# Sump Pump Noise - Please Help!



## rudolph58 (Mar 11, 2009)

does the noise occur when the pump is running?


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## dcusk1971 (Feb 1, 2010)

Yes it does. Any ideas? This noise is driving us nuts!


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## rudolph58 (Mar 11, 2009)

is the discharge pipe mounted securely to the wall?


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## dcusk1971 (Feb 1, 2010)

It appears to be pretty tight. It's mounted on a 2x4 thats mounted to the wall that runs up the wall and then runs out.


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## DIY99 (Mar 13, 2011)

*Place lid under pump*

I posted these 3 replies to the stream "Soundproofing Sump Pump Closet".

It worked quite well for me. I am going to try #3 as well to see if it is even better. 
Good luck DIY99

1. I just replaced my pump with a new RIDGID SP-500 that is very noisy. The problem is that this pump has a float shut-off that rises & falls on a rod under the water. Half of the pump is still above water. The former Hydromatic pump had the type of float where you can set the level yourself. Since that pump was completely submerged at all times it was WAY more quiet. Mine is in a concrete sump hole. The lid is a double thickness of 3/4" plywood with ceramic tile on it. 
I like the suggestions of placing something soft under the pump. Will try that. Another thought was to turn a pail upside down over the motor housing. Perhaps drill hole in the bottom or it will probably refuse to sink and topple over.
For those who have had floods there are 2 good solutions for backup. I installed a battery backup pump with a good marine battery. It remains on trickle charge until needed. Made by Flotec. The second is an ingenius device that works off your home water pressure which almost never fails and it siphons the water out when the power fails. Only trouble is it will stick up above floor level if you have a finished room as I do unless your sump pit is deep. 
2. Try this folks. I have been reading suggestions about material to place under the pump. I just tried a plasic / vinyl lid from a tub of drywall compound. Any similar lid should do. It is flexible; impervious to water and if it is updide down, there is a little space under it. It cut down the noise noticeably. Mine is sitting on cermic tile on brick which sits on the concrete bottom of the well.
Another idea is a couple of layers of the material you put under laminate floors - it is designed to absorb some movement and should stand up to the water.
3. Try this folks. I have been reading suggestions about material to place under the pump. I just tried a plasic / vinyl lid from a tub of drywall compound. Any similar lid should do. It is flexible; impervious to water and if it is updide down, there is a little space under it. It cut down the noise noticeably. Mine is sitting on cermic tile on brick which sits on the concrete bottom of the well.
Another idea is a couple of layers of the material you put under laminate floors - it is designed to absorb some movement and should stand up to the water.


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## DIY99 (Mar 13, 2011)

Sorry - copied point 2 twice. Here is #3

Another idea I forgot to mention instead of a lid is an old Frizbee - you know - the one in the garage! It definitely has a space under it and its shape should allow the 3 or 4 feet of the *pump* to sit on its surface.


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## Daniel Holzman (Mar 10, 2009)

I have a cast iron Zoeller sump pump in my basement, in an open pit with no soundproofing at all. When it runs, you cannot hear it at all. So if you have a similar pump, unless the pump is defective, I am guessing your noise is not from the pump itself. I would check out the noise immediately next to the pump by placing yourself next to the pump and listening. If the pump is quiet, start working your way up the discharge line to see where the vibration is occurring.

The obvious places are at poorly fastened bends, or at the check valve (if you have one). If the problem is vibrating pipe, you can quiet the pipe by placing a piece of ice and water shield around the pipe at the connection point to the house. This will act as a sound damper and will reduce vibration.


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## DIY99 (Mar 13, 2011)

*Noisy Pump*

Hey Thanks Daniel. As I said however, setting the pump on a plastid lid did a lot to lessen the vibration. I will check out the pipes - that used to be a problem which I have not checked since I put in the new pump.

Curious? Is your pump totally under water at all times? Due to the float design, my new one is not. That makes a huge difference. My old pump had a separate float on its own chord and setting it higher in the well allowed the pump to be totally under water. This made it a lot more quiet.


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## Daniel Holzman (Mar 10, 2009)

We must have different model of pump. My Zoeller plugs into a float, hence I can set the float to whatever level I want. My pump is not set to be under water at all times, it turns on when the water is about two inches below the top of the pump, and turns off when the water is about two inches above the base of the pump. And as I said, the pump is very quiet, and this is the case throughout the pump cycle. Possibly your pump is not sitting level on the bottom, and is vibrating during pumping?


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## DIY99 (Mar 13, 2011)

My new pump is from Depot - it is a RIDGID cast iron SP500. I ran it on my workbench when I unpacked it before installing and noticed it was a bit more noisy even then. It is a bit more powerful - 1/2 hp. The former pump was also cast iron and made my Hydromatic - a very good and quiet pump but only 1/3 hp. I just replaced it for prevention purposes. In my case an inactive pump is a flooded basement for sure.

I replaced the plastic lid under the pump as it was getting compressed and not serving its purpose anymore. I am going to cut a few pieces of rubber hose to put under it - ridgid enough that they won't collapse.

There are 3 pipes in a channel that runs from the well to the external wall. In it are 2 exhaust pipes (I have a backup pump as well) and a piece of conduit containig the electrical cords. After your suggestion I wedged some soft material between the pipes to minimize noise there. I also strengthened the support under the pumps. They sit on a 12x12 ceramic tile which in turn is sitting on bricks. 

It is pretty quiet now - acceptable anyway.


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