A few things you need to know about sump pumps

Recent Articles

Categories

Archives

If you have ever wondered what a sump pump does and why people have one that’s good news, it means you don’t need one. The people who need a sump pump are those who experience water in the basement of their homes.

Sump pump installation in Wilmington DE is done in the basement of the home, the pump can sit in a hole dug below floor level or it can be a non-submersible type that sits on the basement floor. The pump is designed to raise the water that accumulates in the sump hole, elevating it and discharging it harmlessly outdoors. If your home does not have a sump pump and you feel it is necessary to install one it can be a seriously messy situation so if possible, try to fix the problem utilizing other waterproofing methods. If nothing else will do the job make sure you buy one which operates automatically once the water reaches the pre-set danger level. There are manual pumps that sound an alarm to tell you to turn it on but these are of little value if you are out of the house all day.

A few rules to bear in mind:

The first rule is simple; if your house never has a water problem, don’t buy one. The second rule is; if you have a house that does have a water problem understand that a good basement waterproofing company may have an alternative method before resorting to a sump pump. The third rule; if you absolutely must undertake sump pump installation in Wilmington DE area make sure you buy a very good one, in many cases it makes sense to buy more than one.

Buying a sump pump:

If the situation in your home is such that there is no option other than a sump pump then there are a few things to bear in mind before you buy:

*   A submersible pump is a better choice than a pedestal style. A submersible pump will allow you to keep the sump pit covered, this will eliminate any unwanted debris from falling in the pit and it runs quieter.

*   Buy a cast iron pump rather than one with a plastic core. Cast iron is better at dissipating heat into the water thus increasing the life expectancy of the pump.

*   Buy one with a mechanical switch rather than a pressure switch and ensure that the float will not fail which can quickly fail to switch the pump off, burning out the pump motor.

If the basement in your home has been converted to living space it is a good idea to install a second pump next to the primary unit, if the primary pump fails you will not ruin your expensive renovation or loose valuables that are stored in the basement.

Related Articles