Info On Grinder Pumps
What Is A Grinder Pump & How Does It Work?
A grinder pump is a type of sewage pump that uses rotating cutters which reduce the size of solid sewage particles before pumping the wastewater through piping to a designed wastewater treatment facility. Depending upon the design and installation setup, a grinder pump can chew and grind up materials not normally found in sewage such as feminine sanitary napkins, dish rags and even some clothing.
Grinder pumps are commonly used in municipal and community sewer systems where elevations do not allow for gravity flow such as homes around Table Rock Lake.
Do I Need A Grinder Pump Or Effluent Pump?
Your home's method of wastewater treatment (if any) will essentially determine whether you need a grinder pump vs. an effluent pump. If your home's wastewater treatment is provided off-site, then the design of the wastewater treatment facility will determine whether you need a grinder pump or an effluent pump. However, if you have a septic system, then using an effluent pump may be part of the design.
In general, a grinder pump is used when your wastewater is first collected at a lower elevation and then must be transferred to a higher elevation off-site from your property. An effluent pump may be used when your wastewater is collected and distributed on your property via your own septic system, but is sometimes used to send your sewage off-site to a community or regional wastewater treatment facility.
Problems With Grinder Pump Systems
One of our specialties at Envirotek Systems is providing grinder pump repair services in Branson and around Table Rock Lake. The most common issues we see with grinder pumps are related to the installation, choice of pump used and the electrical control panel. Plumbers in Branson and throughout the Ozarks who install and repair grinder pumps generally use store bought setups. They'll purchase a grinder pump system off the shelf from the local plumbing supplier, remove the existing non-working pump and replace it with the new pump by connecting the wiring to the control panel.
Sounds simple enough, but that's the problem. A grinder pump system requires more than knowing how to connect plumbing components and wiring connections. Most plumbers do not take into consideration how things like a pump's head pressure, the elevations of your property and most importantly, how the control panel which operates your pump plays a role in the longevity of your grinder pump.
Causes Of Grinder Pump Alarm
- Pump has burned up
- Seals have gone bad
- Water is mixed with oil
- Water mixed with electrical components
- The pump breaker has tripped
- Cutters have clogged
- Controls are failing
If you noticed that red flashing light or buzzer alarm going off with your grinder pump we can help! Envirotek Systems specializes in quickly diagnosing your grinder pump alarm needs. It is better for us to see the condition as soon as possible. Often it is a simple fix. Some situations require pump replacement. Others require electrical control components or maintenance. Whether the reason for your sewer alarm condition is electrical, mechanical or otherwise, we know the right solution.
Envirotek Systems Designs Longer Lasting Grinder Pump Systems
Are you replacing your grinder pump every few years? If yes, you're not alone.
When a new client contacts us, it's not uncommon for them to share with us that they have had to replace their grinder pump system multiple times over a 10-15 year period. Unfortunately, for many of them, they had just become accustomed to this practice as a necessary evil, until we helped them understand a better alternative.
As we mentioned above, beyond connecting pipes, many plumbers don't have a thorough understanding on how elevations, pump pressurization and the pump's electrical system play a role in the longevity of a grinder pump.
Even without this understanding, it's not always the plumber's fault. They just simply do not have access to a better designed grinder pump system, but we do!
We have developed our Visi-Pump system. It's a universally adaptable sewage pump system that works seamlessly with grinder pumps. Learn More
- Advanced Technology!
- Engineered Performance!
- Long Life Span!
- Adapts To Any Application!
- 10 Year Warranty!
We've designed Visi-Pump with industrial duty motors, intelligently programmed software for the controls, a touch screen for operational viewing, wireless internet monitoring and it also comes with a 10-year parts and labor warranty!
If you're tired of replacing pump after pump, we have your solution!
Call or Request Estimate!