On this page you’ll find everything you need to know about sump pumps systems for basements and crawl spaces.
All dirt and vented crawl spaces can benefit greatly from encapsulation with the CleanSpace System, but if there is an existing water problem it needs to be dealt with before a homeowner can seal their crawl space. The core of this system is a sump pump, but only one that is designed specially for use with crawl spaces and the CleanSpace system.
There are plenty of horror stories of failing sump pumps, but choosing the right pump equipment can keep the space beneath your home free of water. The wrong sump pump, however, could lead to you telling the story of how your pump failed when you needed it.
The TripleSafe Sump Pump System has three pumps to give you complete protection. If your first pump fails, the second one takes over. If your first pump can’t keep up, then it and a more powerful second pump run at the same time—more than doubling capacity.
The SuperPump is the finest sump pump system on the market and includes the most reliable pump available—a high end, 1/3 hp Zoeller cast iron pump with mechanical float switch—a WaterWatch Alarm System and the patented SuperLiner with Airtight lid!
You can rest easy 24 hours a day knowing the UltraSump is on the job, especially when you are away from home. Its outstanding 2,000 gallon per hour output, automatic electronic “smart” charger, heavy duty motor and reliable switch, are a winning combination.
The SmartSump’s airtight lid prevents water in the sump hole from constantly evaporating into your crawl space. The special CleanPump Stand keeps the pump out of any silt and sediment that may wash into the sump liner.
If a crawl space does not require a pump to deal with pre-existing water problems, there still needs to be a way to drain water in case of a plumbing leak.
The SmartDrain combines the features of the SmartSump – the WaterWatch Alarm and air-tight lid with one-way floor drain – while letting water seep away into the soil.
With this system the WaterWatch alarm will let you know if you have a leak without you finding your crawl space full of water!
At the other end of the spectrum, a crawl space that has serious water problems will need more than a SmartSump or SuperSump. A pump with increased pumping capacity and extra redundancy is necessary to do the best job keeping your crawl space dry. The TripleSafe is just such a system.
As the name implies, the TripleSafe actually has three pumps:
The SmartSump and SuperSump are available with or without an optional UltraSump Battery Backup pumping system. The UltraSump has a second pump in the event the primary Zoeller pump is not working, a second switch in case of switch failure, and second power source in case of power failure.
The UltraSump can pump up to 12,000 gallons of water out of your crawl space from the energy stored in the special sealed, long-term standby battery. There is a special charging system that keeps the battery charged when the battery is on, and an alarm to tell you the secondary pump is operating. This protection is optional but highly recommended.
Unlike a car or marine battery, the battery supplied as part of the UltraSump backup sump pump system is specially engineered to withstand long periods of remaining unused. So if you’re considering an alternate system, be sure that the battery connected to your sump pump system is not simply a car or marine battery. The UltraSump also comes standard with a charging system to automatically recharge your battery once power has been reconnected to the system.
You can rest easy knowing the UltraSump is on the job, especially when you are away from home. Its outstanding gallon-per-minute output, automatic electronic “smart” charger, heavy-duty motor, and reliable switch are a winning combination.
Each Basement Systems’ sump pump basin (the patented SuperLiner) and its matching sump pump cover form airtight bonds and are much easier on the eyes. These airtight lids also help to quiet sump pump noise.
The air-tight sump pump cover of an installed SuperSump with an UltraSump battery backup sump pump also feature an airtight basement floor drain (to drain water out of your basement in the event of an interior plumbing or other leak), a WaterWatch sump pump alarm (that sounds off in the event of pump failure for any reason, including a power outage), a “smart” charger (to keep the battery charged when AC power is available — a Christmas-tree display shows battery status and an alarm alerts the homeowner to power failure), and a clean, finished look that allows nothing to fall in and is strong enough to stand on.
If a sump pump is in a dirt-lined hole it will quickly clog and cease protecting your crawl space. The remedy for this is a sump liner, but only one that is the right size for the pump. A liner that is too small, for example, could cause a pump to “short cycle,” or turn on and off quickly because there is too little water for it to pump. A well-built liner that is the right size for the pump is the best solution.
A well designed pump stand will keep the pump elevated and away from silt or debris that does get into the sump liner. This not only prevents clogging or damage to the pump, but also helps keep the check valve clear so pumping capacity won’t be reduced over time by buildup in the discharge pipe.
Since one of the main purposes of encapsulating your crawl space is to isolate it from the moisture below, an open sump basin would be counterproductive. Without this lid, not only would there be a hole in your system but any water that did get into the sump would evaporate up into your home. An air-tight lid not only solves this problem, but it stops things from falling into and clogging the pump while making the whole installation look clean and professional.
Sometimes, though, water from below your home isn’t the worry. Without any way to get water out of your newly encapsulated crawl space, a plumbing leak could fill it like a swimming pool! The solution to this is a one way, air-tight valve in the sump lid so that any water that gets down there can drain away.
Another necessity is a battery powered alarm that warns you if you have a inside leak. Because most crawl spaces are visited infrequently, it is possible to have a plumbing leak for years and not know it. The SmartSump comes standard with our WaterWatch Alarm that will warn you if there is a problem.
Don’t wait until it’s too late. A sump pump is your best defense against flooding. Because you never know when a sump pump may fail, it pays to have it checked regularly.
Bay Area Moisture Control offers annual services that include:
