COMMON GRINDER PUMP QUESTIONS

Although grinder pumps are common in the Texas Hill Country, they are not all that common elsewhere so many homeowners do not know much about them. Our team at Reliant Plumbing has over five decades of experience working on grinder pumps in all types of plumbing systems. Read below for some of our most commonly asked questions or give our local office a call to schedule  a consultation.

How does a grinder pump work?

A grinder pump works similarly to your garbage disposal but on a much larger scale. All of the home's wastewater from showers, toilets, washing machines, etc is routed through the grinder pump where it is broken down into a liquid that easily flows through the pump. The grinder pump is located in a tank that has large capacity to store wastewater. When the tank reaches its capacity, the grinder pump is triggered to turn on, grind the wastewater, and pump it out of the tank through the city sewer pipes or septic tank. They usually run for just one to two minutes and then turn off again.

Where is the grinder pump located?

The location of the grinder pump varies from home to home, but it is usually buried in a convenient outdoor location on the homeowner's property. However, there are some grinder pumps units available now that are designed for indoor installation.

Why do some homes & businesses need a grinder pump?

There is only one reason your home or business may need a grinder pump. In Austin many homes and businesses are located on a hillside, being designed and built to compensate for an incline.  Usually,  wastewater flows through the sewer system by gravity. Sewer pipes are carefully graded to specific inclines to ensure proper wastewater flow. However, this sometimes isn't an option due to the incline that the property is located on. When the home's sewer pipes are below the city sewer main or septic system located at the edge of the property, wastewater would have to flow uphill. Since this is impossible, grinder pumps are used to pump the water uphill.

What type of grinder pumps do you recommend?

In the Austin area, we see a lot of newer homes with "builder's grade" grinder pumps installed. This means the builder cut costs by installing a system that may not last as long as it should and could eventually have issues that result in a massive inconvenience or even damage to your home.

Reliant Plumbing recommends that you install a Barnes duplex system for your grinder pump. This system has two pumps, which offers peace of mind to the homeowner. In the worst case scenario that a pump fails, the second pump will continue to function. There is also a loud alarm that lets you know you are now operating on a one pump system and you need a repair right away. The duplex system works like an energy generator, providing you with a back up plan in case of failure. With this system, it is very unlikely that you will have sewage backed up into your home possibly saving you tens of thousands of dollars.