How to look after your pump station
If a pump station serves your property, the likelihood is that the property is not connected directly to the mains sewer system.
Sewage pump stations are designed to handle foul water, sewage, natural human waste and biodegradable products. Other household waste and non-biodegradable products should never be disposed of through the drainage system.
Disposal of non bio-degradable products will affect the reliability of all pump stations, causing pump to block and storage chambers, pumping stations to become congested with non-pumpable waste.
Bear in mind too that it isn’t only the toilet that is connected to your pump station: anything that goes down the sink, bath etc. also ends up there.
The following must not be discharged into drains:
- Cleaning Rags
- Cloths
- Syringes; Hypodermic Needles
- Medicines; Medical Equipment. Take unused medicines to a pharmacist for safe disposal
- Fat, Oil; Grease. These products tend to cool down, separate from water and coagulate within the pump stations chamber (FOG’s) encase the pump and floats, causing blockages and failure of pumps
- Nappies, Sanitary Towels, Incontinence Materials Soft Toys, Tennis Balls etc. It may seem a bit obvious to say this, but it is amazing what gets flushed down the loo from time to time, causing blockages of the drains and pump stations.
- Even so-called disposable nappies and sanitary towels often do not degrade fully and can lead to malfunction, so it is best to dispose of them by other means. Fabric cleansing wipes; nappy liners can block pipe work or your pumping station. They should not be flushed into the drainage system.
Routine De-Sludging and Servicing
Pump stations over time accumulate settled solids. It is good practice to check and if necessary empty/de-sludge you pump station at the same time as any mechanical or electrical servicing is carried out.
It is vital to your pumping stations ongoing operation and should be carried out regularly. Mechanical and electrical servicing, particularly, must be performed by properly trained personnel suitably qualified and experienced in this type of work.
Regular servicing of pump stations and pumping equipment will extend their life expectancy, hydraulically efficiency and help to avoid emergency call outs. For further information contact us or ask about our service agreements.
Emergency Call Out
We can help with basement flooding, high level alarms, malfunctioning sump pumps. Vacuum tankers and micro tankers are available to deploy for rapid commercial and residential flood clearance.
Experienced engineers
Our dedicated team of sump pump engineers specialise in residential and commercial basement waterproofing and flood prevention. We can offer the immediate expert help you might need.
Vacuum Tankers
We have a fleet of Vacuum Tankers and Micro Tankers for flood clearance or planned emptying. Find out more on our sister website, Environmental FM.
Fast response
We aim to respond to emergencies across Scotland with an average response time of three hours.
24/7 service
For emergency callouts, we offer a 24 hour 7 day a week service – available free of charge to our customers with appropriate Service Agreements and for a fee to anyone in our catchment area who needs help.
Do I need a basement pump?
Every home that has a basement should invest in a sump pump system. It provides a reliable way to manage the water ingress within the property, and can work in conjunction with sewage lines.
What is a basement pump?
Excess water and moisture is collected in a sump basin or sump chamber, and safely pumped away with a sump pump. These are commonly found in the basement of homes.
Basement pumps are usually hardwired into the home’s electrical system, but can also feature a battery backup alarm structure which continues to work in the case of a power cut. The high level alarm can alert you to problems and avoid major floods going unnoticed.
They provide homeowners with mind and protect home owners against flooding, provides a defence against mould and extreme weather.
Do I need a basement sump pump?
Every home that has a basement should invest in a sump pump system. It provides a reliable way to manage the water ingress within the property, and can work in conjunction with sewage lines.
It also eliminates moisture and prevents flooding. It is common for basements to flood and hold moisture resulting in the growth of mould, mildew and infestation. To prevent this, a sump pump system will keep your basement dry and is highly recommended by builders and pump specialists.
How much does it cost to install a sump pump in a basement?
The cost of a new basement pump installation depends on several factors, including the size of the pump and sump chamber and the distance of pipework required at your property.
At Basement Pumps Scotland we offer a free site survey where an engineer will inspect the basement and recommended on the best new (or replacement) pump station. We install from a range of manufacturers including Capari, ABS, Wilo, Lowara and DELTA.
