Sump pumps are essential parts of a basement waterproofing system, preventing flooding during heavy rainfall or plumbing leaks as well as other water-related events.
If your home features a crawlspace or unfinished basement, groundwater may accumulate underneath its foundation. While this can be a common problem, installing a sump pump is an easy and affordable solution that will quickly address this issue.
Install a Removable Cover
Sump pumps play a key role in crawlspace water management by monitoring and draining away excess moisture that builds up over time. Without an appropriately installed and maintained sump pump, moisture could leak into your basement or even cause it to seep into its foundation and cause serious structural issues.
Sump pump systems can also help remove odors, debris and moisture that threaten the integrity of your home, as well as protect against the seepage of radon gas into it, which poses both health risks and property damages.
Start off right by having a waterproofing specialist dig a hole in the lowest part of your crawl space and install a basin for your sump pump, making sure it drains properly without becoming clogged up with sediment. It should at least two feet deep to help it work effectively without becoming blocked up with debris or becoming blocked due to too much sediment accumulation.
Next, line the basin with a liner to help water drain more freely into the surrounding ground and protect your sump pump from being blocked by debris or dirt. In addition, add a check valve on your drainage pipe which will prevent it from backfilling into your basin.
Once you’ve assembled the basin and liner, the next step should be connecting a drainage pipe to your sump pump. There are a variety of drainage pipes to choose from but it’s essential that you select one which fits seamlessly with both the sump pump and drain tile system you have in place.
Example: By connecting your sump pump to a perimeter French drain, water will drain more easily away from the house. Corrugated or solid drain tile could also help.
Finally, your crawl space sump pump must have an airtight cover with rubber grommets to prevent moisture and odor from rising out of the sump pit and into your basement. This will keep odors at bay.
Installing a sump pump correctly requires professional experience. Doing it on your own could cause significant damage to both the structure of your home and possibly leave you with an ineffective system that doesn’t function correctly.
Install a Backup Power Source
Sump pumps are essential when it comes to protecting your basement and crawl space from water damage, yet like any home waterproofing system they are not infallible and may fail for various reasons.
Power outages are the leading cause of sump pump failure, typically occurring due to storms or other causes and rendering your primary sump pump incapable of extracting water from your basement and crawl space. Without electricity available to it, its primary sump pump cannot continue extracting moisture effectively from these areas.
Battery backup sump pumps provide an affordable way to ensure that your sump pump remains operational during a power outage. They can be easily installed alongside its primary counterpart and designed to work together seamlessly.
Battery backup systems typically consist of DC battery-operated pumps that take the place of your primary pump during a power outage or mechanical malfunction. They tend to be one-third the size of their counterparts and run on 12 VDC power.
Battery backup sump pumps may be an ideal choice for homeowners in search of an efficient way to keep their basement dry, but they might not be suitable for all situations. As they don’t fit within the same dimensions as traditional sump pumps, these battery-backed models cannot remove water as quickly from your basement as your primary sump pump could.
To ensure the proper operation of a battery backup sump pump, it should be installed in its intended location alongside your primary pump and tested under both normal conditions as well as power outage simulation. When simulating power loss, disconnect its cord from AC outlets to simulate outages; ensure the “Power Output” LED remains illuminated during tests.
If you need a battery backup sump pump that can help protect your home during a power outage, look no further than the Pump Sentry Model 822PS. It offers all of the features needed to protect it from flooding while also sensing any power outages and automatically switching into battery backup mode when this occurs.
Schedule a Sump Pump Inspection
A sump pump is an integral component of water-proofing your basement or crawlspace, pumping excess water out when its sump pit fills, helping prevent floods in your home and minimizing risk from basement damage.
An effective way to ensure the health and well-being of your sump pump is scheduling regular inspections. Doing this will allow you to spot any problems early before they escalate into more costly issues that require extensive repairs.
To inspect your sump pump, start by taking steps to access its inner workings by removing its cover and looking inside its pit. Take note of any water levels within and observe whether your pump is functioning normally; also ensure the outlet pipe and check valve are free from obstruction and functioning correctly.
If your pump keeps turning off and on frequently, it could be due to either too little space in your pit or debris accumulation in its discharge pipe. With too little room in the pit for water removal to occur, flooding may occur in your home and thus necessitating emergency pumps to drain enough water to prevent flooding from happening.
As much as it may be tempting, hiring a licensed plumber for inspection services will be far superior. They can assess your pit, float switch and pump impeller assembly to make sure everything is in working condition.
An annual inspection is an integral component of maintaining your basement or crawlspace in Green Lane PA and may help prevent expensive repairs in the future. Here are some tips to get you started:
1. Examine the Pit/Crock
To properly check a sump pump, the first step should be inspecting its pit and crock. Be on the lookout for cracks, holes or signs of damage within these structures as well as seeing if your pit can store at least a day’s worth of rainwater in its storage capacity.
2. Examine Discharge Line and Float Switch
A discharge line is a plastic or metal pipe that transports water away from a pump into your yard, carrying away leaves, grass or any other materials which might clog its pipes and lead to flooding in your basement or crawlspace. Ideally it should remain free from debris such as leaves or grass to ensure efficient drainage from your pit into your yard. A blocked discharge line could result in flooding occurring.
Schedule a Sump Pump Repair
Sump pumps are an integral component of a waterproofing system for basement or crawlspaces, moving water away from its pit into drainage sites in order to protect foundations from being compromised and reduce humidity levels in your space.
Failing sump pumps can lead to significant damage in both your basement or crawlspace and could pose health hazards, with moisture from flooding leading to mold and mildew growth in these spaces.
As soon as you notice that your sump pump has stopped working, scheduling its repair as soon as possible is the best way to protect your home from basement flooding and ensure it remains dry. Doing this could save thousands of dollars in property damages while keeping the area around your basement dry.
Consult a licensed plumber for a comprehensive inspection. They will examine the float switch, intake screen, check valve and impeller to identify any parts which need repairs or replacements.
Next, your service technician will clean out your sump pump’s liner of any sediment or silt build-up to maintain optimal operation and extend its lifespan. This will keep your system running efficiently while prolonging its lifespan.
After your maintenance service is complete, a technician will turn off and reexamine your sump pump to make sure that it’s functioning as intended. If they detect any problems with its functioning or suggest solutions for their resolution; additionally they may suggest routine sump pump maintenance services as part of an overall maintenance strategy.
Clogged impeller bearings can also lead to sump pump failure. To protect yourself from this scenario, clean out and lubricate your pump regularly with oil or grease recommended by manufacturers.
Faulty float switches may also lead to your sump pump failing, when debris builds up inside and prevents it from pumping water out of its basin.
Faulty float switches may cause the pump to alternately on and off, signaling to you that they need adjusting.
