What Are Sump Pump Systems?

There are several different types of home waterproofing measures available to you. When you’re looking for an interior drainage system, however, that actively works against seepage and other types of water damage, you’ll want to consider what a sump pump system can do for you. 

Sump Pumps and Your Home 

Sump pumps are devices that move water out of your home. These pumps are placed in pits dug specifically to catch water. During occasions when the pump is activated, it will move the water through the discharge line and drain the water away from your home. 

Sump pumps prove effective when paired with an interior drainage system. These pumps direct water back out of your home as it comes indoors. Instead of allowing that water to settle in the ground again, however, a pump will contain the water and release it at a more controlled rate. This means you won’t have to overwork the pump you’re using by having it remove the same burst of water from your home over and over again. As a bonus, a number of sump pumps available to you through a local contractor come equipped with accessories. These can include: 

• Alarms. If your pump fails to turn on in the midst of a storm or flood, then alarms affiliated with the system can start to go off to let you know that something’s wrong. 
• Sump Liners. Sump pump liners help keep the inner workings of your sump pump secure, even after long-term exposure to high levels of moisture or excessive standing water. 

• Airtight Lids. The water that makes its way into your home isn’t always the cleanest. An airtight sump pump lid helps keep those unpleasant smells—and additional humidity—from reaching the rest of your home. 
• Sump Stands. Sump pump stands help separate your pump from its liner, meaning that any debris a liner pulls away from the pump won’t come into contact with the pump’s sensitive inner works. 
• Antifreeze lines. Sump pump pipes can start to freeze as the weather takes a turn. The FreezeGuard™ exterior discharge line attachment allows the water being pumped out to continue to escape and drain as normal even if the line freezes or becomes blocked. 

Choosing a Backup 

Upon installing a sump pump, you also have the option to equip it with some manner of backup pump. There are several different backup pumps available to you, including: 

• Generator-powered pumps. In many ways, generator-powered sump pumps are nearly identical to traditional pumps. As the name suggests, these pumps do require you to purchase a generator to operate them, should you not already have one in place. While that purchase can be inconvenient, it can also help you maintain basic operations throughout your home if the power does happen to go out during a storm. 
• AC-powered pumps. AC backup pumps consist of an additional pump, a deep cycle battery, and a battery charger. This means that these pumps will run until their batteries run out of power, making them ideal additions to a basement that floods on a regular basis. 
• Water-powered pumps. For irony’s sake, you can always opt to install a water-powered backup pump in addition to a traditional pump. Should the floodwaters in your basement rise above a set level, a water-powered pump will start to float lift. That float will open a set valve, better allowing the water to flow into the pump. There, the energy generated from the flow of water will push the backup pump into action. In turn, the pump will direct that unwanted water into a system of pipes installed outside of your home. 
• Battery-powered pumps. Battery backup pumps are among the most traditional backup pumps to find use along with standard pumps. These pumps do require consistent battery replacements, as they can often run out of power after a night of hard work. However, there’ll be no need to invest in additional accessories to see these pumps do their work. 

Note that it is often in your best interest to invest in a battery backup. However, feel free to discuss some of the other options you have available to you with the contractors in your area.