what do ejector pumps do Archives

Proper wastewater disposal is essential for the function of your home and the safety of everyone who lives in your house. If your home is like many other homes in the Chicago area, your building’s plumbing will carry out this task efficiently, using only the force of gravity.

But if some plumbing fixtures in the home are below the level of your main sewer line, you will need a sewage ejector pump. A sewage ejector pump lifts wastewater from the lower levels of a home to a higher level from where the water can flow freely out of the property.

Azure Sky Realty notes that sewage ejector pumps are essential in homes with basement plumbing fixtures at a lower level than the municipal sewer lines. Homes with septic drain fields at a higher level than some of the home’s plumbing fixtures also need them.

How does a sewage ejector pump work, and why is it essential for Chicago homes to have them?

How sewage ejector pumps work

A sewage ejector pump works on the same principle as a regular basement sump pump. The main difference between the two is that while ejector pumps handle wastewater generated from inside the home, sump pumps handle rainwater that enters the house from outside.

The primary components of a sewage ejector pump system are:

A sewer basin where wastewater from the connected plumbing fixtures goes

A pump that pushes wastewater out of the basin into the main sewer line

A check valve check to keep pumped wastewater from flowing back into the basin

A discharge pipe that channels the pumped water into the sewer line

Typically, the sewer basin for a moderate-sized home holds around 30 gallons of waste. Drain lines from the plumbing fixtures connected to the system slope into the sides of the basin. When the amount of wastewater inside the basin reaches a predetermined level, the pump is activated.

The ejector pump, which sits inside the basin, is switched on and off with the help of a float switch – a movable device that rises and falls with the level of wastewater inside the basin. After the water inside the basin is pumped out, the pump is deactivated as the float switch falls.

a sewage ejector pump repair taking place in chicago.

Due to the critical role a sewage ejector pump plays in the sewage system of your Chicago home, it is essential to know what to look for when buying one.

What you should know about sewage ejector pumps

Chicago’s unique topography makes it necessary for many homes around the city to have a sewage ejector pump system. Without ejector pumps, homes in the city’s low-lying areas would constantly have to deal with unsanitary conditions because of their ineffective drainage systems.

Due to the critical role a sewage ejector pump plays in the sewage system of your Chicago home, it is essential to know what to look for when buying one. The following are the key factors to consider when buying a sewage ejector pump for your home.

Pump capacity

The right pump size for your home depends on the average daily wastewater flow. A mismatch between your home’s needs and the pump size will lead to backups and pump failures. It is also a good idea to have some excess capacity.

Power source

Most people opt for an electric-powered pump. But an electric-powered pump will not work if there is a power outage in the area. That is one reason to consider a battery-powered system, either as your primary pump or backup system.

Professional installation

You need professional help when estimating your building’s average daily wastewater flow, the size of the sewer basin and the pump capacity. You also need a professional to help you install the system.

a plumber servicing a sewage ejector pump in chicago.

Maintaining your sewage ejector pump

Proper maintenance ensures the smooth function and longevity of your sewage ejector pump. If your sewer basin and ejector pump are of the correct size but the system is poorly maintained, your pump’s performance will be sub-optimal. How should you maintain a sewage ejector pump?

Monthly inspections

Check the pump every month. Critical inspection components include the float switch, discharge pipe and check valve.

Cleaning and testing

When inspecting the system, test it to make sure the float switch is working properly. You also want to clean the sewer basin and pump.

Professional inspection

In addition to monthly pump inspections (which do not have to be done by a professional), you should have the system inspected at least once a year.

Regular servicing

Yearly inspections should include comprehensive service of the ejector pump and the other components of the system by a qualified professional.

Finally, sewage ejector pumps play a crucial role in your building’s drainage system. Keeping the system in top shape is one of the most important ways to protect your property and finances. If you are having issues with your sewage ejector pump or thinking of installing one, we can help you.

What is an ejector pump? Is it the same thing as a sump pump? If I already have a sump pump in my home, do I need to install an ejector pump too? These are a few of the questions homeowners ask about ejector pumps, and in this post, we answer all of them.

What is an ejector pump?

An ejector pump is a compact appliance used to pump wastewater from a home’s drains into the main sewer line. Keyrenter Oklahoma City team explains, it is a sewage pump system designed to collect wastewater from below-grade drains and lift it to where it easily flows into the sewer. Ejector pumps can collect wastewater only or a combination of wastewater and sewer water.

How does an ejector pump Work?

The operation of an ejector pump is simple. Firstly, water from below-grade plumbing fixtures in the home drains into a sealed underground pit in the basement. Discharge pipes from the fixtures slope into the sides of the basin, allowing their content to easily slide into the pit. This waste is then moved to a higher elevation by an automatic pump installed inside the pit.

When is an ejector pump needed?

Plumbing systems, from inception, have always relied on gravity to move wastewater from the home to the municipal sewer lines or a septic tank system. But this system only works when wastewater is moving from a high elevation to a low one. In homes where the plumbing fixtures are below-grade level, this system will not work. In such cases, the plumbing needs help to move wastewater from below-grade parts of the home into the sewer line. That is what an ejector pump does.

What’s the Difference between a sump pump and an ejector pump?

Sump pumps and ejector pumps have a lot of things in common but serve completely different functions. Similarities between the two include; both systems being housed in a pit located in the basement or crawlspace; they both help move water from inside the home to the outside, and they do this with the help of automatic pumps. But there are also a lot of vital differences between sump pumps and ejector pumps.

Sump pumps: Sump pumps help to prevent flooding. They handle water coming into the home from the outside. It can be groundwater that infiltrates the basement or runoff that ends up in the basement after flowing over the ground. Water removed by a sump pump is discharged at a point outside the home, in the yard or into a storm sewer.
Ejector pumps: Ejector pumps handle water from plumbing fixtures or water-utilizing appliances inside the home. Unlike sump pumps which are designed to only work during emergencies, ejector pumps are expected to work at intermittent periods throughout the day. Unlike the sump pump where the pit is often open, the lid of the ejector pump is completely sealed.

What are the different types of ejector pumps?

Although there are many different types of ejector pumps, most residential and light commercial pumps can be divided into two major categories: sewage ejector pumps and sewage grinder pumps.

Sewage ejector pumps: These are high-volume/low-pressure submersible pumps that do not have grinding blades. They are designed to handle solids of no more than 2’’ in diameter. They draw sewage into the system through the bottom via a spinning mechanism. Their motors range in size from 4/10 – 2 HP.

Use this type of ejector pump if:

Pumping sewage to a short distance of 750 feet or less.
You have a short vertical distance – under 70 feet – to lift sewage to.
You are pumping to a gravity sewer main.
You are pumping sewage to a septic tank system.

Sewage grinder pumps: These low-volume/high-pressure submersible pumps are designed to handle solids. They have cutting blades that grind raw sewage and reduce it to a slurry. Sewage grinder pumps can pump at pressures of up to 60 P.S.I. Their motors range from 2 HP and over.