How Does a Crawl Space Sump Pump Work?

So, what does a crawl space sump pump do to help you remove water from the crawl space as a whole? There are a few elements of the crawl space sump pump that you might want to know about as you search for information on these devices.  

• Level to the Crawl Space  

One of the most important aspects of a crawl space sump pump is that in the crawl space, the sump pump is level with the ground. It’s sunken in slightly and should have a defined area for the sump pump pit in your crawl space. This needs to be covered with an airtight lid to prevent debris from collecting (and unsuspecting repair people from falling afoul of the sump pit).  

The positioning of a crawl space sump pump is incredibly important to its ability to effectively gather and remove water. If your crawl space is very large, for example, or has an unusual layout, it may be necessary to install trenches or drains that direct water to the sump pit to ensure there are no pools of standing water left behind. This can also be aided by grading the floor of your crawl space.  

• Activates at a Certain Level  

Crawl space sump pumps activate automatically to ensure optimal efficiency. Once the water in the crawl space gets to a certain level, the crawl space sump pump will activate. From there, it will start to pump the water out through the discharge line. That removes water from your crawl space and takes it out of the house entirely. This is achieved with a special floating switch that is attached to the pump on a floating arm. This rises and falls with the water level. This means that you do not have to check your crawl space for water or manually activate and deactivate your sump pump to prevent damage (either to your home or the pump itself).