How to Monitor a Sump Pump with SmartThings Sensors

Prevent water damage from sump pump failures by doing some basics and using SmartThings to monitor your sump pump and water leaks.

Introduction

We have all heard the horror stories. The family that went on vacation, there was a rainstorm and the power went out, so the sump pump didn't run and the basement got flooded. Or how about this one. They lived in a cold weather region, the discharge hose was still froze solid, so the pump was trying to get water out of the basement but it had no where to send it. There are lots of ways a sump pump system can fail that result in water over the sump and getting your basement wet.

I've witnessed the damage this can cause. Not only is it a lot of work to clean up, but it is also costly to clean carpet, tear out damaged drywall, and everything else it takes to get back to normal. So what can we do. Here are my recommendations, including a video below, but refer to the sump pump manual for final instructions and use a plumber if necessary.

Basics

Here are some basics:

  • Get a sump pump with enough power to overcome the vertical height needed to discharge the water. The pump needs to move the water up out of the sump and through the rest of the plumbing to reach your discharge hose. The manufacturer specs will explain the capabilities of the pump. This is the pump that I use: https://amzn.to/2ULouAJ

  • Ensure all connections are tight. When the pump is working the water pressure in the pipes will increase. Make sure your connections are secure or they might fail and spray water all over your basement.

  • Make sure the check valve is installed with the flow in correct direction. If not, the valve won't let any water past the valve.

  • Make sure the float switch can move freely. As the water level rises, the float rises and turns on the pump. If there is an obstruction to prevent the float from moving properly, the pump will never turn on. Wires for the switch, the pump, sides of the sump, or fittings/pipe can all get in the way.

  • I think one of the most important items to have is a battery backup sump pump. One of the most common problems is the first situation I mentioned above. There is a rainstorm and the electricity goes out. It's a worst case scenario. There is probably heavy rain, so the pump is running frequently. The power goes out and the sump can fill quickly and overflow ruining your basement. Example: https://amzn.to/3e24hyn

Ok, enough of the boring stuff, let's talk about how smart home sensors can help us keep tabs on sump pumps.

Smart Home Options

I'm assuming you have some familiarity with smart home hubs. If not, there are lots of sites and videos that can help you. I use SmartThings and am very happy with it. SmartThings Hub: https://amzn.to/39IAGqi

Smart Home Options

I'm assuming you have some familiarity with smart home hubs. If not, there are lots of sites and videos that can help you. I use SmartThings and am very happy with it. SmartThings Hub: https://amzn.to/39IAGqi




  • Water Leak Sensor: This is the big one. In my mind, using smart water leak sensors easily justifies getting a SmartThings or other smart home hub. I use them all over the house. Water is one of the most common sources of damage to a house. Anyone who owns a house knows that things break over time; water lines to the ice/water dispenser on the refrigerator, supply lines to the laundry machine, toilets overflow, etc. Getting back to the sump pump system, this is the key sensor for our sump pump. If you get one sensor, this is it. Is there water in my basement or not? If there is, you will get a relatively early warning, so you still have a chance to prevent it from damaging your basement. I have my sensor right on top of the sump cover, so if something fails I will know. From the SmartThings app, I get a text message and notification from the app. You could get creative and have it flash lights, say a message over a speaker, or countless other things. But the basic notifications are enough for me and if I get this message, it is important!

What: SmartThings Water Leak Sensor: https://amzn.to/2xRujn0

How: Use Smart Home Monitor setting in the SmartThings App. Select Settings (gear symbol). Select Leaks and configure. I use every moisture sensor to send Text and Push notifications.


  • Multipurpose/Vibration Sensor: I like to know when my sump pump is running, so I have a sensor mounting to the discharge pipe just above the sump. When the pump operates it shakes the pipe enough to set off the sensor. My system only runs during the spring when snow melts and the ground is soft enough to let water through to the sump or if there is a steady rain. In these situations I know that it is a "higher risk" period. What does that mean? Well, maybe it's earlier in the season than I expected, so I should check that the hose outside my house isn't froze shut or that the hose fell into a window well. Maybe I'm on away from the house, and I'll keep tabs on it should one of my other sensors go off. Maybe it's running so frequently, it makes me think I need to get some longer gutter downspouts or other ways to control the water outside the house. I just use the basic SmartThings app notifications for this one. I don't look at each notification, but over the course of a day I can see how hard the pump is working by how frequently these notifications come through.

What: SmartThings Multipurpose Sensor: https://amzn.to/2JD7d6o

How: Select the Multipurpose sensor. Configure when Acceleration Detected to send "Sump Pump Running" Message Text as a Push Notification.

  • Power Usage Smart Outlet: This is a "nice to have", but not as needed as the previous sensors. Something of an experiment for me, but you might have interest in it too. I have the main sump pump plugged into a smart outlet. This lets me know the power usage for the main sump pump. Similar to the Multipurpose sensor, it lets me know when the pump is running. The idea behind using this sensor is if I was getting some strange readings from the other sensors, this could help me figure out what was going on. Also it would provide some peace of mind to be able to check the draw from the pump. An example is if the pump was running continuously, I could see that. Under normal circumstances, the pump runs for less than a minute and ramps up from 0 to about 500 Watts which I can see on the smart outlet. If the pipe was plugged or the check valve failed closed, I could see that the pump was running longer than usual. On the flip side, this smart outlet introduces another potential failure point. That smart outlet could be turned off and is more likely to fail than a normal outlet. To counter that, I have my backup sump pump and also a notification if this smart outlet is turned off. So if you feel you want this level of insight into your sump pump, it might be worth considering. For the rest of you, it probably isn't needed.

What: SmartThings Outlet: https://amzn.to/2JHED3W

How: I only have a notification if the outlet is turned off. Configure when Switch Turned Off to send Message Text "Sump Pump Outlet Turned Off! Turn it back on!". I have minimum time between message set to 5 minutes.

Summary

To wrap up, using smart home sensors is a great way to add some additional controls to prevent water damage should your sump pump system fail. Ultimately, following some basic best practices for sump pumps will reduce the likelihood of those failures, but smart home sensors will provide that extra layer of security and peace of mind to reduce the chances of water damage.

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