By Paul Bianchina
Q: We are looking at buying a new hillside house with a daylight basement, which has a sewage pump for the lower bathroom. We have no experience with these, and have heard comments ranging from the real estate agent's "No problem" to a builder who said, "No way I would have one." We read your column every week and would really appreciate your opinion. --Jack and AJ M.
A: Sewage pumps are one of those necessary evils in certain homes. If it's possible to build a home without one, that would be preferable, but in many cases the configuration of the house and lot - such as the daylight basement you describe - make the use of a sewage pump unavoidable.
Sewage pumps are actually simple and relatively inexpensive items (around $350 typically). They utilize a proven technology, and there's not a whole lot that can go wrong with them. The pump sits in a sealed box, and receives the incoming sewage from the bathroom. When the sewage level in the box reaches a certain point, it lifts a float mechanism and trips a switch that activates the pump, which in turn pumps the sewage up to the home's main sewer line.
The pumps operate on 120 volts and typically draw about 10 amps of power when running. Obviously they don't operate during a power outage, and flushing solid objects, such as toys, down the toilet can damage the pump. Beyond that, there really isn't that much to be concerned about.
If you're buying a house with a sewage pump, make sure you know where it's located and how to access it should you need to. Get all of the manufacturer's warranties and instructions from the builder, and understand how the pump operates and what maintenance items, if any, you need to keep up on. Most pumps are pretty trouble free, but they do differ in quality and dependability so you might also want to question the builder about the type of pump his plumber is using, and then do a little research of your own.
All in all, if I liked the house and trusted the builder, I wouldn't let the fact that it has a sewage pump discourage me from buying it.
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