For a free site surevey and quotation, feel free to contact us.
Installation & Commissioning
We offer waterproofing and sump pump installation, including all mechanical and electrical work for domestic and commercial projects. If you’re looking for a complete supply and install service for a new basement, or an upgrade to an existing system, book us for a site survey and quotation – free of charge.
Complete package
We supply and install the complete suite of products required for any project requiring a cavity drainage system, including waterproofing membrane, packaged pump stations, control and alarm systems along with the required electrical and pipe work.In person site surveys
We’ll visit your home or business before major works are carried out, so we can provide an accurate quote for the job. We’ll supply a scope of work including any exclusions and clarifications required before the project starts.Commissioning Certification
Once we’re satisfied that the installation is in accordance with manufacturer’s guidelines, we will issue a certification of commissioning to the client, with manuals for all equipment. A warranty of 12 months starts with the transfer of certificate. We’re a
provider – meaning our products and installation are of the highest standards in the industry.
Reassuring aftercare
We provide aftercare services to all customers; no matter how big or small – including
tailored maintenance agreements at amazing rates. We operate a 24/7/365 support line, for assistance on any emergency.
Our Commissioning checklist
- Chamber is clean, and free of any silt/debris which could obstruct the operation of the pumps
- The activation of the float switches can take place, without obstacle If cable joining kits have been used, they will be secured
- Gate valve have been turned anticlockwise to ensure it is fully open
- Electrically isolate the pump to standard height (duty pump), fill the chamber wit water and check that the pump discharges correctly
- Ensure that the high level alarm is working visually and audibly.
- Check for leaks on pipework, ensure all is connected correctly.
- Check all cables are securely ties to the manifold and clear from obstructing float switches Ensure each pump is wired to an individual non-switched spur
- Check each spur is wired to an individual RCBO (not RCD)
- Label the equipment.
- Stickers include contact information for instances where urgent attention is required
- Ensure battery backup is switched on correctly and operates on backup mode
- Run through the operation of the station with the client onsite, advise on best practice for managing a pump station
Pump Station Servicing & Maintenance
To ensure that your pump station remains effective, it needs to be serviced and cleaned once or twice per year. We offer service agreements to suit a broad range of maintenance budgets, to ensure our customers keep up to date with regular servicing and avoid costly breakdowns.
Expert care
Our highly trained technicians exclusively work on basement sumps and pumps, and can spot problems before any harm is caused. The team is on the road every day of the year to ensure 1000s of pumps across London and the South East are operating reliably and efficiently.Minimise hassle and admin
With a service agreement in place, we’ll remind you about routine maintenance and ensure that these are booked in as part of our duty of care – so you don’t have to worry about missing these vital check-ups.Discounted servicing and parts
ou get the benefit of 10% off the parts required for any servicing and repairs – or inclusive parts and labour on our gold plan. And if you do need to call us out in an emergency, there won’t be an expensive one-off charge, since you’ll already be covered!Emergency engineer call-out
24 hours a day, every day of the year – you can call us when you’re having an emergency and we’ll be there to help, with an average response time of 3 hours across our entire catchment area. What's included in a service?
- Carry out a visual inspection of the chamber and the internals – pumps, pipework, and cables
- Pump down chamber on hand, and monitor the operation of components
- Check the operation of float switches, adjust position if any obstruction is identified
- Ensure non-return valves are testing free from blockages Inspect the cable joining kits for moisture or corrosion, change where required
- Test the high level alarm for visual and audible signals
- Test the battery backup and ensure power is provided to ensure pumps will operate during power outage, if applicable to site
- Swap the duties of the pumps, this allows equal wear of both automatic pumps, amend controls if required
- Carry out a clean and wash down of the chamber, pumps and float switches
- Reporting scale of fat/limescale build up within the chamber
- Test operation of station, resetting service reminder on panel/alarm, ensuring power is left on and gate valve is open; ensuring site is left clean and tidy
