In our industry we commonly hear homeowners ask, “Do I really need a battery backup sump pump system for my basement?” Our immediate follow-up question would be, “How confident are you that your existing sump pump won’t fail when needed the most?”
In such scenarios, the original question is asked by a homeowner whose basement has never flooded yet, leading him or her to believe that their existing pump is doing okay.
However, there are many factors that can indicate the reason for such fortunate circumstances. For example here are a few questions to consider:
- Is your home situated on a high or low water table?
- Is your home surrounded by flat or sloped ground?
- Do you live in a climate area prone to excess rain or snow?
In some cases, homes situated on a low water table or that sit on flat land away from ground sloping areas are not likely to experience a high volume of water intake causing your sump pump to work minimally and giving you the sense that your pump is giving you the ultimate protection.
Despite each individual outcome it is always important to be prepared, and a reliable sump pump is certainly the best first step to minimize the threat of a flooded basement.
For that reason, it is very important to be educated on the kind of sump pump that is helping you protect your property’s valuable investments. Here are a few questions to help determine whether you have a reliable sump pump:
- How old is your pump and its switch (has the original switch ever been replaced)?
- Is the pump in use the one that came with the initial construction of the home?
- Do you know who manufactured the pump?
If there’s difficulty addressing any of these questions (especially in older homes), then the first line of business is replacing your existing pump. Not knowing the age of the pump makes it impossible to know whether the pump has surpassed the normal life expectancy and could put your basement at risk.
It is also worth noting that the home’s original pump, likely installed by the builder, was probably the least expensive option in order to minimize costs during the construction process.
When replacing an existing pump, we highly recommend homeowners select a premium sump pump that is equipped to handle the amount of gallons of water per minute that are on par with the unique conditions of your basement. Once that is settled you have established your first great line of defense.
However, it does not stop there. Although we would love to say that a sump pump is the end all, be all, we full well know that a battery backup sump pump system provides the best weapon for the prevention of basement floods. Extreme unpredictable weather can happen at any given moment.
In such unpredictable circumstances, even a quality sump pump may not always be equipped to handle the amount of water delivered into the sump pump pit. Not to mention, weather conditions that provoke power loss also dramatically increase the chance of pump failure. Therefore, we firmly insist that most basements should have a battery backup sump pump.
Typically, hope by itself has a poor track record. Once you do your diligence and install a proper battery backup sump pump in your basement, it is safe to hope your basement will never need it.
Hope for the best. Be prepared for the worst.
Need a Hand in Choosing a Replacement Sump Pump or Selecting a Battery Backup?
Ion Technologies can help! Our team of pump experts can help you understand what else to look for when selecting a new pump or a battery backup system.
Getting in touch with our customer service team is just one click or phone call away.