Many Londoner’s rely on a sump pump to keep their basement dry, particularly in the spring.
Rainy weather and quickly melting snow can result in your sump pump running regularly. BUT WHAT IF IT FAILS? A battery back-up sump pump would save you a lot of grief.
A sump pump failure can lead to a flooded basement and lots of costly damage. Sump pumps are mechanical devices and eventually will fail. Your sump pump will also not work through a power failure, which often happens in stormy weather.
We recommend that you have a battery back-up sump pump that will kick in should your pump fail or during power outages. Battery back-up pumps are plugged in like your main sump pump. They use a trickle charger to keep the battery fully charged.
Battery back-up sumps pumps are also equipped with an alarm. It’s important for you to know that your back-up pump is running, so you have time to attend to your main pump.
Care of Battery Back-up Pumps
It’s important that you test run your back-up pump 3 or 4 times every year, cycling the pump 8 to 10 times. Batteries last longer if they are discharged and then charged up again. If you don’t do this, the battery will only last for a couple of years and may not be functional when you need it.
Batteries normally last 5 to 7 years. We would recommend that you change the battery every 5 years.
Cost of Installation
A battery back-up pump is often less than the deductible on your home insurance policy. If it is only needed once, it will pay for itself.
New Homeowners
We often talk with new homeowners that may not be sure if they even have a sump pump or how it works. Give us a call, we will service your pump and give you instructions on the care and use of your sump pump. For the cost of a service call you will get piece of mind and information that every homeowner needs.
No Sump Pump?
Not all homes in London have a sump pump. If your home was built without a sump pump, storm water is handled differently.
The weeping tiles around your foundation will be built to send storm water through your sanitary line out to the city sewer lines.
A slow running floor drain is often an early warning that your main sanitary line should be inspected. In more mature neighbourhoods, tree roots can get into the lines and cause an obstruction.
If your sanitary drain is partially blocked, it can get overwhelmed by a heavy rain storm, causing your basement to flood.
Some homes require a visit to clean out sanitary lines every year or two. If you’ve had the lines blocked by tree roots before, you should have them checked regularly.
