01/31/2010 - 0 COMMENTS
This is how I know my sump pump is having a problem. I'm not sure if this is typical or how long I'd need it to be offline before I had real water problems. In the world of sump pump failures, this is as good as it gets. Most get an inch of water to tell them they have a problem.
There's the sump pit and the water level. The gravel bed below the concrete is full... The bottom of the concrete is sitting in a swimming pool. We're probably talking about 3000 to 5000 gallons of water that normally doesn't sit around the system.
Just shy of 3 years ago I was standing in Home Depot looking at sump pumps. The idea at the time was to get a good one and put the 2 yr old one I have on the sidelines as a backup in case this one ever failed. Some very young individual asked if I needed any help and I told him I was just looking over the sump pumps when he started in to the line about how I should get the Ridgid one because if it ever fails just bring it back in and swap it for another one. I've been around the block a few times before so that sounded good, but I do actually know better. I pay $170 now and then later on down the line I find out that the reason mine failed isn't under the warranty, but if it had only been one of the other 999 possible things then it would have.. sorry, hand over another $170.... That was not the case. In fact I'm over-impressed on this one. I walked in to home depot with the original box, receipt and story to tell. The lady at the return counter said.. "Sump pump huh?", I said.. "Yep, it's bad". She asked if I wanted to get another one and I said yes.. She then yelled over the counter to one of the guys.. Hey Bob, we need a 1/2 hp Sump pump... 3 minutes later, Bob was back with a box identical to my 3 year old box and I was on my way. They didn't want my name, my address, my phone, my receipt... none of it..
I put my stand pipe back on the new pump and let it go. It says it's rated for 4400 gallons per hour at 0 feet which means I get much less as it pumps the water up 8 feet high then out. For round numbers if I get 3600gph that's 1 gallon per second. I'd say it ran steady a good 75 minutes before it started switching on and off. There's a lot of water in the gravel layer when it fills up like that.
I'm guessing the unit cost on them is $45 or so.. Takes a lot of returns to get to $170 and many people wouldn't remmeber to return it after it blows up, so they do alright on the average I suppose. See ya again in 3 years I guess..
