Want to install exterior sump pump

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tommybitt

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I will try to keep this as short as possible.
My house is located on a hill. After heavy rains and snow melt I am getting water coming in through block foundation wall in basement which trickles into a homemade open trough type perimeter drain that leads to small sump hole in corner. This drain system is on the surface of the concrete floor...not under the concrete floor the way it should be. So it goes without saying that there is usually standing water in perimeter "trough" that slowly trickles to pump pit.

I am well aware of the proper way to reconstruct a proper subfloor drain system but my concern is that this type of system still allows water to come thru the block.

I would rather attack the problem from the exterior to take the hydrostatic pressure off of the block foundation walls.

I do not have enough height clearance to run a proper exterior drain system to daylight so what I want to do is install exterior sump pit slightly lower than footer and pump the water up 4' and into a French drain that I will be installing on side of house which will divert the water to daylight.

My question... is it common practice to install an exterior sump in circumstances where a gravity fed footer drain tile system is not feasible?

I live in Mt Holly NJ. Are there any code restrictions I will need to be aware of? (Im sure I need to check with municipal engineer)

I plan on installing the pit 6-7 feet below ground level and the discharge pipe to the French drain (5-6' away) will be well below frost line (no worries with freezing). I will run a dedicated circuit for pump thru the wall above sill plate to an exterior GFCI on exterior wall with metal conduit running down to pump.

Does this sound like a proper solution?

I prefer to not divert exterior water INTO the house thru the foundation to my current pump as over time the water will just keep eating away at my concrete block wall.

Any thoughts, questions, comments are much appreciated
 
If your idea is to get the water to go into a sump pit outside the house and below the footing; you would be better off installing well points around the home and attach them all to a pump. Putting a pit in one spot will not guarantee that water in other locations won't still come through the walls.
 
I don't think you want to pump water from a pit to a French drain. French drains are usually perforated pipe lying in a gravel lined trench behind a wall, used to divert/collect water and divert away from the area. Pumping water from a sump to the French drain would only add to it. :confused:
 

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