It’s hurricane season again and because we live on an island, most of us live under the threat of basement floods. Every basement should have either one of two water evacuation systems in place from original construction. A sump pump may be a good way to get water out of your home. While nothing takes the place of basement waterproofing, a sump pump can suck up water that intermittently seeps into your basement.
If you notice signs of moisture on the concrete basement floor it may be time to install a sump pump. Whether you need a sump pump may depend, in part, on where the water comes in. If it is a simple leak from a crack on the wall you can just seal it without a sump pump, however if the leakage is from the cove joint (where floor and wall meet) or from the floor, then you need drain tiles and a sump pump.
Sump pumps typically fall into two main categories: submersible and pedestal. The submersible one has the motor submersed in the water and is quieter. The pedestal one has the motor above the water and is a little noisier but easier to adjust the water level to start pumping.
If you are in an area where flooding occurs frequently, buying a submersible cast iron pump is probably the way to go. If your basement does not have a lot of water a pedestal plastic pump will do just fine. One thing to consider is durability. Submersible pumps tend to have a shorter life span than pedestal pumps, averaging about 10 years compared with about twice that.
If you were thinking about putting in a sump pump you need to hire a licensed and experienced professional like Outstanding Plumbing and Heating. Our sump pump experts will be able to tell you which kind of sump pump is best for your home and will install it.