Top 10 Sump Pump Discharge Ideas with Images

by James Williams

It is a great idea to the best sump pump, especially if your basements at home are collecting and accumulating water. This water may enter through perimeter drains of a waterproof basement, could be natural groundwater or rainwater, but, all the same, Sump pump will help you to eliminate that stagnant water at your home.

If it is not removed, it can be harmful to your health. Could you be in such a situation, and you are stack on which method to use? Don't overthink because here are sump pump discharge ideas for you.

What Is a Sump Pump Discharge and Why Do I Need One

A sump pump is a device installed in the lowest point in your basement floor. When activated, it pumps out any standing water in the sump well to keep your foundation from getting flooded with water. One of its primary jobs after being turned on is to run constantly for about an hour before shutting off when notifications are sent that there is no longer rising water. Once the sump pump shuts off, if there is a power outage you need to have a backup on hand so your basement will not flood.

When choosing a battery backup system for your sump pump, you must first determine how long it takes for water to reach your foundation from the farthest point of your home, if power goes out. This may be several hours, depending where your sump pump is set up (e.g., in the lowest point of the basement, or close to it).

If this is not long enough for you to go buy a battery backup system and install it before water reaches your foundation, then you should invest in a system that is automatic and has a battery backup. When power goes out, this system will sense it and turn on automatically to keep your basement from flooding.

If the sump pump were just run only when needed (i.e., whenever water rises high enough in the sump pit), then you'd have to make sure to set the pump to run at least 1 to 2 hours before water reaches your foundation. But who wants to worry about that? Make sure you know when the power will go out so you can prepare ahead of time and save yourself from a flooded basement!

How Do I Know if I Need a Sump Pump Discharge

If you have a sump pump in your basement, it's because you need a sump pump. The water level is probably high enough that the pump is working all the time. The discharge from this type of sump pump has to go out through the wall to an outlet just outside of the foundation where soil can absorb some of the discharge or it will flow right down your basement stairs.

A sump pump can also be used to move water away from areas where you don't want it, such as the intersections of exterior walls and concrete floors.

When these intersections are under water they collect debris and musty smells and they provide a great place for mold to grow if there is standing water.

Sump pumps that pump directly out through the wall at the top of the foundation work well for this situation, but we'd like to talk about a sump pump discharge that goes into a drain tile system as it's common in some parts of the country.

If you have a sump pump with a pipe going down into new construction or an existing drain tile system it is likely that the discharge leaves the sump pump through a stand pipe.

This stand pipe can be as tall as 10 feet or only a couple of inches in diameter and typically enters the drain tile system through a fitting called a bell-sleeve

The bottom of the stand pipe has a flat flange that sits on a concrete footing and connects to the drain tile system.

Without a stand pipe, this sump pump discharge is going to have to go somewhere other than into your drain tile system.

On an existing home that has a sump pump with a short stand pipe, the discharge from the sump pump goes down the stand pipe and out of the house. There are several ways of dealing with this, but considering all of the possible options can be overwhelming. Let's look at some factors to consider when thinking about your sump pump discharge.

List of 10 Discharge Ideas for 2023

List of 10 Discharge Ideas for 2023
List of 10 Discharge Ideas for 2023

1. Backyard Landscaping to Improve Drainage

If you have a water drainage issue with your backyard, you need to try this sump pump technique. For you to improve your backyard drainage, ensure you have a positive surface away from the foundation and avoid obstructing the yard drainage route with planters and other obstructive things.

Make a downspout extension in PVC beyond the plant beds. Discharge the sump pump water into a dry well. You can also harvest rainwater if it's the cause of your stagnant water.

Backyard Landscaping To Improve Drainage
Backyard Landscaping To Improve Drainage

2. Use a French Drain

A French drain has a discharge line which forms the essential part of a sump pump. It carries water from your basement to the outside. It is design underground to work swiftly without clogging.

The discharge line collects water that is directed by the pump and releases it away from your home. It should be installed properly to avoid causing potholes and water clogging in paved roads and unpaved streets, respectively. It can also cause problems in local streets.

French Drain
French Drain

3. Basement Waterproofing

If you have an ever damp basement and the April showers always keep you annoyed because of giving a wet basement along with the May flowers, you should try abasement waterproofing technique.

Here you need to install a sump pump to help you and be part of the basement waterproofing system. A wet basement prevents you from having a good time in the extra space of your house and also turns the place into a giant petri dish that entertains the growth of fungi and unhealthy molds.

Basement Waterproofing
Basement Waterproofing

4. Use Submersible Pump

A submersible pump is a device with a hermetically sealed motor that is coupled very close to the pump body. All of its assemblies are submerged to the fluid for pumping. This pump is advantageous to the whole process because it prevents cavitation of a pump.

Pump cavitation is a problem created by a high elevation difference between the fluid surface and the pump. These pumps apply atmospheric pressure, and they use a pressurized fluid that is on the surface in order to drive the hydraulic motor down hole.

