If you’ve ever had flooding in your home, you know how devastating the aftermath can be. You not only have to get rid of the water, you have to replace what’s been irreparably damaged by the water. It means a loss of time and money, not to mention dealing with your insurance company to get your claim covered.
A sump pump can actively prevent a situation like this one, where you end up with water damage in your home. Here is everything you need to know about a sump pump and how it could save your home and your possessions from disaster.
Your #1 Protection in a Disaster
During a hurricane, flood, or a plumbing emergency such as a broken pipe, water can accumulate rapidly, quickly drowning out everything you’ve worked hard for. The only way to prevent flooding in your home is to start getting rid of the water the minute it starts coming in. That’s essentially the job of the sump pump. It sits in the lowest place in your house, the first place water is likely to accumulate in the event of a disaster, and as soon as water begins to pool around it, it will start pumping the water out of your home.
There are two major kinds of sump pumps: submersible, and pedastal. Submersibles are exactly what they sound like, sump pumps designed to operate under water. They are submerged into a pit in your basement, where they can start working early to prevent your basement from filling up. Pedastal sump pumps sit above the water and work to prevent water levels from getting any higher. Either way, a sump pump is a powerful emergency plan for protecting your family, your home, and your memories in a disaster.
Do You Need a Sump Pump?
Having a sump pump is a little like having insurance: You hope you’ll never need it, but if you do, you’ll be glad it’s there. Sump pumps are highly recommended in certain situations, such as:
- In areas prone to flooding. If you live in a wet climate, on a flood plain, or somewhere prone to natural disasters such as flash floods and hurricanes, you’re more likely to encounter flooding than someone in a dry climate or on high ground.
- You have concerns that your basement could flood. If you can see signs of moisture in your basement, if you know it has flooded before, or if you suspect your foundation leaks, a sump pump is good insurance against inevitability.
- Your home already has an older sump pump installed. If your home already has a sump pump, installed by previous owners at some point over the years, there’s probably good reason for it. If you’re not sure whether it works or if it needs replaced, have a technician check it out.
Covering All Your Bases
Of course, emergencies don’t always play nice. If your sump pump runs off of the household electricity, what’ll happen if the power goes off, such as during a bad storm? Your backup plan will fail, of course, as the sump pump will no longer be able to remove the water from your home.
The solution is a backup system that runs on something other than the house’s power. It may sound counterintuitive, since you’re trying to get rid of water coming into your home, but the most reliable source of power is actually your water lines themselves. A water-powered sump pump actually uses the pressure in your home’s water pipes to run the pump, ensuring it’ll continue to operate even if the power goes out.
Put a Backup Plan in Place Today!
No one wants to have to deal with the fallout from a flood or major water leak, but the thing about emergencies is that you never know when they’re coming. Call your neighborhood plumber, Greenwell Plumbing, today and we’ll help you put a plan in place before such an emergency ever happens.
