Do I Need To Have A Sump Pump Backup System?

No one wants to be faced with a flooded basement – ruined carpet, furniture, and drywall, not to mention all of the other boxes and items that you store. A primary electric sump pump is your first line of defense, but should this fail it is important to have a sump pump backup system in place. This one-time investment gives you added flood protection and peace of mind.

Why do Primary Electric Sump Pumps fail?

• A frozen or clogged discharge pipe
• Power failure
• A tripped circuit breaker
• A blown fuse
• Damaged power feed line
• Float switch problem (stuck or broken)
• Pump may burn out, get unplugged, or get jammed with mud
• Impeller or drive shaft breakage
• Too much water leaking into basement or having a clogged intake

Two Types of Backup Sump Pump Systems

• 12 Volt High Output Powered Back Up Sump Pump. This backup system derives independent power from any 12 volt marine or car battery. Some models can pump for eight straight hours, going at full speed, as you work on getting the primary pump system back into working condition.
• Water Powered Backup Sump Pump. This type of pump works if your water source maintains water pressures between 50 PSI to 80 PSI. This emergency pump helps prevent basement flooding while the primary pump is being worked on.

Backup pumps help eliminate the risk of basement flooding. At little cost, they help prevent great potential damage and loss. A backup sump pump should, however, be used only as a backup and never as a primary sump pump. They are only designed to help in times of emergency before the primary pump is back on.

Sources: www.doityourself.com