What should I consider when using a sewage ejector pump?

Question

What are some of the things that you need to consider if you have a sewage ejector pump regarding maintenance and prevention of abominable, excrable catastrophes?

From what I gather this thing is akin to a giant garbage disposal with a pump that mashes up sewage and pushes it up to a point where it's above, elevation-wise, the nearest sewer line. It's probably most commonly used in old basements that have been dug out.

Answer 1

From this article http://burnettplumbing.com/tenways/; Step #6 talks about a sewage ejector pump:

If you have a sewage ejector pump in your basement, plan for the fact that it will eventually fail.
These pumps operate in a very harsh environment (submersed in sewage) and often fail after just a few years. Failure of your pump could mean sewage back-up in your basement. The risk of a damaging back-up is especially high if you have a water softener which drains into the sewage ejector system. If the softener regenerates while the ejector pump is not functioning, you could end up with up to 100 gallons of sewage backing up through the floor drain. All of this could happen at night while you are asleep, that is when most softeners regenerate. Consider installing an alarm in your sewage ejector tank. An alarm is designed to buzz loudly in the event of pump failure. Assuming you're home when this occurs, you should have ample time to shut-off your water before the sewage reaches flood level. Remember, alarms can fail too! It is best to NOT store valuable items on the basement floor if they could be damaged by water or sewage flooding.