.

Importance of a Sump Pump

Sump Pumps are one of the most important items you can have to assist in the prevention of water in your basement. When disaster strikes, your basement is prone to flooding. 

The sump pump is the one key piece of equipment that allows the rest of your waterproofing system to function efficiently and without it any water that does accumulate below or around your home will have no place to and the system is useless. This in another important reason that if you do have a sump pump it is routinely maintained and replace it based on the manufacture's recommendations. Even more crucial if you have a sump that runs often. 

Standing water can create significant problems for homeowners such as mold growth, bad aromas and structural damage to name a few. Sump pump systems are a vital part of minimizing the damage and clearing standing water in an efficient manner.

Sump pumps are crucial pieces of equipment because they help to protect the structure and integrity of a building. In a basement otherwise prone to flooding, a sump pump can help protect stored items from water damage. Without a functioning sump pump, a basement could become severely flooded, resulting in damage to appliances, the home’s structure, or items in storage. Especially in homes that have finished basements, common in SW Ontario. 

Often homeowners will have a backup system to help ensure that if the pump fails, which they all do at some point the basement will not flood. Even when the pump is working good there may be a storm that knocks out your power. Accompany that with high volumes of rain, your basement is at risk of flooding. 

A sump can also act as a water removal tool if a pipe bursts above or a member of the family unknowingly left one of the taps on. If the water reaches the basement then instead of pooling the sump basin would act as drain and assist in removing the water from the home. 

Essentially, a sump pump is a great investment to protect your other investments and is an affordable option to have installed by A1 Waterproofing.

 How Sump Pumps Work 

Sump pumps operate relatively simply. The sump pump will usually rest in circular sump pit that was designed to work with the pump. This pit is usually in the lowest part of the basement to help attract water to the pool at the pits bottom. If you have weeping tiled installed this is where it is discharged. 

Sump pumps are activated when the water level rises in the pit. Once the water level reached a set height a float attached to the sump pump activates and the pump pushes the water through piping and discharges away from the home. The water then moves on to the outside, where it is allowed to drain back into the ground provided it is carried far enough away from the structure to not simply drain right back into the basement. Preferably but not necessary the water is discharged close to a city storm drain. Connecting it to the the storm drain or any city service that leads from your house is now against city by laws, although optimal do not do this.

The sump pump can either be submersible, which sits under the water, or pedestal, which sits above the water and does not get wet. Pedestal pumps tend to be louder because there is no surrounding water to dampen the sound. At A1 Waterproofing we only installs submersible steel insulated pumps that are very quiet and the most reliable the market offers.