Submersible Pumps

Submersible Sump Pumps

Photo by Massachusetts Dept. of Environmental Protection

If you’ve ever had a basement flood from a bad rain storm, chances are, you’re familiar with a sump pump. Homeowners typically get sump pumps when flooding in the basement is problematic and can also be used to get rid of excessive dampness as well, when the dampness is caused by the water table being above the foundation of the home.

There are two styles of sump pumps, submersible and pedestal. A pedestal sump pump is more easily worked on because the motor is mounted above the sump. It is much more noticeable, though, which is why some people prefer the submersible sump pump, where everything is mounted inside the sump. Submersible sump pumps are specially sealed to prevent them shorting out due to water exposure. The whole purpose of a submersible sump pump is to direct water away from the home to another place where it won’t cause flooding and dampness.

Sump pumps remove the water that has collected in sump basins, which are holes or pits that are designed to collect the excess water. The pump then removes the water from the basin and redirects it to a dry well or a municipal storm drain.

When selecting a submersible sump pump, there are several factors that need to be considered. The common selection criteria includes whether you want a manual sump pump or an automatic one, the horsepower of your sump pump, the length of the power cord, voltage and phase, the water level sensing switch style, head pressure, and the backup system and alarm. Each of these factors is important when you are deciding what kind of submersible sump pump you want for your home.

Photo by Wendy Piersall

Since many people do not know a lot about submersible or even pedestal sump pumps, getting professional help is certainly not wasted energy. There are places that can come out to your home and see what the best type of sump pump would be for your home and can even install it, as well. If you are not generally handy around the house, this method is recommended so that you don’t end up getting the wrong type of pump for your home.

There are many sump pump manufacturers to choose from, such as Flotec, Liberty, and Zoeller. All of these companies offer both automatic and manual sump pumps. Searching online for the best sump pump options might take a little time, but the headache it will save later is unmatched.

If you do decide to take on this project on your own, there are videos and sites online that can help you with the choosing and installation of your submersible sump pump. Take your time to do it right, and you will have a drier basement and less worry about mold and mildew ruining not only your items you may have in the basement, but your health as well.

Submersible Pond Pumps

When you create an outdoor pond or waterfall, getting a submersible pond pump is a good choice. These are very easy to install and involve being placed in the bottom of the pond and plugged in. Definitely the kind of ease of installation many look for. Submersible pond pumps are used to power waterfalls, filters, and fountains.

Some of the advantages to using a submersible pond pump rather than an external one are that the pump doesn’t have to be primed to be run, since it sits under the water, it’s already primed basically. Another attractive factor in a submersible pond pump is that it is easily hidden because it is kept under the water. Many people don’t like the pumps being seen, because it messes up the serenity and look of their pond or waterfall, so being able to hide it is very attractive.

When choosing your submersible pond pump, be sure to know how much water your pond has so you know what size pond pump to purchase. Rule of thumb is that you should be able to pump the entire amount of water in your pond in two hours and when you have a pond with Koi or other fish in it, you need to bump that up to turning the contents of your pond every hour.

Another thing to keep in mind when choosing your submersible pond pump, is that pump flow rate is measured as if there is no extra strain on the pump whatsoever, so if you’re pumping water uphill, as in a waterfall or multilevel pond, take this into consideration.

Ponds, fountains and waterfalls are beautiful additions to your yard, and making sure that your pond stays looking beautiful will rely in part on the reliability of your submersible pond pump. Making sure you have the right size pump for all your water pumping needs, making sure the manufacturer of the submersible pond pump is reliable and backs up their products, installing it correctly and more are all things to take into consideration. Whether you choose to install the submersible pond pump yourself, or have it professionally installed, knowing exactly what you want and need your submersible pond pump to do is necessary.

There are many great manufacturers of submersible pond pumps. When shopping around, read about the manufacturer, look for reviews on their products from other consumers, look at warranties and parts replacements, and if you’re having it installed, see if those warranties cover labor.

Before you sit down to shop for a submersible pump, know exactly how much water your pond will have, whether you will have a waterfall, whether you will have filters for your pond, whether there will be fish in the pond, and anything else you think you might need to know. Having this information ready will help you choose the right submersible pond pump for your outdoor project and avoid wasted money or time by getting one that doesn’t fit your needs and then burns up.

Keep in mind that submersible pond pumps do require electricity to run, and the bigger the pump, the more electricity it takes to run it, however you cannot skimp on this step by buying a lesser powered pump than you need. You will only succeed in burning up the pump, or ruining your pond because the water circulation won’t be adequate.

What is a Submersible Pump?

Have you been told that you need to get a Submersible Pump for your home or business? Just not sure what that is or what it is used for? Well there  are a few different ways to use a Submersible Pump in your home and business. They also range in price from reasonable to very expensive depending on what exactly you need it for. Submersible Pumps have one thing in common though and that is that they are useful when you need to get a pump submerged in pool of water and do not wish to damage the pump.