Should You Avoid Buying A House With A Sump Pump?

So, you’re in the process of buying a house, and thinking about a really good option. The house you’re interested in has a sump pump, and that’s the thing you’re wary of. Understandably so, you want to get your money’s worth. Should you avoid buying a house with a sump pump?

Sump pumps are confusing to homeowners that haven’t used one before. We’ll explain everything thoroughly, so you can decide for yourself. I guess you want to know something about pumps in general, and the cost of having a sump pump as a homeowner.

I’ll make sure to cover all that and some additional stuff you will want to know if you decide to buy the house.

You shouldn’t necessarily avoid a house with a sump pump. Especially so, if you’re looking for a house in an area where the majority use a sump pump. Focus on the condition and location of the house, the sump pump is only an appliance.

Obviously, this isn’t all you wanted to know. Keep reading, you’ll know what to do by the time we’re finished. We’ve also have a useful calculator down below, so you can estimate the cost of running a sump pump in your area.

Why do some houses need a sump pump?

I know that the presence of the sump pump ticked you off. Understanding the purpose of a sump pump and how it works will put your mind at ease.

A common misconception is that there is something wrong with the house itself. Sump pumps collect pooling water under the foundation of the house. Then, the collected water is moved to a safe spot through a discharge line.

So, where does that water come from? In most cases, the water comes from external sources like rain, lakes or near wet spots. A source of water isn’t enough though. There are many areas located near lakes, and many areas with regular rains that don’t require a sump pump.

The location of the house is what matters the most. If the house is on a low point or a location where water pools, a sump pump is needed. Gravity makes water move downwards, so low points are affected the most.

Usually, whole neighborhoods are affected by pooling water, so you will find a sump pump in every home in that neighborhood. The three rules of real estate are: location, location, location! But that makes things complicated in this situation. If you like the location because it’s safe and the people are nice, will you give it up because of a sump pump?

What I’m saying is that you have to weigh things in. It’s hard to find the perfect neighborhood. A sump pump is only an appliance. Putting it as a big ‘no’ on your list, will only make the search for a house harder.

There’s two other reasons why water would be pooling under the house. In some cases, the neighbor or someone else may be discharging excess water near your yard. And, poorly constructed rain gutters can move the water to the foundation of the house.

Having a sump pump because of the location of the house makes sense. Having one because of a bad neighbor doesn’t. Problems with the gutters is also a bad sign. A sump pump isn’t a sign of a bad house only if there would be water pooling without the house.

So, here’s what you should do. Find out why the house needs a sump pump. Find out if the whole neighborhood is affected. And, make sure that water isn’t pooling under the house because of a human mistake.

Now that you know that a house with a sump pump is fine you may be wondering of the cost of having one. Let’s cover that next.

How much does it cost to have a sump pump?

Understandably so, the biggest concern for every homeowner is the cost that comes with a sump pump. You’ve just spent money on the house you wanted and now you’ll have to pay more for an appliance.

There’s a better way of looking at it though. Consider it as an investment. The sump pump will protect your basement through heavy rains. With a little bit of effort put into maintenance of the pump, your basement will be safe from flooding.

Another common misconception with sump pumps is that they aren’t reliable. Some homeowners find themselves buying a sump pump once every year. Most usually, the fault is with the homeowner.

The average sump pump lasts 2-4 years with proper maintenance. A good model can last as long as 10 years with regular maintenance. Average models have a prince range of 60$-150$, better ones go from 200$ to 400$.

As you can see, you can find a decent model for a decent amount of money. However, your concern may be with the cost of installing the sump pump, and with energy usage.

How much does it cost to install a sump pump?

Installing the sump pump costs the most. I guess the house you’re considering already has a sump pump, so this isn’t much of a concern for you. Nonetheless, I can’t be sure of the situation you’re in, so here we are.

A sump pump requires a basin, a discharge line placed on a slope, and a discharge point. Digging the hole for the basin and the path for the discharge line costs money. In most cases, the water is discharged in the sewer lines, so no money for that.

On average homeowners spend from 800$ to 1200$ for installing a sump pump. Fortunately, you can install a sump pump yourself, and only spend 100-200$.

*Please do note that in most manuals, sump pump manufacturors insist that a professional installs the pump. The reason for this is that any situation that involves water and electricity can be dangerous. While it is perfectly possible and not too complicated to do it yourself, please do call in a professional when you’re in doubt about the safety.

Now, let’s get on with what you’re actually interested in. How will the sump pump affect the electricity bill?

How much does it cost to run a sump pump?

The energy consumption of a sump pump is not universal; there are many factors that come into play. You have to consider the horsepower of the motor, the pump’s flow rate, running hours, and the rate of electricity in your town.

The stronger the motor, the more energy it uses. However, it also pumps more gallons per minute, therefore, it runs less. There are pumps that are both energy-efficient and powerful.

