Backup Sump Pump Protection: Why You Shouldn’t Live Without It

If you’ve ever needed a sump pump, you need backup sump pump protection, too. The incidence of basement flooding during our rainy springs and times of snow melt is high. Most people who’ve experienced it once have installed a sump pump to make sure it doesn’t happen again.

Same goes for homeowners in a high water table zone, those with cracks in a foundation that admit groundwater and even people who have a lot of stored valuables in the basement and simply can’t risk a plumbing leak. An electric sump pump installed in the basement and actuated by a water sensor is an affordable precaution against disaster.

But some of the same conditions that require a sump pump also include the potential that the electricity required to run the pump won’t be available. Severe storms and floods can take down the grid and even household pipe breaks can short out home electricity and render your AC-powered* primary sump pump powerless. Or the primary pump can fail to actuate due to mechanical reasons like a frozen bearing, a tripped circuit breaker or a stuck float switch.

*AC stands for alternating current, an electrical current that changes direction frequently

How backup sump pump protection works

Backup sump pump protection pays off when the power goes out or the primary pump fails. Usually powered by a 12-volt, deep cycle battery, these units remain plugged in at all times. A charge controller monitors the battery and charges it when necessary. It also sounds an alert if the battery goes offline or totally discharges.

Activated by a float switch when water levels reach a specific depth, the typical backup sump pump does not produce as much volume as the primary pump. However, most will pump about 1,000 gallons of water per hour out of your basement and run continuously for around 9 hours before the battery is discharged. Once grid power is restored, the battery controller will automatically recharge the battery.

Contact Sobieski Services today for more information regarding backup sump pump protection for your home. We’re here to help!

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Wilmington, Delaware and surrounding areas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC & plumbing systems).

Image Credit: Cesar R.