F IND ING THE R IGHT COMB INAT ION TO PREVENT BASEMENT FLOOD ING SUMP PUMP, BATTERY BACKUP, OR A HOME GENERATOR?
system. If your home is situated on a high water table, then your pump will be forced to run more often, causing the battery on the backup system to drain faster than it otherwise would.
If your home has a basement, there’s a pretty good chance it has an electric sump pump or two in it. A sump pump operates by mechanically pumping rain and groundwater away from your home, so it doesn’t enter your basement and cause flooding. Since sump pumps are usually tucked away in your basement, they’re an out of sight, out of mind item that you simply expect to work all of the time, and many homes contain a primary pump that provides pretty good peace of mind during rainy weather. But what happens during extended periods of heavy rains and stormy weather, especially if your home is prone to losing electricity during bad weather? Without electricity, your primary pump will stop working, which can result in a flooded mess in your basement. The best assurance you can give yourself to make sure this never happens is to install a battery backup sump pump system or a whole-house generator. Let’s take a look at battery backup systems first. What exactly does a battery-powered backup system do? It’s simple — if your primary electric pump fails due to a power outage, the battery-powered pump kicks on, takes over, and ejects water from your home. How long can you expect your backup system to keep things dry in the event of a power outage? Well, the answer to this varies depending on how much water enters your sump pit and on how much battery capacity is available with the backup
When installing a battery backup pump, it is important to make sure you install one of the correct size and type for your basement and your drainage conditions. Here at Reid & Pederson, we recommend and install the Aquanot brand. Running around $1,800, this option may seem pricey, but, since you want a backup that will pump as many gallons as your primary, this system is a great choice and provides plenty of assurance. Installing just any brand of backup systems can lead to wasted money and a false sense of security if, in the end, it’s not pumping out the same number of gallons your primary pump does. If you’re unsure of this, give us a call, and we will be happy to discuss your situation with you. For complete peace of mind during power outages, a whole- home system generator is your answer. A whole-home generator turns on immediately after a power outage, leaving you with zero worry that your pump will stop working and your basement will flood. A home generator is especially useful if your home is prone to losing power because it keeps your entire house running during the outage. All home systems continue to operate with no worry of ruined food in the fridge, stifling heat, or freezing cold. Although a home generator can be pricey —anywhere from $6,000 to $10,000 — the peace of mind and the money you can save is priceless. If you’re considering a home generator, we recommend installing two electrical sump pumps alongside it. That way, if your first pump stops working for any reason, the second pump will kick on, and you’ll always have a working pump and a dry basement. While a sump pump is useful for keeping your basement dry, it is important to remember that maintenance is critical to keep it working correctly. Simple steps you can take to maintain the operation of your pump are listening for any strange noises, replacing the battery every 3–5 years, and going outside to visually ensure it is pumping water away from your home. If you begin to experience any issues or suspect any problems with your pump, give us a call. We will solve your pump problems!
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