Why Your Basement Needs A Sump Pump And A Look At How It’s Installed

If your home has a basement, you should probably have a sump pump. A sump pump is a form of interior basement waterproofing, and it helps avoid problems with a flooded basement that could lead to water damage. Here's a look at how a sump pump works and how it's installed.

Why You May Need A Sump Pump

Water can seep into your basement through the concrete floor or walls. It might also enter through cracks or through gaps around the basement window. Your basement might have problems with dampness all the time or just when it rains.

Either way, a sump pump helps keep your basement dry, which is essential if you want to finish the basement and use it for living space or if you just want to get rid of musty odors and eliminate the risk of the basement flooding during heavy rain.

How A Sump Pump Works

A sump pump goes inside a pit that's dug in the basement floor. Water fills the pit, and then the pump turns on and pumps the water to a drain or outdoors. The pit is buried under the floor, so it's the lowest part in the basement. This allows water to drain in the pit naturally. However, your plumber might recommend adding drains along the walls of your basement that collect water and send it to the pit.

How A Sump Pump Is Installed

If your home doesn't already have a pit installed, the plumber has to break up the basement floor and dig a hole for the pit. If the plumber will install drains, trenches are made by busting up the concrete along the wall so the drain can be buried in the soil under your basement floor.

Sump pump installation can be disruptive, but once the drains for it are in place, they aren't noticeable. The plumber has to consider the best place to install the pit since the pump will run on electricity, and you probably want the pit out of the way as much as possible. The pump can be hardwired, but it can also be plugged in a GFCI outlet on a dedicated circuit, so an electrician might have to install new wiring too.

An important thing to consider about an electric sump pump is that it's best to have a battery backup so the pump keeps working when the power goes out. The plumber can help you select the right pump based on the power you need and whether a submersible or pedestal pump would be the most suitable for your situation.

Once the pump is installed in the pit and everything is hooked up, the pump will turn on automatically when water fills the pit so your basement stays dry without you having to worry about monitoring the pump. However, you'll need to have the pump serviced on the schedule recommended by your plumber so it's always in good working order and ready for a storm with heavy rain.

To learn more, contact a sump pump installation contractor.


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