Digging drainage trench
Houses situated on hilly or plain areas are likely to have drainage problems, like basement flooding, due to water draining too slow. A sump pump is the best solution in this case. It is a simple and effective way to keep your home water-free.
Tools and materials needed:
- Caulk
- Caulking machine/gun
- Level checker
- Jackhammer
- Polyvinyl chloride pipes
- Cement
- Trowel
- Hand gloves
- Eye protection glasses
- Electrical drill machine
- Hack saw
- Sump pump
- Sump liner
Search the area
Using a level checker to find the lowest spot in your basement. That will be the place for the sump pump. It must be away from any pipes, sewage and other utilities to avoid damaging them. The post must be close to a socket and to an exterior wall.
Set the pipe route
Set a route for the discharge pipe that will lead to the outside of your basement.
Dig a sump pit
Mark the outline of the spot where the sump pit will be. Dig the pit using a jackhammer. It must be as deep as the sump pump its self. Make sure the bottom of the pit is leveled.
Install the sump liner
Put the liner in the pit and seal it with concrete, leveling the floor.
Ready the sump pump
Put the pump into the pit and connect the discharge pipe to it. Make level adjustments if necessary, with plastic wedges.
Place the pipe
You must make a hole on the joist of the header or the rim of the liner and then place the discharge pipe into the hole until 6 inches of the polyvinyl chloride is outside the house and about 4 -5 inches inside.
Prepare the PVC pipe
Measure the PVC pipe and complete the drainage system, connecting this pipe to the discharge pipe. Test it for leaks and then seal the join with cement.
Connect the diverter
It’s wise to use some more piping to be sure that the water pumped out is at least 10 -12 feet away from the houses’ foundation. This additional piping is called a diverter. Apply caulk to the discharge pipe using a caulking gun and then seal the joint between the pipes with cement or high quality tape.
Test sump pump
Now that everything is in place, plug the pump in and pour 6 – 7 buckets of water in the pit. Observe if the pump works as it should.