Submersible Pump
Submersible Pump

5. Gallon Barrel Dry Well

A gallon barrel dries well is the best in the area that is prone to flooding especially, during the long rains season. For instance, if the water pools for a while not more than the feet from your house, you should consider this idea. Basically, the concept of the dry well is meant to collect and also redirect the rainwater underground as you allow it to filter itself to a far place from the homesteads.

Gallon Barrel Dry Well
Gallon Barrel Dry Well

6. Gardening to Disperse Downpours

Gardening your homestead is also another idea of dealing with heavy rains. A rainy garden has plants that help to soak the runoff water, which can also be from a sump pump discharge. It slowly fills water that infiltrates the soil.

It is capable of absorbing more than 30% moisture into the ground. This idea can be applied by anyone who wants to reduce the amount of water collected by the sump pump and decrease that getting to the sewer system.

Gardening To Disperse Downpours
Gardening To Disperse Downpours

7. Make your Own Dry Creek Bed

Many people try to make a dry creek bed, but they end up fixing themselves into a drainage problem. An effective dry creek bed has an artistic realism. It drains water from a sump pump without leaving any kind of discomfort to the people around them. It is also environmentally friendly and is suitable in any season. In addition to that, it gives a beautiful look to the compound in which it is made or constructed.

Dry Creek Bed
Dry Creek Bed

8. Air Gap

The air gap is placed outside the house at the point where the discharge line of the sump pump exists. It is connected to the external line that is responsible for discharging the water from the basement.

Also, the air gap gives an outlet to the footing drain flow. This allows escape in case there is an issue that needs to be addressed immediately, in the external discharge. There are different kinds of air gap configurations used in footing drainage disconnections.

Air Gap
Air Gap

9. Concrete

Freezing a sump pump's discharge can result to a serious problem and can cause extensive damage at home, plumbing and also damage the pump. Therefore, when using this idea, there is a need to ensure both the pump and the plumbing hooked are functioning effectively.

The discharge hose may be blocked by the,, ice, and this calls for a larger discharge hose pipe during installation. It is pretty good having some freeze guard installed around the hose so that when it starts to freeze, the guard will prevent the pipe from pumping.

Freezing A Sump Pump
Freezing A Sump Pump

10. Catch Basin

A catch basin is a good idea of collecting the sump pump discharge. It has a grate at the top side and a drainage pipe sloping away from the basin. The sloping pipe connects to the local larger sewage plant.

Catch Basin
Catch Basin

What Are the Benefits of Having a Sump Pump Discharge

A sump pump is an essential part of any home's drainage system. A sump pump catches water that would otherwise seep into your basement, and pumps it out through the foundation drain tile to prevent damage to your home. The most common type of sump pump is an electrically powered submersible, also referred to as a "pit" pump. This type of sump pump is typically installed in a pit called the "sump pit".

Allows you to attach your drainage system to an existing storm sewer

The main benefit of having a sump pump discharge is that it allows you to attach your drainage system to an existing storm sewer, or other secondary drain tile that takes water away from your home. Rather than just running water to a sewer or other drain tile, and then directing it to a dry well or storm sewer, you can attach your home's sump pump discharge to the storm sewer. This means that all of your water will be directed down the storm sewer, rather than toward your foundation.

Allows for greater control over where you send your storm water

A secondary benefit is that it allows for greater control over where you send your storm water. For example, rather than just sending it out into the street behind your house, you can take advantage of a storm sewer that runs to a nearby lake. This will allow you to direct the water toward an area where it is least disruptive to the environment.

Safety benefits offered by having a sump pump discharge

There are also some safety benefits offered by having a sump pump discharge. For example, you can attach your sump pump discharge to a cleanout that is attached to an existing drainage system. This allows you to connect it to the storm sewer or another secondary tile when needed, but disconnect it during normal times so that sewage and other pollutants are not sent down the storm sewer regularly.

Having a cleanout directly in your foundation drain tile

Another safety benefit is having a cleanout directly in your foundation drain tile. The main purpose of this cleanout is to allow the installer access when the sump pump fails, so that they can fix it quickly and easily. This can reduce the likelihood that you will have sewer backup problems in your home, which are more likely if your pipe clogs or if your sump pump runs but can't pump water effectively.

Conclusion

No one likes lazy people. Don't be lazy and selfish at the same time. By this, I mean that you should choose a sump pump discharge that is will help the environment. Ensure that your discharge is aesthetically pleasant and can benefit the people around you. And finally, avoid connecting your sump pump to discharging points that are harmful to human healthy and follow the right procedure when installing the sump pump.

About James Williams

Hi, This is James from HomerDIY. I have great experience in writing about everything related to Pump and DIY tools. For the last few years, I am researching the different types of tools and sharing my opinion on this blog.

Thoughts on "Top 10 Sump Pump Discharge Ideas with Images"