Submersible Vs. Cantilever Sump Pump Advantages & Disadvantages

Eyesore

• The fundamental difference between submersible and cantilever sump pumps is that the former rests entirely inside of the sump pit, while the latter rests primarily above the pump pit. As SumpPumpHelp.com mentions, submersible pumps typically remain out of sight, which means you don't have to stare at components, such as suction check valves, bushings, seals and bearings, all of which remain above the pit with a cantilever sump pump.

Maintenance

• While submersible sump pumps are the more aesthetic choice, their submerged configurations make them difficult to maintain. Their seals, bearings, bushings and valves are all at the bottom of the pit, contained within a sealed housing. This makes cleaning them out quite a hassle. According to the engineering website Global Spec, with a cantilever pump, the majority of its parts are easily accessible, as it only has one component that stretches down into the sump pit: the cantilever, which is a long shaft for sucking up the water.

  The external nature of cantilever sump pumps makes repairing them both less labor intensive and, if you need to hire a professional repairmen, less expensive.

Efficiency

• Both submersible and cantilever sump pumps operate automatically, meaning they will activate when water in their pits reaches a certain depth. Due to their submerged components, submersible pumps are able to detect the accumulation of water faster, and will begin pumping it out before it reaches the top of the sump pump, according to SumpPumpHelp.com. With cantilever sump pumps, they only start pumping after the water accumulates substantially and reaches a breaking point, or critical level. In spite of this drawback, cantilever pumps may still prove to be more efficient, especially if you outfit their shafts with agitators. Global Spec mentions that agitators are devices that protrude down into pits and stir the water and any solid materials accumulated at their bottoms. This helps keep the pump from clogging.

Noise

• In addition to being better at staying out of sight, submersible sump pumps are also perhaps better at staying out of mind. This is because they are quieter during operation in comparison to their cantilever counterparts, which have their motors outside of the sump pit.