With the recent snowstorm activity across the country and warmer temperatures just around the corner, we will soon be in the middle of a major snow collapse. Sump pumps become a key piece of equipment in your home. This reminds me of my own experience with my sump pump.
He started on a rainy Friday in December. My family, including my mother-in-law, left for vacation to see Mickey and Minnie later tonight. The whole family was excited, impatient of the trip and some warm weather.
I left for work early this morning while my wife finished packing for vacation. Two hours later, I received a frantic call from my wife, our basement was full of 6 to 8 inches of water. The sump pump had malfunctioned and water continued to flow into the basement. I was at two o'clock so I tried to calm her. Then she asked two very important questions. First, do we have an insurance cover for the incident of water? As someone who works in the insurance industry, I quickly and proudly answered, yes, we do! However, the second question was not as easy to answer. Why not replace the sump pump after you told me he was wearing down and make noises? Let's just say that I really do no good answer to that one.
As I pulled into the driveway, I saw that Servpro was at home cleaning up the mess. At the same time, I see my mother-in-law pulling into the driveway with four police cars behind it. I quickly rushed and talk with officers who say she hit a car at a red light and never stopped. The car that she hit called 911 and the police pursuit ensued for four miles, ending at my driveway.
So here I am with a woman who is ready to kill me, a brother-mother who is willing to be arrested, Servpro and the insurance adjuster who want my attention, and three children ask me when we start to see Mickey and Minnie! I said, "How could I have avoided this mess?"
To save you in the same situation, here are some of the most common sump pump problems and what you can do to avoid flooding of the basement (# 5 says it all for me)
- power failure your primary sump pump is no different from any other electrical device in your house - .. without power, it is completely unnecessary. As a safeguard, invest in a high quality backup sump pump.
- switch was blocked. There are several types of switches sump float. Plumbers prefer vertical floats attached because floats are known to be on the side walls of the sump pit that may result in a flooded basement.
- pump was submerged. All pumps are created equal. In life, you always get what you pay for. Minimally, you need a sump pump 1/3 power capable of pumping 35 liters of water per minute. If your house is located in a high water table as my home, I suggest you switch to a 1/2 power pump (which can typically pump about 60 gallons per minute). And to be completely safe, buy a backup pump battery!
- sump discharge pipe froze. This is very common especially with newer Northeast winters. If the hose is not launched correctly, water will collect and possibly freeze, causing blockage. Because what goes up must come down, water falls directly into your sump. When the pit continues to fill, the water has no place to go but around your basement.
- Old age. "If it is not broke, do not fix it" is a bad practice sump pumps you could end up with a basement full of water. Sump pumps need to be replaced every five to seven years to be reasonably safe. In my case, my pump was five.
I now replaces our sump pump every three years, no matter what, and a backup battery. If you are wondering if we all did so to Disney, we did and we returned several times since. But before you go on vacation, we always check the sump pump to be sure all is well and the backup system is in perfect working order!
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