Do you have a basement? If you answered “yes” to that question, then you should have a sump pump.
If your family is like most, you likely have thousands of dollars worth of valuables down there, in one form or another. Some homes have finished-off basements that might serve as a rec room, workout area, home office or additional bedroom — or all of the above. In these scenarios, that level of the house is then filled with games, an entertainment center, important files and any number of other things that you would not care to see damaged or completely destroyed. Even if you don’t have that part of the house finished-off and usable as part of the living quarters, you probably have plenty of valuables stored down there. Most basement storage areas are plenty full, stocked with boxes of currently unused clothing, trinkets, spare furniture, bicycles and more. Do you want to see all of that sitting in a couple inches of water? Yeah, we didn’t think so.
A sump pit (which is found in the basement of the majority of homes), is where water from a va-riety of sources is gathered. Under ideal conditions, that system works just fine, in and of itself, and the water is led away from the house’s foundation. But quite often, that is not enough. If you’re located in a low-terrain area, it’s more than likely that a sump pump will be a “must.” Add-ing a sump pump to the system can help to ensure that too much water does not accumulate due to heavy rains, snow run off, your basement’s depth in relation to the water table, a drain-age system fault or excessive amounts of water. Getting that water pumped safely away from your home’s foundation provides at least three huge benefits to you, the home owner.
- The first of these, we already began chatting about above: flooding. If your basement sudden-ly becomes inundated with excessive quantities of water in a short period of time, and there’s not a system in place to handle it, you’re in for serious trouble.
- Another thing that you’ll avoid by having a sump pump is the growth of mold and mildew. If there is water in your basement and the area is damp for extended periods of time, these will grow more quickly than you realize. In addition to being horrible for the materials that your home is constructed of, mold and mildew can be detrimental to your physical health. Above all else, it’s for your family’s safety that it is extremely important to keep your basement dry.
- This might seem quite opposite what you would initially believe, but a third reason to have a sump pump (and so minimize the amount of water in your basement) is to help prevent fire. Alt-hough it seems counterintuitive at first, flooding can easily short circuit basement appliances, causing an electrical fire to break out in your home.
To have your current drainage system assessed and talk to a professional further about the benefits that a sump pump could provide to your home, call Jeff Lowe Plumbing today. We can send out a technician to discuss all of the options available and help ensure that your belong-ings, house and family stay safe, secure and dry for years to come.
