2 Practical Tips to Avoid Sump Pump Disasters

Did you know a typical sump pump can remove 1,000 – 2,200 gallons of water an hour? Thus keeping your basement or lower level dry and your belongings safe. The best basement is a dry basement... until it's not. However, we’ve seen what happens when your sump pump fails. Sometimes it can cause a significant amount of damage to your home and belongings. The team at PierMagic® wanted to tell you the two ways you can avoid a sump pump failure disaster. 

1) Test Your Sump Pump (It’s Really That Simple!)

Never assume something as important as your sump pump is always in working order. It’s a good idea to test your sump pump about once a month. A sump pump test is easy to perform. Simply remove the lid on your sump pit, take a five-gallon bucket of water and pour it into the pit. This should cause the float to rise, triggering the motor to pump out the water. That’s it. It’s that simple. It takes less than five minutes. Remembering to do it is harder than actually doing it. If there is a problem with the float switch, the motor, or even a clog in the pipe to the outdoors, you’ll find out about it before the next big rain storm.

RELATED: How To Know If Your Sump Pump Is Working

BONUS TIP: BECAUSE IT’S EASY TO FORGET TO TEST YOUR SUMP PUMP, WE TELL CUSTOMERS TO SET CALENDAR REMINDERS FOR THE FIRST OR LAST DAY OF THE MONTH TO REMIND THEMSELVES TO CHECK IT.

2) Get a Battery Back-Up Sump Pump

Another way to avoid disaster is to invest in a battery back-up sump pump. For example, when there’s a thunderstorm, the power tends to fail, making it more difficult for your sump pump to keep up since they rely on electricity to operate efficiently. A battery back-up sump pump will help you keep peace of mind in this situation because they do not rely on electricity and will kick in as soon as your main sump pump fails. It can even help remove water when your main pump is overwhelmed by the amount of water. Back-up battery pumps also sound an audible alarm if service is needed. They are the only way to ensure that your basement and belonging are protected from water, so why risk it? Buy a back-up now before it’s too late. 

AT PIERMAGIC®, WE INSTALL SUMP PUMPS IN HOMES TO ELIMINATE WATER PROBLEMS IN BASEMENTS. WE ARE EXPERTS AT WATER MANAGEMENT AND WATERPROOFING BASEMENTS AND WE CAN PROTECT YOUR BASEMENT FROM LEAKS AND FLOODING. WHILE WE’RE THERE, WE CAN EVEN PERFORM A FREE BASEMENT AND FOUNDATION INSPECTION.