Sump Pumps. What Do They Do?

A sump pump in nothing more than a water pump activated by a pressure switch or a float. This pump is installed in a pit known as a sump pit. For lack of a better description this pit is simply a hole in the basement floor about 18 inches across and about 24 inches deep. The home’s footer drain empties to this pit and when it rains this pit fills with water the footer drain collects from around the basement walls. 

As the pit fills it activates the water pump (sump pump) and it pumps the water out of the house via a 2 inch tail drain.  Simple but effective.  Without the footer drain and sump working together water would ‘stack up’ on the outside of the basement walls. This is known as hydrostatic pressure and it can be a tremendous force.  It can bow basement walls and crack them. The footer drain provides the path of least resistance for the water to flow to the pit and the sump carries it away leaving your basement carpet nice and dry!

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