How Do You Know If You Need A Sump Pump?
If you’ve ever seen standing water in your home’s basement or crawl space, then you need a sump pump. Sump pumps are designed to collect water and pump it away from your home to keep your basement or crawl space dry and help mitigate the damage done to your house by standing water or flooding. Eliminating water also helps protect your home from those dreaded side effects of unwanted moisture: mildew, mold and rot.
How Does Water Get Into the House?
Homes in high water table areas, with wet yards or situated in run-off areas can collect water in many ways, including cracks in the foundation, spaces around basement windows, failing mortar joints and leaks in seals around plumbing or other pipes that penetrate the foundation.
Actual flooding isn’t necessary for a home to incur expensive water damage. Even a small amount of standing water can adversely affect the structural integrity of your home and ruin any possessions you may be keeping nearby.
Sump pumps are used in basements and crawl spaces — the areas below ground level — as these are the areas are the most susceptible to water leaks and flooding. A sump pump ensures that any water entering your basement or crawl space is pumped out and away before lasting damage can occur.
How Does a Sump Pump Work?
A sump pump has two parts: the sump, or pit, where the water collects, and the pump, which removes it.
- The sump
A pit is dug at the lowest part of a basement or crawl space, so all the water naturally runs into it.
- The pump
When enough water collects in the sump, it activates the pump, which turns on and pumps the water out of the basin into your home’s drainage system or through a dedicated drain pipe that leads away from the house.
It’s important to remember that a sump pump won’t stop water from entering your home, but it will remove the water once it gets in.
Sump Pump Tips
It’s a good idea to purchase a hardwired pump. Just as with your smoke detectors, this ensures you’re not depending on a battery, which could run out and which you’ll have to check often, to protect your home.
It’s also good to have a backup pump that runs on a battery in case you lose power. A backup pump will automatically turn on if your primary pump fails, ensuring the water continues to be pumped out.
Ask Our Energy Efficiency Experts About a Sump Pump
Allied Energy Efficiency Experts can answer all of your questions about sump pumps. Our certified and courteous plumbing professionals will provide an estimate, then replace your old pump or install a new one to ensure your home is protected from excess water and the damage it causes. You’ll also get the benefit of our one-year labor warranty and a workmanship guarantee.
