Zoeller is a very well know hardware store trademarked brand of pump. At first glance, it looks pretty good, feels heavy, and is definitely a better pump than the run of the mill cheapo plastic throw away pump for which is designed to compete.
Whether we need a sump pump or ejector pump, the possibility of catastrophic loss of personal effects, equipment, furnishings and appliances which can be caused by the failure of one of these pumps requires us to be diligent and particular in our choices when it comes to trusting the protection of so much valuable property to one pump.
Here’s a helpful comparison which is meant to be an aid to clients who want to be sure they get the proper value and level of protection they require. We will compare the Zoeller model M-53 sump pump to Yes! Plumbing’s Budget (lowest cost) model sump pump.
- HORSEPOWER
- Zoeller M-53: 1/3
- Yes! Plumbing Budget Pump: 1/2
- PUMP CAPACITY
- Zoeller M-53: 34GPM
- Yes! Plumbing Budget Pump: 56GPM
- SWITCH
- Zoeller M-53: Mechanical
- Yes! Plumbing Budget Pump: Magnetic (No mechanical parts)
- BODY
- Zoeller M-53: Cast Iron
- Yes! Plumbing Budget Pump: Cast Iron
- GUARANTEE STARTS AT INSTALLATION?
- Zoeller M-53: No
- Yes! Plumbing Budget Pump: Yes – 3 Years from Install
- LABOR GUARANTEE
- Zoeller M-53: No
- Yes! Plumbing Budget Pump: Yes – 3 Years from Install
- STNLS STEEL SCREEN?
- Zoeller M-53: No
- Yes! Plumbing Budget Pump: Yes
- ¾” SOLIDS?
- Zoeller M-53: No
- Yes! Plumbing Budget Pump: Yes
- KWIK CHANGE CORD?
- Zoeller M-53: No
- Yes! Plumbing Budget Pump: Yes
- ON/OFF STROKE
- Zoeller M-53: 4-1/2?
- Yes! Plumbing Budget Pump: 5-1/2?
For those of you who may not be technical experts, here’s the layman’s explanation of the table above:
We have compared a low end Zoeller pump to Yes! Plumbing’s Budget (lowest) priced pump. (Yes! carries 3 more models of pumps with 5 year, 7 year, and 10 year guarantees also, but we wanted to do an apples to apples comparison).
The first category in the table, horsepower, describes the power rating of the motor. The higher the horsepower, the better the overall performance can be in just about any category the manufacturer desires. The Yes! Plumbing pump has 50% more horsepower than the Zoeller.
Pump capacity describes how fast the pump can get the unwanted water out of your basement’s or crawl space’s drain tile system. The Yes! Plumbing pump has 64.7% more capacity (for the same length and size of pipe for equal comparisons). In one hour the Yes! Pump will remove up to 1,320 gallons more water than the M-53. That’s really important when it’s raining so hard the window wells start taking on water.
The switch on the Zoeller is a mechanical switch, meaning it has moving parts. Anything with moving parts wears out eventually. It can also be affected by the presence of water if either of the two seals becomes compromised. The Yes! Plumbing pump has a magnetic switch having NO mechanical components. Like the Zoeller, it is float activated but instead of being mechanical, it only requires that the float get close to the magnet to activate the pump, thereby avoiding the wear and tear problems associated with mechanical switches.
Arguably the most important factor in the chart is the type and length of the warranty.
Would you believe there is actually a legal difference between the words “Warranty” and “Guarantee”? A warranty can be modified in almost any way. For instance, a 5 year warranty could mean 5 years on the switch, 2 years on the pump and 30 days on labor. Or it could mean 1 year on parts, 5 years on the pump motor and absolutely no time on the labor. A guarantee on the other hand (such as the 3 year guarantee on the installed YES! Plumbing Budget Pump) includes labor, parts and all materials used to install the pump for the entire 3 year period. There is no charge for any repair due to faulty pump or installation. And the guarantee starts on the date the pump was installed. That applies to the Yes! Plumbing Standard Pump (5 year guarantee), the Yes! Plumbing Premium Pump (7 year guarantee) and the Yes! Plumbing Super Marine Pump (10 year guarantee). The Zoeller pump warranty (which never includes labor), is only good for 18 months from the date of manufacture. So if the Zoeller pump you buy at the Cheapo Depot or hardware store was sitting in their warehouse for a year, then on the shelf for 6 months before you bought it, it’s out of warranty when you take it home.
The next two things are related. All pumps have “solids” capacities which explain how large an object can be before it plugs the pump or stops the pump impeller. (The absolute last thing you need when the rain is pouring down). The Yes! Plumbing pump will discharge up to a ¾” solid. That’s like ¾” gravel which is commonly used in basements and drain tile systems and commonly found in your sump pit (where your sump pump is located). Not only that, but the Yes! Plumbing Pump has a stainless steel screen in front of the impeller so that if something bigger than ¾” gets kicked into the sump pit (dog’s chew toy, tennis balls, rags, cleaning sponges, tools, etc), it won’t get sucked up into the pump and cause you some really expensive repairs. The Zoeller pump has only a ½” solids capacity, and has no such impeller protection.
Our Kwik change cord feature is important if you have a really deep pit or are far from the nearest outlet. The cord is not directly wired into the motor housing so there’s no chance of a leak, and changing cords due to accidental cutting, need for a longer cord, dog chewing it up (yes, he survived the shock), etc. is a quick and easy job.
Lastly, the “stroke” of the pump is the distance in height of the water in the pit between turn off and turn on. A longer stroke is desirable because it causes less wear on the pump motor and starter. The fewer times the pump has to cycle to pump a given amount of water, the less wear and tear on the pump.
So if you make a decision that you’d really rather have peace of mind with higher quality equipment in your home, give Yes! Plumbing a try. Our pumps are specifically designed to provide peace of mind and come in a wide variety to fit any budget. Call us (708) 847-7045 24 hours a day to set an appointment to see one of our pump specialists today.