump to activate. The float activator works a lot like the one in your toilet tank. A buoyant ball floats on top of the water, manually moving the arm as the water level rises. You can also buy a manually operated pump, which works only when you decide to turn it on, but these aren't as common because of their lack of convenience. Automatic pumps also have an option for you to activate the pump if the float arm or sensor should fail to work.

What Is A Sewer Ejector Pump and how does it work?

Most homes are built so that all of the drains in the house flow downhill into a main sewer line that either empties into a septic tank or into the municipal sewer system. However, in some cases, normally in a basement, one or more of the drains are actually below the grade of the home. This means that the waste from the toilet, sink or laundry line can’t flow up and out of the house.

In these cases, a sewer ejector pump is installed to push the waste up and out of the house. These types of systems are very similar to a sump pump.

Sewer ejector pumps are fairly simple and robust pieces of equipment. They are installed at the lowest point in the house so that the waste water from the drains can flow into their pit. They are activated by a float, similar to those used inside the water tank of toilets. When the water level rises to a certain point, they turn on and eject the sewage.