Sump Pump

If you’ve ever experienced a flooded basement, you already know how much damage it can cause. Even a small amount of water leaking into your basement can cause thousands of dollars in damage, not to mention hazardous mold and mildew growth.

If your basement is at risk of flooding, a sump pump is generally considered to be the best safeguard.

Though sump pumps are generally installed to prevent basement flooding, they can also be used to ameliorate dampness by lowering the water table under the foundation.

At T Smith Plumbing Contractors , we specialize in and frequently perform sump pump installations, so you can rest assured that your sump pump will be installed by an experienced member of our staff. After a survey of your home’s environment and construction, we will recommend the best product to secure your home and belongings against water damage.

Whether you have already suffered the misfortune of basement flooding or just want to make sure you never do, we can help.

For more information or to schedule a free consultation, please contact us today.

A sump pump is a very important household system that can prevent thousands of dollars in flood damage as well as health-related problems. It’s usually found in a dark corner of the basement, in a hole called the sump pit. It pumps out water that collects in the pit, often as a result of flooding.

Annual checkup. It is very important to inspect your sump pump for wear and tear every twelve months. Early Spring is a good time to have this checkup done because that’s when the winter thaw begins. At this time the ground becomes more saturated, and it rains more often. Because of the weather, your sump pump is usually working extra hard from March through May.

An inspection is even more critical if you have experienced a drought recently. Your sump pump would not be acclimated to working regularly, so problems are more likely to occur with the excess rain that occurs during Spring.

Back it up. You should also make sure professionals check the back-up sump pump in addition to the primary one. If the power goes out (which often happns during flooding rainstorms) or there is a failure in the main pump, the back-up sump pump kicks in and can save you thousands of dollars in water damage. If you do not have a back-up pump, you should seriously consider investing in one.

A sump pump is a pump used to remove water that has accumulated in a water collectingsump basin, commonly found in the basement of homes. The water may enter via the perimeter drains of a basement waterproofing system, funneling into the basin or because of rain or natural ground water, if the basement is below the water table level.

Sump pumps are used where basement flooding happens regularly and to remedy dampness where the water table is above the foundation of a home. Sump pumps send water away from a house to any place where it is no longer problematic, such as a municipal storm drain or adry well.

Pumps may discharge to the sanitary sewer in older installations. Once considered acceptable, this practice may now violate the plumbing code or municipal bylaws, because it can overwhelm the municipal sewage treatment system. Municipalities urge homeowners to disconnect and reroute sump pump discharge away from sanitary sewers. Fines may be imposed for noncompliance. Many homeowners have inherited their sump pump configurations and do not realize that the pump discharges to the sewer. If the discharge is fed to a laundry sink in the basement, it’s likely going to the sewer.

Usually hardwired into a home’s electrical system, sump pumps may have a battery backup. The home’s pressurized water supply powers some pumps, eliminating the need for electricity at the expense of using potable water, potentially making them more expensive to operate than electrical pumps and creating an additional water disposal problem. Since a sump basin may overflow if not constantly pumped, a backup system is important for cases when the main power is out for prolonged periods of time, as during a severe storm.

There are generally two types of sump pumps — pedestal and submersible. The pedestal pump’s motor is mounted above the sump, where it is more easily serviced, but is also more conspicuous. The pump impeller is driven by a long, vertical extension shaft and the impeller is in a scroll housing in the base of the pump. The submersible pump is entirely mounted inside the sump, and is specially sealed to prevent electrical short circuits.

Sump pump systems are also utilized in industrial and commercial applications to control water table-related problems in surface soil. Anartesian aquifer or periodic high water table situation can cause the ground to become unstable due to water saturation. As long as the pump functions, the surface soil will remain stable. These sumps are typically ten feet in depth or more; lined with corrugated metal pipe that contains perforations or drain holes throughout. They may include electronic control systems with visual and audible alarms and are usually covered to prevent debris and animals from falling in.