What Is A Sump Pump?
A sump pump is a relatively simple, but very important device found in homes. These pumps are often found in homes with basements or crawl spaces. The reason for this is because sump pumps are designed to transfer water from low-lying areas to a place where it can properly drain away from the home. The device gets the name as ‘sump’ means ‘pit,’ as it ‘pit pump.’ There are a few different types of sump pumps that are used, and some are used in different ways.
When You Would Need A Sump Pump
Sump pumps are needed in places where water may sit and not be able to exit a low-lying spot on its own. Most often times, sump pumps are put in a corner of a basement or crawl space and water is directed towards them. These pumps fill up over time before reaching a point to which the pump activates and expels the water away from the home or foundation. Often times, sump pumps are used to expel ground water that seeps into the home through the foundation (concrete, blocks, etc.) back out and away from the structure. Most people will need a sump pump on a home with a crawl space as many different scenarios will introduce water beneath your house (improper downspouts, improper grading, and more). In crawl spaces and basements, water can lead to tremendous damages that can cost thousands of dollars. This simple, small, and quiet device can save you a headache and a nightmare.
Types Of Sump Pumps
There are a couple types of sump pumps, but they tend to work in the same general way. A common type of sump pump that we see in home inspections is a battery back-up system. The battery back-up sump pump is an additional pump installed inside the sump pump well. This back-up uses a battery that is connected to a controller, allowing it to work for a few hours if the power were to go out. These pumps can often times save homeowners from a flooded basement due to a storm that brings in excess ground water and knocks out the power. In Kentucky, these pumps usually will do the trick until the power comes back on. However, in an event like the ice storms of 2008, these batteries will likely die before power is restored. That is where another common sump pump we see during home inspections comes into play. This type of sump pump is called a hydro back-up. a hydro back-up pump uses the water supply to your home to provide the back-up. This pump is usually a good option if you can acess your main water supply relatively easily in correlation to the location of your sump pump. The hydro system is relatively simple with few moving parts, does not need a battery, and will run as long as the water is available to the home. These are less likely to be found in homes with already finished basements as it will be hard to connect to the main water line. However, these are often times seen in crawl spaces, especially due to not having to check on the battery in the scary, monster infested crawl spaces we see.
Battery Back-Up Versus Hydro Back-Up Sump Pumps
