What Is a Sump Pump? Where Are Sump Pumps Located?

What Is a Sump Pump?

A sump pump is a mechanical device that is used to remove water from the sump basin of a building. The sump basin is a pit or container located in the basement or crawl space of a building that collects excess water from the surrounding soil. See the diagram below to get a better idea of “What is a sump pump?” and “Where are sump pumps located?”

The sump pump is typically installed at the bottom of the sump pump basin and is designed to pump water out of the basin and away from the building to prevent flooding or water damage.

Diagram of a sump pump system in a basement. Answering the questions: What Is a Sump Pump. Where Are Sump Pumps Located — Where are sump pumps located? Usually under the concrete basement floor.

Sump pumps are commonly used in areas with high water tables, areas prone to flooding, or in homes with finished basements.

They may be powered by electricity or battery backup, and can vary in size and power depending on the needs of the building. Typically 1/3 HP sump pumps are used for most homes. However, 1/2 HP sump pumps are needed for homes with a lot of water seepage.

Shown below is the WAYNE CDU790 – 1/3 HP Fully Submersible Cast Iron and Stainless Steel Sump Pump with Integrated Vertical Float Switch. Can be used indoors or outdoors.

WAYNE CDU790-1/3 HP sump pump. **See it at Amazon**

Below is the Superior Pump 92551 1/2 HP Cast Iron Pedestal Pump. Just the base of the pump sits inside of the sump basin instead of being fully submerged. Can only be used indoors.

There are water powered sump pumps available. However, they are only used as an emergency backup sump pump when the primary sump pump has failed for some reason. Most commonly when there is a power outage in the house.

Liberty SumpJet® Water Powered Backup Emergency Sump Pump. **See it at Amazon**

Where Are Sump Pumps Located?

Sump pumps are typically located in the basement or crawl space of a home, near the sump pit where they collect water. Also, sump pumps can be used in the yard in connection with French drains.

The exact location of the sump pump can vary depending on the layout of the home and the design of the drainage system. In most cases, the sump pump is installed in a pit or basin dug into the floor of the basement or crawl space.

The pit is designed to collect water that enters the space through the foundation, walls, or floor drains, and the sump pump is used to pump the water out of the pit and away from the home’s foundation.

Some homes may have multiple sump pumps located in different areas of the basement or crawl space to handle larger volumes of water or provide redundancy in case one pump fails.

Now that I have answered “What is a sump pump?” watch the video to see more about sump basins and a sump pump in action. Also, the video describes a French drain and “Why and where are sump pumps located in the yard.”