A sump pump is placed in the sump pit, a basin in the ground. While some homeowners believe that the sump pump is the one that collects the water, it is a job for the pit.
The Purpose of the Sump Pit
During the heavy rains or when large amounts of snow begin to melt, all that water quickly saturates the soil around your home. The same water then accumulates below your house, threatening to enter your crawl space.
The purpose of the sump basin is to collect that water before it gets a chance to cause any damage. When the level of water in the pit reaches a certain point, the sump pump will activate and remove the water. Excess water will run through the discharge pipe and leave your home for good.
The Size of the Sump Pit
When it comes to the sump pit, there is one important thing you need to consider – its size. It shouldn’t be too big or too small, otherwise, you will have a problem. It needs to be large enough so that a sump pump and a battery sump pump can fit comfortably in there. When they are in place, there should still be enough room for water to collect.
On the other hand, if the pit is too big, it will be too deep in the ground and will collect water that is not threatening to harm your home in any way. Draining the water that is far below your home is pointless, and a huge waste of time, energy, and money.