A lift station looks a lot like a sump pit but it is s a whole different piece of machinery. There are two pipes coming out of a lift station and there is also a ball valve with a union. This union services as a check valve that also acts as a union for easy replacement. This way, nobody winds up covered in wastewater when taking the pump out.
Lift stations are for sewage, and the purpose of a small residential or commercial lift station is for a building (house, office, or retail location) that has the main sewer line coming in higher than the lowest fixtures. These pumps look a lot like a sump, but are bigger and more heavy duty. They also can have a grinder inside of it, much like a garbage disposal.
Lift Station Basics
One of the top pipes of a lift station ejects the waste from the pit to the main sewer line. The other pipe acts as a vent for the pit which can vent back either into the sewer vents or can vent outside directly. They typically follow the same building code rules as any other plumbing vent. It is important to remember that sump pits are supposed to eject water away from the house, but never back into the sewer. Code does not allow for ground water or storm water to come back into a sanitary drainage system.
As you can see, sewage lift stations can be a lot more complicated than a simple sump pump setup. Attempting to repair your lift station as a DIY project will probably not end well. Please contact a professional like ServicePro Pluming to deal with any lift station issues.
It can be very confusing if you tell your plumber you have sump problems when it’s actually a lift station ejector pump. Knowing the difference between the two can save you a lot of time and money. If you have any questions about your sump pump, lift station, or how to identify either, don’t hesitate to contact the professionals at ServicePro Plumbing. We are happy to help!
