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For the last 10 years, your sump pump has been steadily working and soldiering on in your basement. But the day has finally come. It’s outlasted your kid graduating high school and your pet gold fish but at last, Father Time has taken his toll. As sad as this may be (even more sad than that scene in the Lion King), there’s a silver lining to all this. It’s time for a shiny new pump to come in and take over. Here at PumpProducts.com, we hear this sad tale every day but that’s why we have experts standing by, ready to help you pick out a suitable replacement. Selecting the right replacement pump can truly be a daunting task. Numerous classifications and scores of different models all built to different specifications and applications can leave some people overwhelmed. That's why our experts are here to help. Below you will find five general things to know before you pick out a new pump including some questions our experts might even ask. What Are You Pumping The first and perhaps most obvious thing to keep in mind when selecting a new pump is of course knowing what you need to pump. Having a pump that is not suited for a certain type of fluid can lead to corrosion or unnecessary wear and tear. There are pumps designed to pump all sorts of materials including oil and chemicals while others can only pump water. Some pumps can also handle solids such as slurry and waste while others are designed to only handle liquid. Knowing if you require a pump that is designed to handle certain fluids and solids is essential. Where Are You Pumping This may also seem obvious at first but knowing where you’re pumping is also important. If you need a transfer pump to move water from your pool cover, you need a compact and mobile pump that has a garden hose adapter (like the Liberty 331). The location of your application and pump accessory requirements may be a factor in determining what pump you need. Some pumps are submersible, meaning they can operate submerged in water, while others can be irrevocably damaged if water gets into motor components. If a pump is going to be stationary, you may even need to purchase a basin. A pump’s surroundings can help determine how long its service life lasts. Also make sure the power cord on your pump is a suitable length for your application. Flow Rate Understanding flow rate can perhaps be the single most important factor when selecting the right pump for your application. Flow rate is the rate you want to transfer fluid at and basically determines the overall effectiveness of a pump. Flow rate is generally measured in gallons per minute (GPM). A larger flow rate means a larger pump size is needed. Inlet Size Pump inlet sizes can vary but are typically between 1-6 inches. Centrifugal pumps work by sucking water in through an inlet and discharging the water through an outlet valve. Larger inlet sizes allow for larger amounts of water to be pumped out faster. Head & Pressure "Head" refers to the longest distance in terms of height a pump is able to pump water before gravity takes over. If you try to pump water higher than a pump’s maximum head, the flow rate will be zero. It can be beneficial to select a pump that has a maximum head greater than the head needed for your application. Selecting a pump can be challenging. If you have any doubts of this, just check out our extensive pump catalog and scroll through the myriad of pumps we offer. If you need any help, give our experts a call and let them do the work for you! Pump Products application engineers are standing by to help you find the right pump, as well as to provide price quotes, stocking availability, and shipping information. Call our toll free number 1-800-429-0800 to speak to an expert today.

It is I, Inspector Pumphead! I return this week to share some of the knowledge that’s inside my oddly shaped head, specifically the knowledge on how to replace the mechanical seal on your centrifugal pump. The main purpose of the mechanical seal is to prevent leakage. They are a particularly important element of your pump because mechanical seal failure is responsible for a majority of pump malfunctions. By following these simple steps, you will be able to replace the mechanical seal in your pump so it experiences as little down time as possible. The first step of replacing your seal, is to make sure the power to your pump is off because safety is always the first step. Next, disconnect the pump from the plumbing system by using a PVC saw. Place the pump on a table or spacious work area. Using a wrench, unscrew the bolts on the pump housing. Detach the pump’s motor shaft from the housing. Make sure to keep track of the bolts you unscrew! Dismantling the pump’s impeller is the next step, as the seal is located on the shaft behind the impeller. While holding the shaft in place, rotate the pump’s impeller counterclockwise with the wrench until it disconnects from the shaft. Part of the old mechanical seal will be attached to the impeller, while the other part will still be attached to the motor shaft. Remove both of these pieces. Now it’s time to put on the replacement seal. Slide the new mechanical seal along the shaft of the motor. Do not touch the front face of the seal, as it is highly sensitive to the oils on your fingers. Once the new seal is on the shaft, use the wrench once again to screw the impeller back on. After this, reattach the pump housing and motor by tightly screwing in the bolts. Now that your pump is ready to go, the final step is placing the pump back into your plumbing system. You can do this by reconnecting the pump to the plumbing tubes with industrial strength PVC glue and primer. Wait a full day before starting the pump as the glue and primer need at least 24 hours to dry off. So there you have it, in the matter of minutes your pump is back to new.  Be on the look out for another one of Inspector Pumphead's Tips and How To's, coming soon. PumpProducts.com sales specialists are standing by to help you find the right pump or part, as well as to provide price quotes, stocking availability and shipping information. Call our toll free number 1-800-429-0800 to speak to an expert today.

