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The Homeowner's Page

Don't let this happen to you. Man cleaning up water in a flooded basement with shop-vac.

Install a backup sump pump system before your main pump fails and avoid the mess, aggravation, and cost. The man shown here had only a little water, but what a mess he had to clean up! You can see the wet carpet and probably damaged wood work. This could have been avoided by installing one of our systems before this happened. 

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Are you here researching Backup Sump Pumps because you've already had water in your basement and you vowed to "never let it happen again?" Or are you someone who has much to lose and you don't want to end up with a horror story? Or maybe there is another kind of scenario that you fit into. In any event, it is time to take action and do something about it!

Every year water damages thousands of homes to the tune of millions of dollars. And the sad thing is that most of these events could have been prevented. For what amounts to a drop in the bucket (pardon the water pun, please) you can purchase a reliable, powerful backup sump pump system that will take over automatically when your main sump pump fails, and keep your basement dry.

Why go to work each day, worried that your sump pump may quit, or your float may stick, or that the electricity could go off? 

Why leave for vacation or on business taking all kinds of precautions to have the house checked by a neighbor, the mail taken in, the newspaper stopped, the plants watered, and the family pets cared for, when probably the biggest investment, your home, remains at risk of flooding from the simplest, most preventable of disasters, a sump pump failure?

You are here looking at our systems because you already know that it's time to take action and solve this problem. Do yourself a favor. Look us over and when you are finished, see if you agree that we have the best, most reasonably priced products you have ever seen.

Flood Facts You Need To Know: 

Homeowners insurance doesn't cover flood damage, or is very limited
Water damage is the single most costly insurance claim made by homeowners
The number of water damage claims jumped from 25,125 in 2002 to 32,189 in 2003
The cost of flood losses paid rose from $428.4 million to $605.4 million in the same period
The average water damage claim is $4,024 US
Floods and flash floods happen in all 50 states
Everyone lives in a flood zone
Just an inch of water can cause costly damage to your home
Even though many claims were paid, many more others were not.
And few covered the entire loss and none paid for the aggravation and stress.

Information from Insurance Information Institute, Inc. and www.fema.gov

Prevent Basement Flooding With These Simple Steps - Get Your FREE Checklist now! 

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Why do you need a back up sump pump? 

Basement floods occur because of: Sump pump burnout ... Power outage ... Clogged or Frozen discharge piping ... Jammed float switch ... Main pump unplugged or circuit tripped ... Clogged suction opening, Etc.
Most homeowners insurance polices do not cover loss or damage from ground water flooding. Your property insurance coverage is limited, even with a special rider. Check with your agent for details.
We often hear "I'll just get a generator." Just remember that unless the generator is fully automatic (very expensive) you have to be there to run it. And even if you get one to handle the refrigerator, etc., not having to run the sump pump off it gives you the extra power you need for other appliances, etc. 
Pump failures happen far more often than power failures. A generator does no good if the pump is dead!
It is a sure thing that your sump pump will fail. The questions are: "When?" and "Will you be prepared?"

 

Ready to order?: Go directly to our Online Purchasing page. If not, continue reading.

What type of back-up sump pump should I purchase?

Water powered:

Basepump is maintenance free in design, requires 40-100 lbs. PSI water pressure, 1/2" to 3/4" copper or PEX piping. In basements that require excessive new piping from the water meter to the sump pit, be aware that the added piping may mean additional installation cost, but in the long run, with no maintenance and no battery to replace, it may still be your best option. Houses that utilize well water systems cannot use a water powered backup sump pump. Why? Glad you asked. If the power is out, the well pump won't run!

Model # RB750 pumping rate of:    750-900 GPH

Model # HB1000 pumping rate of: 1,000-1,400 GPH

Model # CB1500 pumping rate of: 1,500-2,000 GPH

Check out our No Sweat Installation Kits on the Basepump Page.

I want the water powered Basepump. How do I know which one to buy? Start with the 5 gallon bucket test.

Battery powered:

Hydropump has pumping rates from 1,400 to 3,500 GPH for various sump water volumes. Requires the use of a marine deep cycle or equivalent battery that must be replaced every 3-5 years. Battery powered pumps are easy to install using the same discharge pipe as your main pump. On the other hand, maintaining and/or replacing the battery in a timely manner is critical. This type of system MUST be checked on a regular basis or it won't be there, ready to take over when it is most needed. You can't just "set it and forget it!" 

