Grinder Pumps - Care and Use FAQ
Each home has an Environment One grinder pump, which is installed in the basement of the home. This grinder pump grinds solids in the wastewater from the home and pumps the wastewater into the sewer lines leading from the home to the wastewater treatment plant by way of lines located under the streets. Each homeowner is responsible for the cost of repair of the grinder pump and the cost of maintenance and/or repair of the sewer lines leading from the house to the street connection.
What Maintenance Does My Grinder Need?
The manufacturer of the grinder pumps does not recommend any annual or preventive maintenance of the pumps
How Long Will My Grinder Last?
The average life span of a grinder pump is about 8 to 10 years, although some units may fail as soon as 5 years and others last 20 years.
Is Damage Caused by Grinder Failure Covered by My Insurance?
Sewage backup is NOT covered under most standard home insurance policies. However, a rider can be attached to most policies to cover sewage backup.
How Do I Know If My Grinder Has Failed?
If the unit fails, wastewater will not be pumped from your home, and will instead build up in the holding tank; when this happens, a red light on the tank should light, and/or an audible alarm will sound (if, of course, there is electrical power in the neighborhood).
What Happens in the Event of a Power Failure?
Power Failures Lasting 3 Days or Less
Because the grinder pumps operate on electricity, they will stop working when there is a power failure. STOP all water usage immediately – no flushing, draining sinks, tubs or showers. NOTHING SHOULD GO DOWN THE DRAIN until power is restored. This is because the grinder pump tank may be full and could overflow once power is restored, with disastrous results, if you continue sending material into it.
Power Failures Lasting More than 3 Days
In the event of an extended power failure, the Board will make all efforts to make the portable generator located in the plant building available to drain grinder pumps in the neighborhood. You are advised to have an electrician certify that the outside electrical connection (gray box usually on side of house where grinder is located) is properly connected to your grinder and in working order.
What Should I Do When I’m Going To Be Away on Vacation?
If you are planning to be away for more than two weeks, you should run clean water until the pump activates, then shut off the water and let the pump run until it shuts off. If possible, leave the power on while you are away, in the event that water flow from a leaky faucet or toilet gets into the tank and can be pumped out.
Can I Connect My Sump Pump or Foundation Drains to My Grinder?
NO, absolutely not!! Water from your sump or other basement drains is clean and does not need to be processed at the plant. Such water should be channeled to the outside of your home. The consequence of connecting such sources to the treatment plant is to increase the flow to the plant, and that could result in inadequate treatment of the water that needs to be cleaned.
Are There Materials I Should Not Put Down the Sink or Flush Down the Toilet?
YES!!!! There are materials that should never be put into the wastewater treatment system and could damage the grinder pump if they are.
These “poisons” include:
explosives flammable materials antifreeze
strong chemicals gasoline brake or transmission fluid
lubricating oil grease large amounts of bleach or
pesticides disinfectants chlorine (usual laundry use is OK)
acids expired medicines paints and solvents varnish
In addition to possibly damaging you grinder pump, these materials could cause groundwater contamination in the leach field of the treatment plant. Our plant is not designed to treat industrial and commercial wastes – the materials listed above would simply pass through the system and right out into the field. The DEP operating permit for our plant requires the Association to periodically test the groundwater. The Association would be held liable for any groundwater contamination caused by our plant.
INDIGESTIBLE materials
There is a second category, of “indigestible” materials, that will not ruin the grinder, but will settle into the treatment plant pre-treatment holding tanks, increasing operating costs -- and condominium fees -- because the tanks must be pumped out more frequently than normal. Those materials include:
cooking fats and oils plastics sanitary napkins and tampons
paper towels cloth facial tissues cigarette butts disposable diapers
newspapers cat litter dental floss
rags coffee grounds
NO WHOLE TURKEYS, PLEASE!!!
