People living in America or other parts of the world with the high potential of rain and floods usually realize that sump pumps are actually a need after the disasters. Those are gorgeous devices to prevent potential damages and from various brands like Flotec sump pump brand. But they are predictably ineffective after such disasters.
So, what are the chances that we estimate the results of these disasters beforehand and take the appropriate measures? There may be a chain of answers to these questions which deserve to be discussed. The answer may even be related to your personality. For example, you have a cautious personality that pays attention to details and wants to get information. In this case, you will be taking the precautions against unpredictable incidents and look for solutions.
Another answer may be that you overheard something related to this issue. Or maybe came across to something while surfing on the internet or social media. The best thing you can do about this is to take some time and make detailed research, read the reviews and customer reviews and try to get information on the product.
Our reviews aim to give you detailed information so that you can solve the problem beforehand or after you face the problem. They also include comprehensive comparisons on Flotec sump pumps as well as other best-rated sump pump brands. Then, let’s have a look at our Flotec sump pump ratings and reviews to have detailed information on the Flotec’s most valuable products for the basements.
PRODUCT COMPARISON CHART
Flotec FPPM3600D-01/09 Pedestal Sump Pump
Price: $ | Hp: 1/3 | Product Dimensions: 6 x 33 x 6 inches | Item Weight: 11.3 pounds | Material: Thermoplastic
for latest prices and detailed information
Flotec FPZS33V Sump Pump High-Output Performance
Price: $$$ | Hp: 1/2 | Product Dimensions: 8 x 6 x 12.8 inches | Item Weight: 7.7 pounds | Material: Thermoplastic
for latest prices and detailed information
Flotec FPZS25T Submersible Sump Pump
Price: $$ | Hp: 1/2 | Product Dimensions: 8 x 6 x 12.8 inches | Item Weight: 7.7 pounds | Material: Thermoplastic
for latest prices and detailed information
Flotec FPPM3600D-01/09 1/3 HP Pedestal Sump Pump
Here we are going to review a pump from Flotec FPPM-Series and 1/3 HP category. Flotec FPPM3600D-01/09 is appropriate for residential purposes and as it is understood from its name, it is a pedestal sump pump. Unlike the submersible sump pumps, its motor stays over the surface far from the water.
The long thermoplastic body can fit in the 12-inch diameter basin. This sump pump with 11.3 pounds of weight is thin in terms of aspect ratio as every pedestal pump is and therefore, it won’t require a large basin.
FPPM3600D-01/09 with 115V motor and adjustable float switch costs on average which basically means that it is affordable. You can install it easily with the help of the elaborately prepared owner manuals as if it was a DIY project.
1/3 HP motor has the discharge capacity of 3000 GPH at 5 ft. and 1620 GPH at 15 ft. It can handle fluids up to 70 ºF. As pedestal sump pumps are likely to make more noise and cause more vibration than submersible sump pumps, a short piece of rubber hose can be connected to the discharge line in order to reduce the noise and vibration.
Flotec offers a 1-year limited warranty for the product and you can get FPPM3600D-01/09 from wholesalers/retailers within worldwide and the countries.
FPZS33V 1/3 HP Sump Pump High-Output Performance
In addition to Liberty, Flotec also has a unique choice of housing material which is zinc. This over-average zinc sump pump that is appropriate to be used residential areas takes its place in Flotec’s product range. The High-Output performance in its name refers to the 3600 GPH and smooth flow hydraulics system in its mechanism.
They preferred zinc for motor housing. But apart from that, they also used thermoplastic and stainless steel in this product. Thermoplastic is preferred in parts which are highly likely to be exposed to water, zinc which has a lightweight, in motor housing to keep the motor cooler and stainless steel known to be corrosion and rusting resistant in the inner components such as the fasteners.
Another element of its high-performance is its impeller which can pump the small solids (up to 3/16 inch) out with water. Although 3060 GPH pumping performance at 5 ft. falls back to 1680 at 15 ft., these numbers are quite satisfying for a 1/3 HP sump pump.
Flotec FPZS33V comes with the integrated vertical float switch. Vertical float switch means it covers less space and can operate in smaller pits. The quietly operating sump pump has positive feedback from the customers on this specific matter.
It is open to discussion if the 1-year warranty period is enough. But sump pump maintenance that the company offers in addition to the warranty is often ignored by the customers. Most of the customers believe that the sump pump installation is the main job; however, sump pumps require regular maintenance which means that they need to be taken out of the basin periodically, cleaned and checked. Users ignoring this part usually criticize that the product didn’t perform as they expected. We suggest you not to ignore periodic maintenance of your sump pump.
