For those with homeowner’s insurance, roughly one out of every 50 homeowners makes a claim for water damage every year. The 2% rate sounds like no big deal, until it affects you.

If you get water in your basement, you’ll have to remove the water and sort through your soggy belongings. You might have to tear out walls or pull up flooring. Plus, you’ll have to worry about mold growth.

Luckily, a sump pump can prevent a flooded basement from happening in the first place. Read on to learn how to properly install a sump pump in your home.

How To Properly Install a Sump Pump

Before you start the process, make sure you’re up to the task by asking yourself a few questions. Do you feel comfortable digging a hole in your basement floor? Do you have access to the right tools and time to do it?

If you’re not handy, you can always call in a pro to do the job for you. Proper installation is critical. Doing it incorrectly could actually cause more damage to your basement.

That said, installing it yourself can save you a lot of money. Many of the sump pumps from PumpBiz cost less than $300. If you hire someone to install it, it could cost at least $1,000 since you’ll have to pay for labor.

Step 1: Find the Lowest Point in Your Basement

First, figure out where water usually appears in your basement. Since this is the lowest point in your basement, installing a sump pump here will keep water out of the rest of your basement.

You’ll also need a GFCI outlet nearby. These are the outlets that have a reset button and protect you from electrocution, especially when the outlet is near water. If you don’t have one of these, you’ll need to hire an electrician to install an outlet.

Step 2: Dig a Hole and Place the Sump

Dig a hole in your basement floor that’s at least 10 inches wider and 6 inches deeper than the sump. Pour enough gravel into the hole so the top of the sump sits level with the floor. Then, fill in the space around the sump with gravel or rocks.

Check for weep holes in the sump or the PVC pipes that will send water away from the sump. If they’re not there, you can drill them yourself.

Step 3: Check the Valves and Attach PVC Pipe

The float valve is what alerts the sump pump that it needs to turn on. Check to make sure it’s working before you continue the installation. Then, make sure the check valve works because this is what sends water away from the sump.

Attach PVC pipe to the sump pump to send water out of the house. You’ll need to drill a hole in the basement wall to run the pipe outside. Seal the space around the hole with caulk.

Step 4: Test the Sump Pump

Plug the pump into the outlet and fill the basin with water. The pump should start running and it should pump the water from the basin outside.

Finally, fill the space around the sump with some concrete to hold it in place.

Start the Installation Process Today

If you know how to properly install a sump pump, it can save you a lot of money on installation. If you’re wondering, ‘do you need a plumber to install a sump pump,’ the short answer is no. If you’re handy, you can do it yourself in a day or two.

If you’re looking for more DIY projects like this one, keep scrolling our blog for ideas.