Basement and Cellar Pumps

Choosing a basement or cellar pump

Start with what the pump has to move. Clear or slightly dirty groundwater from a cavity drain membrane or perimeter channel needs a drainage pump. Waste from a WC, kitchen or washing machine needs a pump built for sewage, usually with a vortex impeller that passes soft solids. If you are unsure which side of that line your job falls, read sewage pump vs sump pump.

For a permanent installation, choose an automatic model so the pump runs without anyone switching it on. Then check the head: the vertical lift from the pit to the discharge point, plus an allowance for pipe friction. Our guide to what size pump you need walks through the sums.

Basement pumps we stock

For groundwater and cellar drainage:

• Vort Buddy: 230v plastic-bodied vortex pumps with a cable float switch, made for cellar and basement pits that collect groundwater.
• Koshin Ponstar PX and Ponstar PBX: the PX comes in 110v and 230v, and its automatic models start and stop on a float, which suits plant rooms and car park sumps.
• Flotec Compac and Flotec VIP: compact submersibles for domestic pits.
• Oreal CK, Jung Drenox and Jung Omnia: stainless steel pumps for commercial basements.

For toilets and waste water below the drains:

• DAB Genix units sit behind the WC and macerate the waste. The 110 models take one extra appliance such as a basin, and the 130 models take a shower, basin and bidet. Domestic use only.
• JS150SV and JS-250SV sewage vortex pumps (the JS-250SV handles soft solids up to 36mm), and Pentair Biox stainless steel vortex pumps, which pass solids up to 40mm.
• JS Box domestic pumping stations, built around the JS150SV or JS250SV pump.

Installation points

Size the pit so the float can rise and fall freely without catching on the wall, and deep enough for its switching range. The Pentair Biox, for example, switches on at roughly 400mm and off at roughly 300mm as supplied. Fit a non-return valve on the discharge so water in the pipe cannot run back into the pit and restart the pump.

In any basement used as living space, fit a high level alarm from our controls range so a failed pump is spotted before water reaches the floor. Keep the pit free of silt and debris: see how to clean a sump pit.

Related applications

For a whole annex or building below the sewer, see package pumping stations. For a one-off flood, see flood pumps. For the full range of pit pumps, browse our sump pumps.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a pump with a cavity drain membrane?

Yes. A cavity drain membrane lets water that seeps through the walls and floor run down behind it into perimeter channels and a pit. Without a pump in that pit, the water has nowhere to go. Most installers fit an automatic pump, often with a high level alarm or a second pump as backup.

Can a basement pump handle toilet waste?

Only if it is built for sewage. Drainage pumps such as the Vort Buddy are not suitable for toilet waste, wipes or sanitary items. For a WC below the drains, use a sewage vortex pump in a sealed chamber, a JS Box pumping station, or a DAB Genix unit behind the pan for a single bathroom.

Why does my cellar pump keep switching on and off?

Rapid cycling usually means the pit is too small for the pump, the float has too little travel between on and off, or water is running back down the discharge pipe. Check the non-return valve first, then the float setting. If the pit is small, a lower flow pump may suit it better.

How high can a basement pump lift water?

It depends on the model. The Vort Buddy 900 has a maximum head of 8.5m and the Pentair Biox 400/12 reaches 12m. Maximum head is where flow drops to zero, so choose a pump that still gives useful flow at your lift. Our guide to reading a pump curve shows how.