Flotec FPZS25T 1/4 HP Submersible Sump Pump
Another top-rated sump pump from the Flotec FPZS-Series with zinc motor housing is Flotec FPZS25T 1/4 HP Submersible Sump Pump. It shows less performance than the previous FPZS sump pump and its 1/4 motor is able to discharge 3200 gallons of water per hour and handle small solids.
Even though zinc is preferred in the motor housing, it is actually a thermoplastic sump pump. Apart from the inner mechanism components, all parts are thermoplastic. The switch mechanism is designed as a tethered float switch; therefore, it needs some space to rise over the water and larger basin.
2700 GPH at 5 ft. and 1500 GPH at 15 ft. are ideal for small and medium residential areas.
It requires 115V energy supply and 3.9 Amps individual branch circuit and can handle fluid temperature between 32 and 70 ºF. Fluids over 70 ºF overheats the motor and the sump pump stops working. When the motor overheats and exceeds a certain threshold, the standard thermal overload protection steps in. It stops the motor and let it cool until the next cycle. When the motor is cool enough, it starts working again automatically.
The tethered float switch of the sump pump requires more space (4 more inches) than the sump pumps with the vertical float switch. For example, while the vertical float switch needs 10-inch diameter basin, tethered float switch need 14-inch diameter and 18-inch deep basin. Therefore, you need to dig a deeper and larger hole in your basement.
Flotec offers a 1-year limited warranty for this sump pump. It could be on your list if you are looking for rather low performance and cheap sump pump cost for residential use.
Pentair Flotec Inc. Pumps Company and Flotec Sump Pumps
Foundation and Company
Pentair Water Systems Co. Delavan, WI
Headquartered in 293 Wright Street Delavan, Wisconsin, Flotec is an American company. They have been manufacturing products for basement systems and water removal industry over 30 years after purchased by STA-RITE company in 1985. Then acquired by Pentair brand as registered trademarks of Pentair plc. With its large product range including sump pumps, sewage pumps, utility pumps, jet pumps, sprinkler pumps, pool pumps, submersible well pumps, battery backup sump pump systems, pressure boosters, tanks. In addition, some other kinds of water and home improvement tools. Flotec sells products to almost every part of the USA. As Pentair Plc or its affiliates, they have international distributors/wholesalers network. But they are known to have the largest retail network throughout the USA. This brings the advantage for easy access and buying within the USA.
Production Range
Flotec is not only recognized in the water removal/replacement field but also installing water systems in the complexes which may need water including the house and the area. In addition to those, it also provides different services and applications for gardens, pools, and spas. On the other hand, they manufacture higher performance or customized sump utility and sewage pump systems for professional purposes and they are included in another category as professional systems. Therefore, they develop large-scale water removal systems up to 1 Hp performance for professional use. Flotec follows average pricing policy for residential products.
Online website and documents are quite simple and provide you with the necessary information. They explain how to install the products, how to maintain them. Besides, what kind of precautions you need to take in case of extreme weathers and floods. you can find that information on the water terms glossary on their website. Even though it has many informative video streams, you need to install flash player to watch them. Probably because they didn’t update their website. Someone should introduce Flotec to Youtube.
Final Thoughts
- Corporate guarantee and support
- Availability of Battery Backup Sump Pump systems and Combination Sump Pump Backup Systems
- Rugged float switch
- A whole different zinc product range
- Not just only zinc, the company uses cast iron, stainless steel, and thermoplastic materials as well in their products
- Large distribution network within the USA and international
- The short period of warranty
- Lack of online information on the company’s history
- Out of date website design
- Lack of online information on how their products are tested
Conclusion
Buying a sump pump for your needs is something that can be perceived as a long-term decision, which should be based on your actual needs. The best advice we can give you is that you should buy flotec sump pump if your needs are met according to the specifications, and of course always be ready that it is possible for this pump to fail at some point, especially the float switch, but it should be expected with a small number of devices.
Even though the customer support isn’t the best trait of this company, it should still not be an exclusion factor for buying the pump. There is no need to pay more if it will work just fine. And once again we would like to point out the significance of checking the device performance table which is a very important thing in sump pump ratings so that you can determine whether you need it or not. Other than these worries, this pump should work just fine for a prolonged period of time. We hope that the flotec pump review helped you make the right choice for your unwanted water.
