Sump pump is so loud! Please help...

9 years ago

My sump pump is located in my currently unfinished basement (SW corner of the house). The room directly above (on the 1st floor) is the 1st floor guest bedroom. Unfortunately, the sump pump runs fairly often and it is LOUD. I had a few things modified to help the sound (used a very quiet check valve - can't hear it at all which is great), 45 degree turns rather than 90 degree, etc. but it appears the noise is coming from the motor itself. The sump pump is in a basin @ the bottom and there is a lid that covers the basin and is sealed (due to elevated radon and having a radon fan). The master bedroom of the house (NE corner of the house) is located on the 2nd floor and completely opposite side of where the sump is located and I can hear the sump pump running even from there! It has led to not being able to sleep and having to use ear plugs, which I find ridiculous.

My question is what sort of things can be done within the basement to decrease the transmittance of the sump pump motor sound to the 1st & 2nd floor of the house?

i.e. could I get sound proof insulation (denim) and just place some in the basement ceiling between the floor joists??

Would appreciate any ideas! Thank you.

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Comments (4)

randy427
9 years ago
It may be vibrating pipes when the pump is running that you are hearing. A short soft section of drainline, ie rubber hose, between the check valve and the drain pipe should reduce the sound that is caused by the vibration of the motor.
kbear_15
Original Author
9 years ago
I've got 1.5'' PVC pipes now.. when I was having it modified, the pipes were clamped to the concrete basement wall (on a wooden block) on top of the blanket insulation to help with pipe vibration (previously they were just free floating directly over the concrete basement wall); they also added a good amount of sealant where the PVC exits the basement (where there previously was nothing, just an open circle hole in the wood). Perhaps I can take a picture or video now what it looks like and that might help....

Based on the pics/video and this info, do you still think it's vibrating pipes? (the person who modified everything didn't seem to think so by the time they finished) If so, not sure how I could attach a rubber hose to the 1.5'' PVC pipes..? Any other ideas?

SEE PICTURES BELOW: Here is the current set up after the modifications. The smallest diameter white pipe running down on the left side is the water backup sump pump system.

The larger white PVC (1.5'') pipes all the way on the right closest to the outlet is the main primary sump pump (& the 1.5'' white PVC furthest from the outlet is the water backup sump pump discharge pipe). Both 1.5'' PVC join together which eventually go up and exit out of the basement at the top (into the gutter system outside).
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randy427
9 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Fernco couplings, like pictured below, are available at most home improvement stores in several sizes. I'd get a couple of the size that would fit snugly over your discharge pipes, cut the pipes just above the sump pit lid and reconnect them with the Ferncos. You may need to cut back the pipes by an inch or so to get the Ferncos in there. It might be more effective if you could do this below the pit lid as it also could be amplifying the vibrations of the pump, as well as the pipes.
HU-926303307
2 years ago
Did y evever figfigure this out? ours is doing the same thing