7 Disadvantages Of Installing A Water-Powered Sump Pump

Are water-powered sump pumps reliable? How long do they last?

Here are the disadvantages and problems of installing a water-powered sump pump.

Before buying a sump pump for your home, it’s necessary to find out all you can about what best serves your needs.

Water-Powered Sump Pump Disadvantages

Sump pumps come in varying types based on how they’re powered and a host of other unique operational aspects. Here, we’re more concerned with discussing a particular type; the water-powered sump pump.

While it’s true that sump pumps will always serve the purposes for which they were designed, it’s vital to also point out that are clear areas of advantages and disadvantages.

We’re more interested in highlighting the disadvantages associated with the water-powered sump pump variants.

• About Water-Driven Sump Pumps

Water-powered sump pumps are mostly used as backup systems designed to prevent basement flooding when the primary sump pump becomes problematic or fails.

Based on its working principle, a water-powered sump pump is turned on by a home’s municipal water pressure.

Although we’re looking at its disadvantages, there are several areas where the water-powered sump pump does excellently well in terms of use-value.

However, those aren’t included here as only the downsides are looked at. In terms of its working principle, a strong vacuum is created when water pressure is harnessed.

This in turn pulls out or expels water from the flooded basement. Because it’s water-powered, some volume of water is needed to get the job done. Some water-powered variants need about a gallon of water to expel 2 gallons.

By its design, this type of pump should only serve as a backup.

7 Downsides of Water Powered Sump Pumps

Although a watered-powered sump pump has its uses, several disadvantages can be attributed to it.

These include low pumping volume, low efficiency & water conservation concerns, may incur higher utility bill charges, not suitable for every situation, and may be a bit more difficult to install.

Other drawbacks of using a water-powered sump pump include the possibility of frequent breakdowns, as well as being non-functional in a low water pressure situation.

To better understand these points, we’ll have to expand on each of them as follows.

• Low Pumping Volume

It’s easy to figure out what pumping volume translates to when discussing water-powered sump pumps.

The objective of having such a pump installed is simply to keep up with rising water volume, thus leaving your basement dry. However, a water-powered sump pump has low pumping volume.

Such low pumping volume means it pumps less water and cannot keep up with a serious flooding situation.

With faster removal of water not being achieved, you’re left more vulnerable as water damage could result during serious water encroachment situations like flooding.

• Low Efficiency & Water Conservation Concerns

A low-efficiency water removal system only makes your situation worse. Water-powered sump pumps can easily be categorized as such.

It’s not strong enough to keep your basement dry when it’s needed, plus clean water is needed to flush out dirty water within your home. This is somewhat counterproductive.

As a strict conservationist, this wouldn’t be an option you find attractive.

You’ll need to get any other alternative you can to keep your basement dry during flooding situations. Discussing with a professional plumbing service will go a long way in providing the much-needed solution you seek.

• Likely to Attract Higher Utility Payments

Have you ever thought about the possibility of attracting higher utility charges just by using a water-powered sump pump? To understand how you’ll need to consider your water bill payments.

When the primary sump pump breaks down and the water-powered standby pumps work tirelessly, it’s bound to consume a lot of water.

Remember, it’s water-powered, so, water is needed to make the sump pump work. The longer your sump pump (water-powered) works, the more it takes from your clean water supply.

To prevent this from happening, you’ll need to perform or call for more frequent checks on your pump.

• Not Suitable for All Situations

Homes with wells cannot be served with water-powered sump pumps.

In other words, these aren’t ideal due to the need for sufficient water pressure. Water-powered sump pumps need to be tied to the water supply system in a home for effective functioning.

So, homes with wells as primary water sources can’t be served with this pump.

It’s very important to make necessary findings before purchasing a sump pump. Your interests are better served by communicating with professional plumbing services.

Such an approach helps eliminate the guesswork that could defeat your primary aim.

• More Difficult Installing

Compared to battery-powered sump pumps, water-powered pumps tend to be more difficult to install. This requires connecting it with a home’s plumbing system which can be complicated.

Asides from the difficulty of installation is the high cost involved. This won’t be an alternative for anyone seeking to adopt a low-cost approach.

To overcome the difficulty involved in the installation, it’s necessary to have qualified and experienced technicians handle the work.

Despite the difficulty involved, a water-powered sump pump isn’t efficient in keeping out moisture.

• Possibility of Frequent Breakdowns

Your water-powered sump pump is likely to be overwhelmed when faced with a rapid rate of flooding. This is why it’s never a good idea to have this as a primary pump.

Plus, fixes need to be made to the primary pump while it’s out of use.

• Doesn’t Work in Low Water Pressure Situations

Remember we said water-powered sump pumps are best used in situations where there’s adequate municipal water pressure.

Without this, a water-powered sump pump will be unable to work efficiently. The pressure is needed to push open the valve tied or connected to the water supply.

When such pressure isn’t adequate, there’s bound to be flooding. This could significantly increase the damage caused which in turn leads to a considerable level of repairs.

So, if your home’s water pressure is low, you’ll do well to find alternatives or other forms of solutions to the problem.

As discussed above, there are lots of downsides to using water-powered sump pumps. Although they serve certain objectives, they aren’t reliable enough to be deployed as primary pumps.