What is a sump pump and what is its purpose?

What is a sump pump and why you need to check yours this spring

Spring is about to spring itself on us. What that means to you as a homeowner with a sump pump is that it’s time for your annual maintenance. Some things in your home are easy to ignore and forget about, until you have a problem. At the top of the list it’s easy to find a sump pump. Flooded basements are no fun and can cost a small fortune to remodel after a flood.

“What is a sump pump and why do I need one?” are only the beginning of the most commonly asked questions about sump pumps. In Ohio, where we know we live in a predominantly wet area. Where there is always the potential for flooding in your home’s basement or crawl space.

Our local communities are filled with underground water tables, rivers, streams, creeks, lakes etc. If communities are built too close to a water table, you could be living with water in your basement every year, especially in the years we do have higher than average snow and rainfall.

Another important thing to remember is to make sure that all of your downspout drain lines are draining properly and are moving water away from your home’s foundation. If your downspouts are just dumping straight down or right next to your home’s foundation. The water is basically just draining back into and under your home’s foundation. Thus, causing your sump pump to work that much harder in trying to remove the recycled water from the roof etc.

What exactly is a sump pump and what is its purpose?

Sump pumps are electrical pumps that are usually located in basements to drain water out in case of flooding. In areas where flooding is common, the pump is generally located below the water line or may be placed below the sewer line. The main goal is to eliminate the possibility of water overflowing into your living areas, and prevent damage to your personal property and assets. Even an inch of standing water can be detrimental in a finished basement with furniture and carpeting etc.

How do you/should you maintain a sump pump?

Typically sump pumps will operate up to a period of five-seven years maintenance free. Yet it’s important to check them monthly, especially before rainy seasons, or times of the year when you are more susceptible to flooding. Cleaning the sump pit (the hole dug into the ground to collect water) from debris will keep the pump working in most cases. Dirt, sand, and gravel may accumulate within the pump itself, clogging the pump to the point of making it inoperable. A routine check by a plumber can give you peace of mind.

What choices do you have in sump pumps & battery backup systems?

Generally speaking, the most common sump pump is called a submersible sump pump, which is located down inside the sump pit. It’s usually enclosed in a sealed

housing unit to prevent electrical short circuits when water collects in the pit. To go along w/ your primary, submersible sump pump is a battery backup system. This 2nd/backup system can save you in the event of a power outage. This is all too common around the Miami Valley region in which we live in. A battery backup can pump out 10,000 gallons on a fully charged battery.

We supply and install Blue Angel brand sump pumps & battery backup systems. Blue Angel Pumps are assembled in Harrison, Ohio. Call now for current inventory and pricing!

With all of our sump pump installations, we provide the following services:

  • Pump replacement & 1 year warranty on labor
  • New 1 ½” quiet/silent check valve
  • Clean out any possible debris/obstructions in the sump crock
  • Visually inspect the existing sump pump discharge piping
  • After the new pump/battery backup system is installed, we’ll test the operation