Welcome back to another edition of Inspector Pumphead’s Quick Tips! In this space I, Inspector Pumphead, will be dispensing wisdom regarding your pump, whether it be about performance, maintenance, repair parts or navigating our site to find a new product, I’m here to help! In this edition, we will be covering how a winter storm (and cold, icy weather in general) can impact your pumping system, as well as the steps that any homeowner can take to minimize or prevent adverse effects. This topic is especially timed as much of the Northeast (PumpProducts.com’s backyard) is currently experiencing winter storm conditions today on 3/7/2018. If you’re in the area, you still have some time to follow these tips to make sure your system will be able to face the storm. Tip 1: Remove your outdoor non-enclosed pump so that freezing water does not crack the casing. Many homeowners will have an external pump serving an outdoor application. Some common outdoor applications include field irrigation with the Goulds GT IRRI-GATOR series being particularly popular for such services. Above ground jet well pumps such as the Goulds J5 or J7S are also commonly found exposed to the open air. This is perfectly reasonable as it is much more convenient to install and operate some pumps outside without an enclosure. The downside is that winter storm conditions will cause the water running through your pump to freeze. Depending on the temperature and the time left untended, the frozen water will eventually expand and crack the pumps casing. The worst case scenario is having to replace the pump and probably some of the piping as well. Avoid this problem by turning off the external pump and removing it from your outdoor configuration until the storm passes and the temperature rises. It may be annoying and it will deprive you of a pumping service for a little bit, but it is far preferable to replacing that pump. Note that pumps buried beneath the frost line and in an enclosure should be immune to freezing. Tip 2: Be prepared for heavy waterflow to tax your sump pump once the snow starts melting. This blog is being written in March and if you live in certain parts of the country, you know that can mean wild weather fluctuations on a day-to-day basis. One day the ground is covered in several inches of snow, the next it’s sunny, 50°F and all that snow is melting. Naturally, the melted snow will seep into the ground and create more groundwater than your sump pump (whether in a basement or backyard pit) is typically used to pumping. The excess groundwater forces the pump to cycle more frequently and transport a higher capacity GPM than it is designed for. Naturally, this could burn out the pump. Which ties into our next tip. Tip 3: Have your backup pump ready. If your pump does fail due to overcycling, there is no better feeling of reassurance than knowing you have a backup pump of the same make and model ready to go. If it is the same pump model with the same specifications, you can simply swap in the replacement without losing much pumping service. Of course, there is another way that a winter storm could disrupt your pumping system: power failures. High velocity winds damage power lines and cause blackouts. Some areas of Massachusetts still do not have power after last week’s Nor’easter. In such a situation, it pays in spades to have a battery backup sump pump. These battery backups operate when power is lost and give you peace of mind, letting you concentrate on staying safe and warm during the storm. Do you have any other pump tips or general tips for surviving a winter storm Let us know in the comments! Pump Products sales specialists are standing by to help you find the right pump or part, as well as to provide price quotes, stocking availability and shipping information. Call 1-800-429-0800 to speak to an expert today.

Here’s another minty-fresh edition of everyone’s favorite semi-recurring content feature: Inspector Pumphead’s Quick Tips! In this space, I, Inspector Pumphead from Pump Products, will be sending out friendly reminders and dispensing basic tips for ordering, maintaining and servicing pumps. The Inspector is in and here to help! Quick Tip: Know your frost line before burying a sump basin your backyard Punxustawney Phil has spoken and sadly we still have some ways to go before winter ends. For those of us in colder climates, that means hats, gloves, warming up your car before you drive and knowing your frost line. The frost line is simply the maximum depth in which the groundwater in your soil is expected to freeze. From a pumping perspective, this means that the discharge line for your sump pump must be beneath this line. Otherwise, the pipe may freeze, which in turn will damage your pump. In addition, any kind of tank or basin you bury in your backyard will also have to below the frost line. Luckily, it is not too difficult to determine your frost line - this map from Hammerpedia is a solid general overview of what the line might be in your area. For a more specific reading for your local area, you can usually contact your local plumber to find out the frost line. It's a simple step that will prevent freezing and damage. Good luck and let's make it through the rest of this God forsaken winter! Pump Products application engineers are standing by to help you find the right pump, as well as to provide price quotes, stocking availability and shipping information. Call our toll free number 1-800-429-0800 to speak to an expert today.

Here’s another minty-fresh edition of everyone’s favorite semi-recurring content feature: Inspector Pumphead’s Quick Tips! In this space, I, Inspector Pumphead from Pump Products, will be sending out friendly reminders and dispensing basic tips for ordering, maintaining and servicing pumps. The Inspector is in and here to help! Quick Tip: Dry running a centrifugal pump can cause damage to your pump and system. A centrifugal pump uses the kinetic energy generated by the rotation of the impeller to transport water. Keep in mind that most of the pumps we sell are centrifugal pumps. The liquid that the pump transports is key to counteracting the heat generated by the impeller's motion and keeping both the pump body and motor cool. When and if the pump is run dry, there is no water to counter and slow the motion of the impeller. Speed increases past the desired point and the heat generated increases as well. This could cause sparking, overheating, melted plastic and a busted pump that needs immediate replacement. We've heard plenty of horror stories of warped pumps that were run dry for one reason or another. So make sure to periodically check your pump and make sure that the water is flowing smoothly and consistently to your pump. Pump Products application engineers are standing by to help you find the right pump, as well as to provide price quotes, stocking availability and shipping information. Call our toll free number 1-800-429-0800 to speak to an expert today.