Submersible sump pump recommendations
- Thread starter dlundblad
- Start date
Just get one with a cast iron housing, no plastic.
Highboy
$100 Site Donor 2025
This is the same as the Rigid one at Home Depot. I’ve had the Rigid one so far for 20 years. Keep telling myself I should change it out, but haven’t done it yet.
https://www.acehardware.com/departments/plumbing/pumps-and-pump-parts/sump-pumps/4003742
https://www.acehardware.com/departments/plumbing/pumps-and-pump-parts/sump-pumps/4003742
I had a WAYNE for over 40 years and it almost never stopped pumping except in JULY-AUGUST months during our dry spell.
I live in a high water area and the ground is always wet below the freeze line. So, my pump runs on/off more times/day than I can count.
In the rainy season or winter thaw, the pump will run once per minute all freeken day/night long which is why I have a marine battery back-up pump in case of a power failure.
Since the WAYNE was now running slooooow, it was time to replace it with a new pump from HomeDepot. Their house brand called EVERBILT. It's so smooth & quiet and pumps way more water than the WAYNE. However, how long the EVERBILT will last, only time will tell. The WAYNE is still a TOP RATED PUMP in many reviews.
I live in a high water area and the ground is always wet below the freeze line. So, my pump runs on/off more times/day than I can count.
In the rainy season or winter thaw, the pump will run once per minute all freeken day/night long which is why I have a marine battery back-up pump in case of a power failure.
Since the WAYNE was now running slooooow, it was time to replace it with a new pump from HomeDepot. Their house brand called EVERBILT. It's so smooth & quiet and pumps way more water than the WAYNE. However, how long the EVERBILT will last, only time will tell. The WAYNE is still a TOP RATED PUMP in many reviews.
Owen Lucas
$100 Site Donor 2023
- Joined
- Sep 5, 2021
- Messages
- 3,865
Zoeller is supposed to be one of the best. Lowe’s sells them.
I doubt a new Wayne is as good as one made decades ago. If you want to avoid crap that has been cheapened over the years for the box stores, get a Zoeller from an ACE Hardware.
I had a Zoeller in my basement for 25 years and it was there before I moved in and there when I left. It will be the last pump you buy. It got a workout, used to transfer washing machine water to sewer line and also water getting into the basement from outside.
I concur with the Zoeller recommendations based on 4 decades of satisfied use.
My next choice would be U.S. made Liberty 257. It has an excellent switch and uses MUCH less amperage draw if that is a concern.
Buy once, cry once for something that demands high quality with excellent company support.
My next choice would be U.S. made Liberty 257. It has an excellent switch and uses MUCH less amperage draw if that is a concern.
Buy once, cry once for something that demands high quality with excellent company support.
Last edited:
My house was built in 1965. I purchased it about 20 years ago in December.
When spring came and the long weekend in May my basement had ground water seeping in, so I installed a sump pit and seemed to be controlling seepage. The next long weekend in June the other corner of the basement only 26 feet away had an inch of water in it. I thought the sump pump quit, but it was still keeping water table down. I installed a 2nd sump pit.
The following year I excavated the whole foundation down to the footers, and laid weeping tile, and installed a "Platon" brand foundation wrap.
Instead of running the weeping tile under the footer foundation into the sump pit, I installed an external de-watering well.
I acquired a 16 foot culvert, and drilled 1/4 inch holes in a 6 inch grid pattern and dug it into the dirt leaving about 30 inches above ground.
It keeps the water table about 4 feet below my slab level, & have never had water in the sump pits again.
The culvert has a pitless adapter and I have a cistern pump with dual float system. Once there is about 6 feet of water in the well, the top float kicks the pump in, and draws the water down.
I installed the discharge line to pump out about 40 feet away from the house, and have it sloped to drain back into the well, to avoid freezing issues. In some wet years, with high water table it has pumped into January or February.
Since then I have tee-d into the main discharge with valves and added an underground sprinkler system with 3 heads to water the lawn around my house. The cistern pump can put out about 65 psi.
Since then I have also added a Radon pump to put negative air pressure on the weeping tile, & is controlling Radon levels inside the home.
I’m curious why the switch if you’ve had such good luck with Zoeller brand pumps.
Did a quick search on the Liberty pumps. (They have a beautiful paint job; almost a shame to use them.)
With your exterior sump pit, do you issues with the well itself freezing? I might need to add something similar to this in the future.
GON
$150 Site Donor 2025
I used a Zoeller pump as a discharge pump for a heavily used salt softener and iron filter. The Zoellner essentially sat in salt water 24x7 for many years.
Had numerous issues with the home. But never one issue with a Zoeller sump pump, never one.
Spend the money on a Zoeller and sleep well at night.
No freezing problems, and I am in Saskatchewan, Canada. We get some pretty cold winter weather. The well is about 4 feet away from the house foundation. My biggest concern was with my discharge pipe that was buried underground. I dug the trench 40 feet with the use of a garden hoe and shovel. I am only about 30 inches below ground level at the well casing, with a gradual slope up until the discharge point.
I tee-d into the discharge line near the well and have a valve assembly to divert water to the sprinkler heads during summer, but have to plug the discharge end of the main well.
I used the words "would be" next choice. I still am only using Zoellers. My last sump pump purchase I contemplated the Liberty because I had a situation with shared wiring and the lower amp draw would have been better. I put in a dedicated line for the sump and choose the Zoeller (hard to change old habits). My local plumber supply house said they have equal success with both brands. Both are U.S. made with equal warranties and support. Very few callbacks/issues with either.