I’m sure you want to know the precise cost of running a sump pump. We need to do a calculation to know that. So, I’ll give you a formula, you put in the numbers.

First, you need to convert the horsepower into Watts. 1 horsepower is 746 watts. So, you multiply 746 with the pump’s HP. For example, ½HP pump carries 373 watts, 746 x 0.5 = 373. ¾HP carries 559 watts, 756 x 0.75 = 559.

The wattage you get you then multiply with the running hours. You can’t predict the exact number of hours that the pump will run, aim for an estimate. For example, a 1/2HP pump that runs for 6 hours a day, 373 x 6 = 2238.

You need to convert the number you just got into kWh. You do that by dividing it with 1000. So, 2238 / 1000 = 2.23 kWh.

All that is left to do now is multiply the kWh with your state’s rate per kWh. The rate differs from state to state, so let’s take 12 cents per kWh as an average. 2.23 x 12 = 26. Therefore, a 1/2 HP running 6 hours a day will cost 26 cents per day. Multiply that by 30 days, and you get the monthly estimate, which comes down to 8 dollars per month.

To summarize, the formula for daily sump pumps running costs is:

( ( Watts * hours per day) / 1000) * state’s rate for kWh.

Here’s a handy calculator you can use to calculate the running cost of a sump pump in your state:

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Keep in mind that this is only an estimate. Not all of the pump’s power is used for pumping water. Some pumps may be slow but use a lot of energy. Heavy rains can overwork your pump. So, it all comes down to how efficient your pump is, and how much water it has to deal with in a day.

The average cost of running a sump pump ranges from 15$-30$ per month. This doesn’t have to be the case though, some houses need the pump to be running only one day per month.

Even with this out of the way, you may be worried about other issues like: Is it safe to leave a house with a sump pump? Let’s address these issues next.

Leaving a house with a sump pump

Many things can go wrong with a sump pump. The pump may fail to start, the float switch may be faulty, and power may go out. So, all these situations require you to be present in the house. What happens if something goes wrong when you’re not home?

Well, for many homeowners the cost of having a sump pump isn’t the issue, but what we said right above is. They look at a house with a sump pump like it’s a safety hazard, it can be flooded anytime.

Let me put your mind at ease, manufacturers found a way around this. First, the average sump pump model is automatically turned on. A battery backup sump pump can be installed that takes over when the power is out or the main pump fails. Or, a cheaper solution, you can connect a generator with your sump pump.

For those that are worried about this part of having a sump pump, let me offer you some solutions.

Battery backup sump pump

This is a very useful unit to add to your primary pump. I highly recommend that everyone has a battery backup. It adds safety to your house, and it takes some weight off the main pump.

A battery backup sump pump is a secondary pump that’s installed slightly above the main pump. It is automatically activated by a float switch when the main pump can’t handle the water alone, when the power goes out, or when the main pump fails.

Basically, with this unit, you have a sump pump that will work only in emergencies. So, you can be sure that your basement will be safe. There’s the added cost of buying a battery now and then of course.

You may want to consider some sump pump combo models. It’s a sump pump system consisting of a main pump and a battery backup pump.

Backup generator

Another way to add safety to your sump pump is to have a generator on hand. This is a solution for power outages. A secondary pump isn’t included though.

If a power outage occurs, you connect the pump with the generator. Now, this can also be a solution for leaving the house for longer periods. If you buy a generator that starts automatically, you don’t have to worry about leaving the house.

Useful gadgets for sump pumps

Even though we covered almost everything, I know that you like to prepare for everything. So, let me offer you this.

Wi-Fi Sump Pump Outlet affiliate link to Amazon

A very useful gadget by PumpSpy. This is for those that have a pump that is manually started, or those that worry about the pump starting either way. The outlet offers surveillance over your sump pump.

By installing the outlet and plugging the pump in it, you can see the status of your pump anytime. It also alerts of any problems with the pump. Install this if you want to know there’s a problem with your pump before disaster occurs.

Radon Detector affiliate link to Amazon

Some homeowners worry about radon released from the basin. Although this rarely happens, consider getting the radon detector if you’re still worried.

Conclusion

Let’s summarize before we end this. You shouldn’t avoid a house with a sump pump. If you’re worried about money, calculate the energy consumption, and the cost of buying one or replacing one over the years. Make sure the house is fine by itself, and you’re good to go.

When possible, add security to your sump pump. Buy a battery backup or a generator, install a monitoring outlet, and enjoy your house.

That’s it folks. I hope this helped. Good luck with your house, whatever you choose.

Related questions

Do all houses need sump pumps?

No, not every house needs a sump pump. Houses on top of a hill or houses in dry areas have no need for a sump pump. A house needs a sump pump only if water pools in the foundation.

Is it hard to replace a sump pump?

If the basin is built, and the discharge lines are installed, replacing a sump pump is really easy. Just follow the instructions the manufacturer offered. Alternatively, hire a handyman.