While installing a sump pump is a great move to protect your home from flooding, sometimes it isn’t enough. Floods bring with them all kinds of attendant problems beyond the rapidly rising waters, chief amongst them, power losses.
So, while installing a primary sump pump is a good idea, it’s often worth considering what to do if that fails just as you need it most. Enter the backup sump pump.
A sump pump is a simple mechanism that’s designed to direct rising groundwater away from your home. They consist of a pit (‘the sump’), a float switch and a motor-driven impellor.
The sump is dug into your basement floor and then the mechanism is placed either in or on top. When the basin fills with ground water, the float switch is activated, turning it all on. The impellor then spins around, creating an area of negative pressure and drawing the water up and through the discharge line. From here, the water is pumped harmlessly away, leaving your basement nice and dry.
While they’re a good investment for most homeowners, installing such a system is an absolute must for those in flood-prone areas.
While sump pumps are a great bit of kit and certainly effective, they’re not without their limitations. During heavy rainfalls or flooding events, they can become overwhelmed and lose efficiency. As machines with moving parts, they’re susceptible to mechanical failures and of course, require a power supply.
It’s this last issue that’s the most pressing. During bad weather and flooding, there’s always the risk of losing power. This renders your pump inoperable at the exact moment you need it most. Luckily, there are a range of options to circumvent this happenstance.
Getting a backup sump pump installed by an experienced basement waterproofing company brings with it certain advantages:
Of course, it’s never as simple as deciding on getting a backup installed, hitting the store and getting it done. There are two types of backup system available, and each comes with its own sets of pros and cons. Choosing between them means weighing these out and going for what works best for you.
Battery powered backup sump pumps are, as the name suggests, powered via battery. This means that if nasty weather does knock out your power, you’re still protected. Their biggest strength is, unfortunately, also their main weakness: power.
A battery has a limited capacity to store energy. In the case of the pump having to run for a few hours (as in the vast majority of cases), you’ll probably be fine. If the event goes on longer however, you may find yourself with two pumps that have turned off rather than just one.
A water powered backup sump pump is connected to your home’s water supply and uses this to power the impellor. They don’t require a battery and can run as long as your water remains available.
Unfortunately, they tend to be less powerful, require good water pressure and are a lot less useful in areas with water restrictions or which utilize wells. It’s also not unheard of for extreme weather and flooding to disrupt water supplies too, though it’s a lot rarer than power cuts.
While a dual pump battery backup installation, or even a water powered option, is generally a good idea, there are things to consider.
First and foremost, you’ll have to weigh out the costs. A battery-powered model could cost anything from $600-3000 before labor costs. A water-powered one costs less upfront (starting at around $150) but is more labor intensive to install.
It’s generally a good idea to get the pros in to tackle tasks like this, but as the infrastructure is there already, a talented DIY enthusiast might be able to handle it. With the right tools and clear instructions and a little luck, it’s perfectly doable if you’re feeling confident.
It’s also worth considering the need for ongoing maintenance and how easy that will be. They’ll require regular testing, clearing of clogs and, in the case of battery systems, checking the charge.
As with any mechanical system, the key to long-life and peace of mind is regular maintenance. Checking up on the health of your backup system and dealing with any issues before they develop into disasters means you can get years of service from your system.
Regardless of whether you’ve opted for a water-powered or battery backup, regular testing is a must. Ideally, this should be carried out every few months to ensure everything is working properly. Simply disconnect your primary pump and pour some water into the sump. The backup should fire up.
If you’ve gone for a battery system, it’s important to keep the battery charged. Left flat, you’ll find that your system doesn’t kick in when you need it. Even letting it run down too far will speed up the timeframe for the ultimate replacement.
If you’ve opted for the water-powered version, you’ll want to pay particular attention to your plumbing. Leaks and obstructions or fluctuations in water pressure can render your backup pump less effective or even totally useless. There are all kinds of advantages to keeping up on your plumbing maintenance anyway, so keeping an eye on it is never bad.
In an ideal world, your backup system will never see use, but we don’t live in an ideal world. Opting for a secondary sump pump gives you that extra piece of mind that your home will be safe during disasters.
