# How to Drain a Sump Pit
A sump pump protects your basement and home foundation from flooding by pumping out excess water and redistributing it elsewhere. Sump pumps are common in areas where the house is on the bottom of an incline or where there is a lot of heavy rainfall. These conditions result in moisture buildup against the house foundation or cause the basement to flood. If your sump pit fills up and the pump either breaks or isn't removing water fast enough, you'll need to drain it yourself to prevent flooding.
Things You'll Need
- Water pump
- Intake and outtake hoses
Instructions
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1
Turn off the breaker controlling the sump pump to prevent any electrical discharge. If the pump is malfunctioning, it could start acting erratically. If the pump isn't working due to power outage, use a battery-powered pump to empty the water from the sump pit.
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2
Drop the intake hose of a water pump into the sump pit so it is submerged.
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3
Run the outtake hose somewhere that can handle the water flow safely. This location should be far enough away from the house to prevent the water from flowing back toward the foundation. The hose should have as few bends as possible so water flows smoothly and the pump runs efficiently.
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4
Turn on the pump and run it until the sump pit is fully drained.
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1
Previous:
Home Maintenance
- How to Build a Gray Water Sump Pump
- How to Drain Your Lawn Sprinkler Pump
- How to Drain a Basement
- How to Drain a Flooded Basement
- How to Direct Water From a Cement Floor to a Sump Pump Pit
- How to Slow Sump Pump Output
- How to Cap a Water Drain to a Sump
- How to Manually Drain a Sump Pit
- How to Drain Water When the Sump Pump Breaks
- How to Adjust a Tethered Sump Pump
- How to Fully Drain a Pool
- How to Build a Sump Pump Drainage System