Finally, while most of the homes are equipped with garbage disposals in the kitchen, all homeowners should try to minimize the amount of food waste dumped into their disposals. The wastewater treatment plant really is not designed to handle kitchen waste. Scrapings from dishes are OK, but please don’t throw away large quantities of meat or other solid foods into the disposal. Put it in a plastic bag and put it out with the trash.
What Maintenance Does My Grinder Need?
The manufacturer of the grinder pumps does not recommend any annual or preventive maintenance of the pumps
How Long Will My Grinder Last?
The average life span of a grinder pump is about 8 to 10 years, although some units may fail as soon as 5 years and others last 20 years.
Is Damage Caused by Grinder Failure Covered by My Insurance?
Sewage backup is NOT covered under most standard home insurance policies. However, a rider can be attached to most policies to cover sewage backup.
How Do I Know If My Grinder Has Failed?
If the unit fails, wastewater will not be pumped from your home, and will instead build up in the holding tank; when this happens, a red light on the tank should light, and/or an audible alarm will sound (if, of course, there is electrical power in the neighborhood).
What Happens in the Event of a Power Failure?
Power Failures Lasting 3 Days or Less
Because the grinder pumps operate on electricity, they will stop working when there is a power failure. STOP all water usage immediately – no flushing, draining sinks, tubs or showers. NOTHING SHOULD GO DOWN THE DRAIN until power is restored. This is because the grinder pump tank may be full and could overflow once power is restored, with disastrous results, if you continue sending material into it.
Power Failures Lasting More than 3 Days
In the event of an extended power failure, the Board will make all efforts to make the portable generator located in the plant building available to drain grinder pumps in the neighborhood. You are advised to have an electrician certify that the outside electrical connection (gray box usually on side of house where grinder is located) is properly connected to your grinder and in working order.
What Should I Do When I’m Going To Be Away on Vacation?
If you are planning to be away for more than two weeks, you should run clean water until the pump activates, then shut off the water and let the pump run until it shuts off. If possible, leave the power on while you are away, in the event that water flow from a leaky faucet or toilet gets into the tank and can be pumped out.
Can I Connect My Sump Pump or Foundation Drains to My Grinder?
NO, absolutely not!! Water from your sump or other basement drains is clean and does not need to be processed at the plant. Such water should be channeled to the outside of your home. The consequence of connecting such sources to the treatment plant is to increase the flow to the plant, and that could result in inadequate treatment of the water that needs to be cleaned.
Are There Materials I Should Not Put Down the Sink or Flush Down the Toilet?
YES!!!! There are materials that should never be put into the wastewater treatment system and could damage the grinder pump if they are.
These “poisons” include:
explosives flammable materials antifreeze
strong chemicals gasoline brake or transmission fluid
lubricating oil grease large amounts of bleach or
pesticides disinfectants chlorine (usual laundry use is OK)
acids expired medicines paints and solvents varnish
In addition to possibly damaging you grinder pump, these materials could cause groundwater contamination in the leach field of the treatment plant. Our plant is not designed to treat industrial and commercial wastes – the materials listed above would simply pass through the system and right out into the field. The DEP operating permit for our plant requires the Association to periodically test the groundwater. The Association would be held liable for any groundwater contamination caused by our plant.
INDIGESTIBLE materials
There is a second category, of “indigestible” materials, that will not ruin the grinder, but will settle into the treatment plant pre-treatment holding tanks, increasing operating costs -- and condominium fees -- because the tanks must be pumped out more frequently than normal. Those materials include:
cooking fats and oils plastics sanitary napkins and tampons
paper towels cloth facial tissues cigarette butts disposable diapers
newspapers cat litter dental floss
rags coffee grounds
NO WHOLE TURKEYS, PLEASE!!!
Finally, while most of the homes are equipped with garbage disposals in the kitchen, all homeowners should try to minimize the amount of food waste dumped into their disposals. The wastewater treatment plant really is not designed to handle kitchen waste. Scrapings from dishes are OK, but please don’t throw away large quantities of meat or other solid foods into the disposal. Put it in a plastic bag and put it out with the trash.