What is a sump pump and why do we need them?

A sump pump is a small, submersible water pump that is usually located in the basement of a home within a small cylindrical container or basin that is usually about 2 feet across and 3-4 feet deep. The basin is typically set into the floor of the basement so the homeowner would just see an electrical wire and a pipe coming out of the top. The vault is typically connected to the drain tile system (interior and/or exterior) underneath the basement floor. Water collected by the drain tile system flows into the basin and when the water level gets high enough to trigger the pump’s float switch, the pump will pump the water out of a discharge pipe to an outsi ... Read more »