Sump Pump vs Grinder Pump – Which is Better?

Whenever you have to install a pump beneath the sewer lines it leaves you with the decision of choosing between using a sump pump or a grinder pump which is also called a a sewage ejector. Its important to use the right pump based on the job that it will have to get done. Today we’ll be going through the difference between a sump pump and a grinder pump.

Sump Pump vs Grinder Pump

Before we get into the differences between a sump pump and a grinder pump we must first know what each are and what they do. Below is the information needed to know when to use a sump pump and when you will need a grinder pump.

What is a Sump Pump?

Sump pumps are used to remove excess water usually in a basement where water buildups up underground. I some cases it can be used during floods to prevent your basement from flooding. What the sump pump does is it will pump remove the excess water around your basement and discharge it where you’ve placed the hose preferably away from your home.

What is a Grinder Pump?

Grinder pumps which are also called sewage ejectors or sewage pumps are a type of sewage pump that removes waste and small material from a building and pumps it into a to a sewage system or a septic tank. Grinder pumps have a cutter blade that helps to grind solids that taken in so it doesn’t clog the line. Grinder pumps are very powerful and don’t come with any power level below 1hp.

Differences Between a Sump Pump and a Grinder Pump

Sump Pump vs Grinder Pump

Whenever you need to remove the excess water that builds up under your basement and moisture that can seem through the walls which can result in a flood a sump pump is the best way to remove that water from your property safely.

A sump pumps gets the job done in no time because it is the right tool for the job and that goes the same from when you need waste removed from your home to your septic tank or sewage tank.

Both the sump pump and grinder pump have components that are of a holding tank or even big canisters and pumps. Though the grinder pump will have an extra alarm to let you know when the water has got to a certain level.

A major difference is that sump pumps are made to remove excess water and in some cases it can be used during floods. What the sump pump does is it sucks the water into the pump let it back out through the attached hose that will be pump the water out and away from your home.

While on the other hand sewage grinder pumps can be used for more than just water, these are designed to also move waste and other small materials. Grinder pumps will move the water or waste from a building most likely the bathroom to a sewage system or septic tank.

Grinder pumps use gravity to make the waste material go down into the plumbing system, also a normal grinder pump cannot manage a lot of solids but only a small amount.

Sump pumps need electricity to run and in cases where there is no electricity such as when there is a power outage the sump pump will use its backup battery. Sump pumps also require maintenance every 3-6 months to ensure they are in top condition because the motor can go bad or there can also be  a clogged line.

Sewage grinder pumps on the other hand do not require any type of maintenance. There are instances where a grinder pump doesn’t activate if there is something blocking the line.

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