Deep Question About a Condo Elevator Sump Pump

J.G. from outside of Connecticut writes:

Dear Mister Condo,

We have a sump pump at the bottom of our elevator shaft. Is there a law or code that says the cover must be metal and able to withstand 300 lbs?

Mister Condo replies:

J.G., I will be the first to admit when I am in over my head and your condo elevator sump pump question has put me right there. I will ask my column readers with expertise in this area to chime in but here is my unqualified but friendly response: Local building codes will very likely dictate the strength and material requirements for your elevator sump pump. I did a quick internet search on the subject and found a surprising (to me) number of answers although most dealt with volume of water the pump could remove versus the material or weight the pump could withstand. Needless to say, this is an item for a civil or property engineer with elevator shaft experience. The answers I found online varied by state so you will most likely need a local interpretation to make sure your sump pump is up to code. Sorry I couldn’t be of more help but I hope I’ve sent you in the right direction for your answer. Good luck!