When Is a Grinder Pump Necessary for Your Home Sewage System?
Because ridding your own wastewater is just plain icky
Highlights
If your toilets and drains clog a lot, you may want to invest in a grinder pump.
Grinder pumps process solids better than sewage lift pumps.
Grinder pumps can last up to 25 years.
There’s really no subtle way to start a discussion about sewage. It’s not glamorous and, on the scale of “fun conversations,” sewer system parts fall at about a one. So, without further ado, when is a grinder pump necessary? Grinder pumps are vital to the inner workings of your sewer system, and without them, you’d be knee-deep in a wastewater backup dilemma that’s about as bad as it sounds.
Not every home needs a grinder pump, but if you do need one, it’s best to know now so you can call in a local septic company ASAP to get one installed. Keep reading to learn what grinder pumps do, why they’re important, and whether your home needs one.
What Is a Grinder Pump?
Put simply, grinder pumps help remove wastewater from your home, and they are an alternative to a sewage pump (more on this below). Just like your garbage disposal, the grinder pump pulverizes the wastewater your home produces in places like the bathroom and kitchen.
Grinder pumps have a large underground tank that holds the wastewater your family produces. When the wastewater tank is full, the pump cycles and moves the water out of the tank and into the public sewer main. Grinder pumps are installed by expert plumbers.
When Is a Grinder Pump Necessary?
In most houses, gravity helps move the wastewater through your pipes and into the sewer main (like when you flush the toilet). But gravity alone isn’t enough to get the job done if you live someplace where the elevation forces your waste to travel up to meet the sewer. In these cases, you’ll need a grinder pump to guide the water along.
There are a few signs that can help you determine if your home needs a grinder pump:
Your toilets and drains clog a lot
Your home has an unpleasant aroma (unrelated to cooking or stinky trash, of course)
You’ve added a new room to your home, like a kitchen or bathroom, which requires pumping the wastewater vertically.
Nothing about what a grinder pump does is especially, well, attractive or pleasant. Luckily, grinder pumps are not an eyesore you must live with. These systems are buried underground and out of sight, just like septic systems.
What’s the Difference Between a Grinder Pump and a Sewage Lift Pump?
Sewage lift pumps work the same way as grinder pumps (moving wastewater uphill via pump to meet the public sewer main), but they cannot process solids the same way a grinder pump can.
Sewage lift pumps lack the cutting mechanism that enables them to process harder materials. They are less expensive (between $300 and $800), but they aren’t as powerful as grinder pumps. This also means that sewage lift pumps cannot move sewage to as high a point as a grinder pump.
Frequently Asked Questions
If your home already has a grinder pump and you’re still noticing issues (like frequently clogged toilets and sinks), it could be time to upgrade your grinder pump. Start by checking your existing horsepower. If there are four or fewer people living in your home, using a 1/2-horsepower grinder pump should be sufficient. Larger households should consider investing in a 1-horsepower grinder pump to maximize wastewater removal efforts.
Grinder pumps alone cost $300 on average. The average cost to install a new grinder pump is between $2,000 and $4,000, including the pump and labor. This price can also change based on the exact type of grinder pump you choose, labor costs in your area, and the power system your home currently has.
Grinder pumps need to be replaced every 25 years. Daily use adds stress and strain to the system, leading to premature repairs or replacement.
Some people find that opting for a larger tank (1,500-gallon capacity) that cycles less is a better option. Before you buy one, do a little bit of math. The average household in the United States produces between 80 and 100 gallons of wastewater per day, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. So, in theory, a tank with a 150-gallon capacity would cycle the wastewater once a day.