Many homeowners are forced to deal with water in their basements, and thus, rely on sump pumps to help keep that water intake to a minimum. There are a few different types of sump pumps, so it is best to compare and see which pump might be right for you.
There are a number of ways water can get in your basement during heavy rains including improper ground runoff and foundation leaks. These repairs can be quite costly, but, depending on the severity of the impact, might be remedied with a simple sump pump.
Sump Pumps are designed to pump the water out of a designated area that water accumulates, redirecting it to a better spot to drain.
Types of Sump Pumps
The three most common types of pumps used in basements or crawl spaces are:
- Pedestal Pumps: Pedestal pumps, sometimes called upright pumps have an exterior motor that is supported on top of a column attached to the pump casing. The motor is never submerged in water and are often have higher horsepower. Pedestal pumps typically last a little longer since they aren’t ever submerged in water, and they are also easier to repair when they do need work.
- Submersible Sump Pump: Just as the name would imply, a submersible sump pump is designed to be placed in the sump pump reservoir, or where water would gather. Once the pump detects the water, the watertight motor kicks on the pump and goes to work, shutting itself off after the water has been removed.
- Water-Powered Sump Pump: Although they are much less common, water powered pumps are unique in that they run off of water pressure, rather than electricity. The down side to water-powered pumps is that they are only as powerful as your water pressure, so locations with low water pressure do not allow for water-powered pumps to operate very efficiently.
Be Prepared!
If you have an electrically powered sump pump, it is probably a good idea to also employ a battery powered backup in the event of a power outage during a storm.
If you would like to find out more about certain sump pumps and which pumps are certified, you can check this list of Sump & Sewage Pump Manufacturers Association.
If you need to install a new sump pump system don’t hesitate to give us a call. We can help guide you through the process and help you decide the best path to take depending on your particular situation. As always, you can reach us at 270-443-1067!