Which Sump Pump is Best?

Sump Pump Illustration

When deciding to replace or install a sump pump, it is very important to do your homework first.  A quality sump pump can mean the difference between a dry, healthy living space in your basement, and a wet, moldy, insect-infested cellar.  Your sump pump is the most important equipment you can have for a healthy, dry home, know what you’re getting.

Which Sump Pump is Right for Me?

When selecting a sump pump, the two most important things to know are:  What is the warranty on the pump?  You need at least 18 months for a warranty, 3 years is good, 5 years is great.  And, how much water can it pump?  Pumps are measured in gallons per hour (GPH) and somewhere around 3000 GPH at 10’ of head is what you should look for.  Head pressure is the length in vertical feet the pump will have to pump to discharge water.  Some manufacturers will try to mislead their GPH numbers by giving large gallons per hour ratings at only 5 vertical feet or even 0 feet of head pressure, instead of 10 feet.  A typical sump pump system in basements will have 10-14 feet of head pressure.  Don’t be fooled by inflated numbers.  Be sure you are comparing apples-to-apples.

Compare Pumps to Decide

Sump Pump

Side-by-side sump pump testing is the best way to determine which unit is truly superior. While this is generally not feasible for a homeowner to do, I have done it for you.

Our test set-up is the ECP BSP 50 in a tank with 50 gallons of water and 12 ½ feet of head pressure to discharge.  12 ½ feet of head was used as an average/common discharge height for a typical basement.  The test runs for 60 seconds to accurately depict how many gallons per minute (GPM x 60 = GPH) the BSP 50 can pump at that height.  The leading competitor’s sump pump was set up exactly the same way and both pumps started simultaneously.  The video of this sump pump comparison test is available on YouTube.

The result of the test speaks for itself.  The ECP BSP 50 pumps 31% more water than the leading competitor.  Take into account that the BSP 50 is also the energy efficiency leader in the industry and the ECP Sump Basin allows pumps to run less due to its shape, avoiding short cycling.  Your pump system will run less, using less energy while still pumping more water.  You will find more information about the ECP BSP 50 on their website.