The importance of a sump pump is often underestimated by many homeowners. However, this small pump can be a true saver for many houses.
A lot of homeowners forget about their plumbing system as soon as they have installed it. Though, the system can remind you about itself very soon if not maintained properly because it may stop working all of a sudden and you face a plumbing emergency.
The problem can interfere with your lifestyle and lead to extra expenses and a lot of hardships and losses. On the other hand, if you manage to take some preventative steps, such as installing a sump pump in your house, you will spare yourself from any issues. You won’t need any emergency plumbing, so it will be a great chance for you to save costs and effort. The matter of a sump pump installation is especially important for Ontario where there are seasons with heavy rains and a lot of excess water penetrating houses. To help you understand better why you need a sump pump in your house, we have compiled this guide.
Read also: 4 Important Steps for the Installation of the Sump Pump
Why Having a Sump Pump Is So Essential
It happens very often that because of heavy rains, the water starts flooding into the house or one of the pipes in the drainage system bursts. Your house may suffer from water very much and a lot of your property will be damaged. Moreover, the mold will start growing and cause health issues in your family. To get rid of the excess moisture in case it has already penetrated the home is very difficult and demands rather costly repairs. Such a simple solution as a sump pump can prevent a disaster. When installed in a lower layer of your home, for instance, in a crawlspace or basement, it drives the water away from your house’s foundation so you can get peace of mind and stop thinking what will happen if the water penetrates and stays in your house.
Pay attention to your local water table. If the rates show that it may reach the upper part of your house’s foundation, install a sump pump immediately. You will also need to think seriously about such an installation if the area you live in often faces flooding or much precipitation. Your sump pump should be automatic. Then, you won’t need to worry when to switch on. It will start working as soon as the excess water appears in the basement and reaches a certain level.
What Kind of Houses Should Have a Sump Pump?
We suppose you have understood what a sump pump is and what it is used for. Now, let us talk about the types of homes that may need the sump pump installation badly. Based on the previous experience and thorough analysis, we can highlight such examples:
- The basement of the house has already flooded once.
- The house is located in the area with soils that absorb water intensively, on the flat and low-lying surface.
- The area where the house is built has large amounts of precipitations, heavy rains and snowstorms.
- The houses whose basement has been finished with drywall, flooring, furniture, and all possible personal belongings.
- The sump pump was installed more than 8 years ago and it needs replacement. Remember that the average lifespan of this appliance is up to 10 years.
Read also: 6 Situations You Will Need Emergency Plumbing Services
Why a Backup Sump Pump Is a Must in Your Home
Most homeowners believe that having installed a sump pump in their house, they are completely protected against flooding. It is not true as the experience has shown. Having a primary sump pump in the basement helps a lot, of course, but it is not always sufficient and you cannot rely completely on it. It is very important to have a backup sump pump in your household too. Let us distinguish at least three reasons why you should have this backup system together with your main sump pump in your home:
- You may face an electricity blackout and your sump pump will fail operating.
- One sump pump is not enough during heavy rainstorms because it may fail to cope with all the amount of water flooding in your basement.
- The sump pump may get broken and stop working all of a sudden any time.
So, you can see that to be on the safe side, you need an efficient protection against flooding to avoid any emergencies. When there is a heavy storm, the electricity outage is more than possible. When there is a blackout, your primary sump pump will not switch on automatically. It means that your home will remain unprotected if the water starts penetrating the basement. The backup sump pump should have a battery power and turn on automatically when the primary sump pump does not work for any reason. The backups are also very important when too much water floods into the house and the main appliance does not cope with it. There may also be a clog in the sump pump system and it will fail. You may need the backup very rarely or not need it at all. However, you will feel more protected and peaceful if you know that your home can cope with any unexpected natural and technical issues and avoid much damage caused by flooding.
