Backup Sump Pumps for Dummies

A water-powered backup sump pump

Most people who own a house fear water. We're not talking about rivers bursting from their banks and leaving behind several inches of mud; no we're talking that everyday trickle of water that threatens to soak the basement; the reason why so many houses have sump pumps. There's nothing more terrifying than watching the water bubble up in the basement because the sump pump gave up the ghost or because the power failed in the middle of a torrential rain. When that happens, you will definitely want to know "How to Make a Sump Pump Work Without Power."¹ We're here to tell you, however, that you probably won't want to take advice from eHow.com's Maxwell Payne, found writing at HomeSteady.com.


Payne managed to find a reasonable definition of a sump pump (it's unlikely that his "Bachelor of Science in integrated science, business and technology" exposed him to such devices), but when it came to offering a solution for people who learn the hard way that...

"...if the power fails, the pump can not function properly. A backup power source is needed..."

Max's idea of a "backup power source" leaves something to be desired. You see, Payne wants you to run, quick as a bunny, to the nearest convenience store and buy a "Back up generator (with 500 to 1200 wattage power)." Never mind that "backup" is one word (Max's degree is not, unlike many eHowians, J-school or English), that alleged "science" degree should have taught him that "500 wattage power" is a failure of grammar.

More to the point, Payne's solution is to spring for a backup generator (and extension cord), though he fails to mention fuel... and that you'd better check the starting HP of your sump pump to make certain the generator isn't underpowered: a 1/2-horsepower sump pump might draw 1050 watts with a 2200-watt starting draw.  You'd be wise to look for a more powerful generator -- and to have it in advance. Speaking of  "in advance," here's where good ol' Max screwed the pooch. You see, people who have sump pumps and worry that the power will go out tend to be Boy Scouts about them. There are several ways to go, but the most economical is to use one of the many battery backup pumps on the market. If you have city water instead of a well, you could spring for a water-powered backup pump. They're more expensive and more complicated to install, but you'll never have to recharge or replace the backup battery.

In other words, Maxwell's "solution" is, at best, a band-aid of an idea. In reality, it's merely the blathering of someone who's very likely never seen a sump pump. Even more likely, he's never (unlike some of our staff) spent a couple of hours in the dark bailing out a basement sump after a power failure. And yet he wrote about this topic: small wonder Max is picking up his third Dumbass of the Day award.

¹ The original has been deleted by Leaf Group, but can still be accessed using the Wayback machine at archive.org. Its URL was   ehow.com/how_12171255_make-sump-pump-work-power.html

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