Primary sump pumps are the standard pumps found in many residences. Designed to pump seepage water out of your basement, they prevent floods. They can pump up to several thousand gallons an hour to keep your home safe and dry.
There are two types of primary sump pumps: submersible pumps and pedestal pumps.
Submersible pumps can be submerged under water in your sump pump basin. Pedestal pumps aren't fully submerged. The base of a pedestal pump (which contains the impeller) is set in the basin, but the motor sits atop the pedestal in the air stream. Pedestal pumps are great for shallower basins, but they can be a bit louder as well.
Battery Backup Sump Pumps
Battery Backup pumps provide you added insurance in the case your power goes out. As sump pumps are electric-powered, they can be rendered useless in a power outage, which is usually when you need them most.
The battery backup unit is only used in the event of a blackout. When the power goes out, the battery on the unit kicks in providing the pump with power so it continues working, even without regular electric power. New technology allows some of these pumps to even text or email you in event of a failure.
Combination Sump Pumps
Combination sump pumps are just that; a combination of a primary pump and a battery backup all in one package. This is the way to go as you get everything you need in one fell swoop. If you've ever dealt with the aftermath of a flooded basement, you know exactly how painful that process can be.
With a combination sump pump, you are protected under normal circumstances and in power outages as well. Besides flood insurance, this is the pinnacle in home flood protection. The backup pump will also kick on in the event the primary pump cannot keep up with the water as it enters the basin.
Sewage Pumps
Sewage pumps aren't like traditional sump pumps, although they could be used for this purpose. Rather, sewage pumps are primarily designed to pump sewage waste and effluent from a home to a septic system.
Sewage pumps can pass solids up to 2", which is one of the biggest differences between them and regular sump pumps. Once installed, sewage pumps run automatically. They can either be installed in the septic tank itself, or in a separate pump chamber.