Model# DH900 pumping rate of:        900GPH (easy to install, even for a novice)

Model# DH1800 pumping rate of:   1800GPH (easy to install, even for a novice)

Model# RH1400 pumping rate of:   1400GPH (designed for narrow or congested sumps)

 

So you're convinced that the Water Powered Basepump is the one for you. Which Basepump model is right for you? Answer: Your purchase MUST depend on your home's water supply and its ability to effectively power the correct pump, NOT on your desire or even your need for a certain pumping rate. Use the following test before installing a Basepump. It determines if there is adequate water flow through your pipes to operate one of our pump models and which one is best suited to your situation. It only takes a few minutes and no special equipment is required. 

The Five Gallon Bucket Test

Remove the hose from an outside hose spigot. Place a 5 Gallon bucket directly under the spout. Using a watch, and with the water fully on, calculate how long it takes to fill the bucket with water to the five gallon mark. (Most 5 gallon buckets are full a couple inches from the top). Usually the water line to the hose spigot is 1/2" and the spigot itself is typically a restrictive type of valve. These factors validate the test. The interior dimensions of the pumps are also restrictive and this mimics those dimensions. So don't try to make math adjustments to account for this. The time reading at the spigot is the time reading to use. Don't test at the laundry tub, which may have smaller supply tubes and/or a more restrictive faucet. Select the Basepump model according to the figures given in the chart below. Regardless of how much each pump model can pump, you must size it according to your home's water supply system so that it will operate at its best.

There are exceptions to this rule:
1. 
A water filter or softener will cause a much greater restriction and invalidate the test if the line to the hose spigot you are testing runs through that device. In cases like this, knowing the incoming water pressure will be important because you will need to tee into the water line for Basepump BEFORE such devices. A simple water pressure gauge can be used for this. See the installation instructions before proceeding.  

2.  A frost-free spigot usually causes approximately a 30% loss of water flow volume. Once you see how long it takes to fill the bucket, subtract 30% from the time to account for the flow reduction caused by the spigot.

 

You must be able to fill a five gallon bucket with water in the following maximum times for each pump model:
Model Number RB750 HB1000 CB1500
Seconds per 5 Gallons up to 40 seconds up to 30 seconds up to 20 seconds
Gallons per Minute minimum 7 GPM minimum 10 GPM minimum 15 GPM

 

Once you have selected the Basepump according to the 5 Gallon Bucket Test:

Check the water inflows to your sump to be sure the pump you have selected will do the job. 

Don't make yourself nuts with this. The 5 gallon bucket test determines the pump size your water supply CAN OPERATE (Small- RB750, Medium- HB1000, or Large- CB1500). You cannot go larger, but you can go smaller. Many installers are familiar with the pressures and flow rates in your neighborhood. They will often pick the unit based upon experience rather than these test results and they already know which unit will work best for you. Even so, we still recommend that the 5 gallon bucket test be done BEFORE installation to remove any doubt that your water supply system can support the Basepump size that is chosen.

You are NOT trying to match your main pump.

Just because it CAN pump 2,000 or 3,000 Gallons per Hour (GPH) doesn't necessarily mean it has to. For a main pump to do this kind of pumping usually means that it won't have to run very long each time to drain the sump. A backup sump pump must use an alternative energy source (water pressure or batteries), remain unused for long time periods, and then be ready to take over and keep the basement dry. It is not designed to be your main pump so it may take longer than your main pump to empty the sump each time. 

Want a quick, easy way to estimate this?

Listen or watch for your sump pump to run and time the cycle from start of pump to the next start of pump. On average, a sump pump will remove 6-8 inches of water (7-8 Gallons) from the sump each time it runs. If your main pump starts every 6 minutes that's 10 run cycles per hour. Estimate 10 gallons per cycle to account for the water that comes in while it's pumping. So 10 cycles x 10 Gallons per cycle = 100 Gallons Per Hour (GPH). That tells you if the pump you select from the bucket test is adequate for your needs. Remember, you can always order a smaller pump than the one the bucket test indicates. You can't go to a  larger one just because you want or even need to. You can only run the pump up to the size your home can handle.

Determine the "head" pressure. Measure the length of the pipe that discharges from your main pump. Add a foot for every elbow you encounter in the line. Most pumps give you their pumping rates using various "head pressures". Take care to note these numbers when making this decision. Many pumps will look like they pump a lot of water per hour until you look at the head they are using to set that rate. You need to look at the pumping rate for the head pressure closest to what you determined was your head pressure. If any pump has to lift water and push it a long way to the exterior, pumping rates will be seriously affected. In some cases where the main pump discharge goes a long way, you may want to find an alternative route that is shorter for your backup sump pump.

 

 

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