How Much Electricity Does A Sump Pump Use?

It is a known fact that sump pumps are nothing but lifesavers, especially when it comes to protecting your house from floodwaters. But this act does come at a cost. Apart from water-powered ones, every other type of sump pump runs on electricity. And the amount can add a fair share to your monthly bill. To understand how much electricity does a sump pump uses, you need to know the following criteria-

• Type of model
• Horsepower of the internal motor, and
• The number of active hours

If you are using a larger pump, it will use more electricity than the one with lesser horsepower. Also, if your pump remains idle most of the time, then you are likely to receive a smaller bill.

How Much Does It Cost In Electricity To Run A Sump Pump

When it comes down to the cost of operation, smaller sump pumps will barely take a toll on your wallet. Generally, sump pumps cost about $0.12 per Kilowatt-hour (Kwh). So, if you consider the monthly bill during the drier season, a 1/4 HP pump or a 1/3 HP  pump will cost you between $10 – $20. But if you are using a sump pump with higher horsepower, let’s say, 1 HP or more, then the bill can rise up to $40 per month.

However, these values can vary, especially during wetter seasons. The electricity bills can shoot up high. So, to calculate the rate of monthly consumption, you need to multiply the cost of electricity per Kilowatt-hour with three parameters- the power used, total operating hours, and the electricity cost. This will give you a rounded figure of how much you will be charged.

Do Sump Pumps Use A Lot Of Electricity

Depending on the season, the operating hours of the sump pump can vary to a large extent. During the summer, your sump pump will barely ever be operational, during the winter or rainy season, it will be working round the clock. The geographical location of your house matters. If you are living in a low-lying area or next to a large water body, then it is highly likely that water will try to seep into your basement.

Moreover, different models of sump pumps have different power requirements. So, you can check out the table below, where you will see the difference in the amount of power consumption based on the horsepower of the pump.

Besides, there can be other reasons behind your sump pump overworking. For example, a jammed float switch. A neglected sump pit will eventually fill up with dirt and debris. At times the float switch can get stuck at a particular height thus, causing the pump to run even when the pit is empty.

How Many Watts Does a Home Sump Pump Use?

A home sump pump uses about 10-kilowatt/hour every month. They may also consume additional power for starting and stopping the internal motor. This happens mostly in the case of a powerful sump pump. The higher the horsepower, the more energy it consumes for starting and stopping. Also, if the height of the check valve is too high, your sump pump will require additional electrical power to get the job done.

So, if you want to reduce the bill, there are a few steps you can follow to save some money.

• Allow your sump pump to run until the sump pit is completely dry. This will increase the time gap between the stopping and restarting of the motor, and thereby use less electricity.
• Regularly maintain the sump pump and remove any debris clogging the pipes or the impeller. The accumulated sediments in the basin can cause the motor to run longer periods of time.
• Efficiency is the key. A smaller pump will use fewer watts and thereby, shave off some amount from your bill. So, if you don’t necessarily need a larger pump, then go for a sump pump that has a less powerful motor.

Final words

To sum up, to have an estimation of your electrical bills, you need to know how many watts does a sump pump use. For this, the model type, its horsepower and the operating hours play a crucial factor. So, if you are working on a budget, you need to take all these into consideration.