Four Reasons Why Getting Your Sump Pump Checked is a Great Idea
Most homeowners never give any thought to their
sump pump before it fails. Prevention is better than the cure, allowing a sump pump to fail is a really bad idea, and it can end up costing the homeowner a lot of money. When the water level rises in the home, it can ruin electrical equipment, furnishings and hard to replace boxes of memories.
Here are four reasons why it is a great idea to get your sump pump checked today.
1. The Alarm May Be Faulty
You may be fortunate enough to have a sump pump that has a built-in alarm. The idea is that the alarm will alert you if the water level becomes too high. In principle this is a great idea, but what if the alarm has developed a fault? Many alarm systems have a battery backup so that the unit can still sound during a power outage. It may be that you simply need to change the batteries, but the alarm may require replacement.
2. Do You Have Enough Protection?
If you have a sump pump installed to keep your patio, entry way, basement or under ground garage dry it may be a good idea to get a second or third unit. Many people have multiple sump pumps in order to keep larger basements or garages dry and to provide a failsafe in the event of the other unit failing. A
certified plumbing contractor will be able to advise you if this is necessary while they check your existing sump pump.
3. Disaster Preparedness
Many of the reasons for having a sump pump are quite mundane, but can your system handle something more serious? Torrential seasonal storms and flash flooding can cause a tremendous amount of damage in a very short period of time. It may be the case that your sump pump isn’t capable of dealing with this eventuality. Perhaps, the unit needs servicing so that it is operating at optimal efficiency? Getting your sump pump checked by a
certified professional is the only way to determine if it will handle an emergency.
4. The Sump Pump Appears to be Working OK
The lifespan of a sump pump is usually between 5 – 7 years and it needs to be replaced when it begins to fail. It could be the case that the sump pump in your home is doing an adequate job, but is it operating efficiently enough? Dampness is insidious, and it can be hard to detect. You may find that part of the garage or basement that you cannot see, because of stored boxes, has dampness on the wall. If you can smell mustiness or there is a small patch of mold hiding in your basement or garage somewhere, then you already have a problem. Mold spores and dampness can damage boxes of stored paperwork, bags of clothing and seasonally stored items in no time at all. Once mold has penetrated items they will smell, and it is very hard to rectify the situation. A
professional certified plumber will be able to identify any problems quickly and can offer valuable advice on keeping your basement dry and mold free.
By Giovanni Longo President Flood Brothers Plumbing
Giovanni Longo is a 3rd generation master plumber who has been practicing his craft and trade in the greater Los Angeles area for well over a decade and a half. A plumbing and hydraulics-engineering innovator, Giovanni’s particular world-class expertise focuses on dealing with challenging sewer system designs as well as resolving complex commercial and residential draining issues. As a certified Flood Mitigation expert, he is also well versed in a wide variety of water damage and remediation solutions.
