What Does a Sump Pump Do?
You may already know that a sump pump can help protect your home from flooding. Sump pumps are typically installed at the lowest point in your home in a specially-dug pit. They are designed to pump excess water out of and away from your home in the event of excess moisture build-up.
Depending on your home, a sump pump could be located in the basement or crawlspace. (Not sure where to find the sump pump in your home? Check out the video below on how to easily locate it!)
Don’t live in a flood-prone area? A sump pump can still save you some major money–and headaches!
What many homeowners underestimate is the additional value and protection a sump can provide, even if a major flood never occurs.
If you’re on the fence about installing a sump pump, here are five reasons why we recommend you add this valuable protection system to your home.
Why Your Home Should Have a Sump Pump
24-Hour Protection Against Flooding From Multiple Sources
Water can enter your home due to several factors, including melting snow, heavy rain, groundwater seepage, plumbing leaks, and backflow from a compromised municipal sewer mainline.
If your home fills with even a few inches of water, it could take you anywhere from two to three days to remove it manually. That’s more than enough time for that water to soak into your walls and floors and cause significant damage.
What’s worse is that your homeowner’s insurance policy likely won’t cover the repairs. According to Allstate, “no type of flood damage, no matter the source of the water, is covered by standard homeowners policies.” Yikes.
Even if you’re not home at the time a flood starts, a sump pump is ready to take action. When a sump pump’s sensor detects rising water levels, the equipment starts working immediately to move water out of your basement or crawlspace and away from your home.
With a sump pump, you can take the weekend to ski or camp without ever worrying about what awaits you when you get home.
Prevention Against Mold
When your basement or crawlspace is allowed to soak in water, it creates a prime environment for mold and mildew growth. How long does it take mold to grow? According to FEMA, under the right conditions, mold colonies can start to grow on a damp surface within just 24 to 48 hours!
Mold is a significant concern for two main reasons:
- The spores are unhealthy to breathe and can cause fever-like symptoms and trigger asthma attacks, according to the EPA.
- Mold growth can irreparably damage the wood if not treated in time.
Equipping your home with a sump pump removes water as quickly as possible. This allows your basement or crawlspace to dry faster, and it minimizes the opportunity for mold to grow.
Prevention Against Home Foundation Issues
During certain times of the year, it’s typical for the soil around homes to become oversaturated with water (May and July tend to be the wettest months in Denver).
This soggy soil does not provide a stable hold around your home’s foundation, which can lead to movement or sagging. Soggy soil becomes even more problematic during winter when it freezes. Frozen soil expands against your home’s foundation, sometimes with enough force to crack it.
A quality sump pump can prevent these foundation problems by gathering excess groundwater that seeps up from beneath your home, then transferring it away from the foundation.
A Lower Risk of Electrical Fires
It’s no secret that water and electricity are a seriously dangerous combination. Flooding poses an increased risk of electrical fires (and electrocution). A sump pump will keep your home safe from flooding, mitigating the risk of a house fire or otherwise dangerous environment for you and your family.
Built-In Alerts and Battery Back-Ups
Even when “resting,” some sophisticated sump pumps can monitor water levels beneath your home. If your crawlspace or basement is at risk of flooding, these systems can immediately alert you with a phone call.
Whether you’re at home or away, this system buys you valuable time to get emergency plumbing help to remedy the situation, before your home floods.
We can also install backup pumps that will run off a marina battery. If your main pump goes out or your neighborhood loses power for a time, this can buy you a few more critical hours of pumping.
Higher Home Value
A sump pump is a strong selling point for a potential homebuyer. Because a sump pump can spare homebuyers the grief of handling wet-basement woes in the future, many are willing to pay more for a home that’s equipped with one. This is especially true in areas where flooded basements and crawlspaces are a common issue.
The cost of merely cleaning up a home contaminated with two feet of gray water ranges from $3,000 to $10,000 dollars–and that doesn’t include the cost of replacing the floor, the walls, and anything else with water damage.
What Do You Have to Lose?
To recap, a sump pump helps protect your home from flooding, mold, a damaged foundation, and electrical fires. It can even send you emergency alerts before damage occurs. And to top it off, it increases the value of your home.
Simply put, you deserve the peace of mind that comes with having a sump pump in your home.
It may not be the most glamorous home upgrade, but a sump pump could save you massive amounts of stress and cash in the long run. We’d say that’s worthy of a High 5!
Request an Estimate Today!
At High 5 Plumbing, our trustworthy, reliable experts can help you select the ideal sump pump to protect your home. Call us today by phone or contact us online to get your expert estimate–fair and honest every time!
