A power outage would disable your well pump, and without that these pumps are useless. If the water at your home is supplied by a well, a hydraulic backup pump wouldn’t be a good choice. I can’t tell from their technical data exactly how much, however. The Burcam Sump Buddy, which I installed at my own house, seems to use a lot more than that. The Basepump and the SumpJet both use 1 gallon of city water to remove 2 gallons of sump basket water. The downside to using a hydraulic sump pump is that they use a lot of water and they’re slow. The nice thing about hydraulic sump pumps is that you don’t have to worry about keeping a battery charged all the time, and if you have an extended power outage, you won’t have to worry about the pump failing.
#Battery backup sump pump menards install
The process is pretty simple, but if you’re not comfortable with any of this stuff, hire a plumber.Īnother backup option is to install a pump that is powered by the municipal water coming into your home. Lowes has a nice video showing the steps needed to install a backup sump pump, which I’ve embedded below. This is a good feature to have because I find that many backup batteries are dead. The Basement Watchdog is a brand that makes backup batteries along with a warning system to tell you if the battery has a problem. This system will save your basement from flooding if your sump pump fails or your power goes out. This consists of a big heavy battery that’s about the size and shape of a car battery, as well as a backup sump pump that sits in the sump basket a little bit higher than the primary pump. The most common type of backup sump pump system is a battery-powered system. There are two common backup systems: battery and water-powered. This is really important stuff, and it’s one of those things that most people don’t think about until it’s too late. If you’re in that crowd, install a backup system. Having a flooded basement due to a failed sump pump almost seems like a rite of passage for homeowners, but most would prefer to remain uninitiated.
I’ve had many neighbors with sump pump problems and I’ve heard from countless home inspection customers who have had problems in the past. I recently made an internal training video for my company, and while demonstrating my own sump pump, I discovered it had failed! You’ll know it failed when you awaken to a flooded basement. It’ll be a silent event that happens in the middle of the night during a heavy rainstorm. It probably won’t give you any warning before it fails, either. View tips sent to our HandyMan: Click here.If your home has an active sump pump, be warned: your sump pump will not last forever. Submit your HandyMan tip here: Click here. Alarms can be either electrical or battery-operated. This can tip you off that the pump isn't working properly. It's designed to detect sump water levels before flooding occurs and emits a high-decibel alarm before the water can reach your basement floor. Consider it an insurance policy."Īnother safeguard suggested by the bureau is a sump pump alarm. So every precaution should be taken to protect their valuables from water damage. "Many people use their basements for storage, Some models automatically recharge themselves.Īlthough you'll have to spend some extra money for another unit and maybe a larger pit, it's definitely worth it," says David Rutz of Goulds Pumps, Inc., in Chicago, IL. When power is restored, the battery-operated pump stops. This kind of pump will kick on if the primary pump shuts down or fails. If you're in an area often affected by power outages, especially during severe thunderstorms, a battery-powered backup sump pump may be a good idea, says the PHCIB. Make sure this area is not plugged or clogged. While pumps don't have filters, they do have screens or small openings where the water flows in. But first make sure the pump is plugged in or that a fuse hasn't blown. If it doesn't, you may need to replace the switch. Taking appropriate caution in working around water and electricity, follow this checklist from PHCIB:Ĭlean out any debris, garbage or buildup that may have worked its way into the sump since the last time the pump was used.Ĭonnect a garden hose to the laundry tub sink, fill the sump pit with water, and see if the pump kicks on. He recommends checking out the pump every year as part of your regular spring cleaning routine. The sump pump, he points out, is a crucial line of defense against water seepage and flooding. Weiner, executive director of the Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Information Bureau, an industry group. Because it's out of sight, many homeowners often forget about their sump pumps until it's too late and they're standing knee-deep in water," says David L.
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