Sump Pump Installations Help to Prevent Basements from Flooding

Basement flooding is quite common and can cause a huge mess in a pretty short time. Whether it’s from a leaky water heater, backed-up sewer line, or a nearby creek that’s overrun its banks, basement flooding can cause massive damage within a few minutes. Therefore, you must take preventive measures to help you reduce the chances of floods occurring in your basement.

A Professional Plumber Can Typically Install a Sump Pump in One Day

Sump Pump Installations Help to Prevent Basements from Flooding

Installing a working sump pump in the basement area is a great idea. Other additional preventive measures besides sump pumps can be incorporated in your basement, including foundation drainage, exterior foundation waterproof membrane, and interior walls that dry quickly. Let’s take a look at sump pumps on a deeper level.

What Is a Sump Pump?

A sump pump is designed to pump away water from the basement. It’s created to fit a sump pit that’s usually in an out-of-the-way place in the basement. The sump pit has a basin that’s approximately two feet in diameter with holes on both sides. When the water table rises, it drains into the sump pit and then is pumped out, draining this water far away from the foundation.

The pump’s float is similar to the one on your toilet. When the water rises, it’ll trigger the float to trip off a switch, which will activate the pump. Once the water level drops, the float will also drop, making the pump shut off.

How Sump Pump Works                                                                                  

The sump pump doesn’t work at all times. More often than not, it’s usually quiet. Once the sump pit is filled with water, the pump will automatically be activated. It’ll then begin to pump water through a pipe away from the basement to a far away area to prevent water re-entry into a home.

Sump pumps installed in homes with high water tables should run regularly throughout the year, whereas in homes in drier areas, they may only run during extreme weather conditions. Details matter when it comes to these pumps; therefore, ensure you have a functioning non-return value on the outlet pipes to prevent water from running back through this line.

What Happens When There’s no Sump Pump?

Flooding is likely to happen when you don’t have a sump pump in place. The type of sump pump you go for is important. An electric sump pump will require electricity to function. The probability of a blackout happening during a storm is quite high. During these times, you’ll need the sump pump to work efficiently more than ever before. If there’s no electricity, then there’s a higher chance of basement floods.

Therefore, most homeowners should go for a battery-operated sump pump or generator-powered one to ensure continuous function. Ideally, a functioning sump pump that works throughout all seasons is imperative to keep basement floods at bay. Even in the best scenarios, the sump pumps can fail to work due to malfunction or fail to keep up with extensive water inflows. If this is the case, you can seek assistance from water restoration firms that offer water remediation services for a professional flooded basement clean-up.

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