What is a Sump Pump and How Does it Work?
What is a Sump Pump and How Does it Work?
If you have a flooded basement, it’s important to act fast so you can remedy the situation as quickly as possible. However, once the water has dried, you should also think about how you can work to prevent this from happening again in the future. At Action 1 Restoration, we recommend homeowners have a sump pump installed as a preventative solution for basement flooding. Since most homeowners who have basements are likely to deal with flooding at some point, this is an important tool in mitigating water damage and avoiding a disaster.
Sump pumps are submersible pumps that are installed inside of sump pits at the lowest part of a basement. They work quickly to remove water that can be common in basements, whether from leaking or flooding. By draining and directing the water to an area away from your home’s foundation, this ensures water damage can be prevented and your basement can stay dry no matter what’s going on with the weather, or your plumbing.
Although common in new construction homes, especially in areas that are at an increased risk of flooding, sump pumps aren’t always found in older homes with basements. However, this has changed in recent years as homeowners have become more proactive in preventative maintenance. More sump pumps are now being installed in older homes in order to prevent the stress and damage that a flooded basement can create.
To better understand what you can expect from one of these machines, it’s important to learn a few details about the mechanics of how they work. Sump pumps are generally placed inside of sump pits. These are holes with gravel bases that are situated in the lowest part of the basement. Connected to this machine is a pipe that extends outside of the home so that water can be drained away from the foundation of the home. This same pipe is equipped with a check valve that prevents any outside water from coming back inside and filling the pit back up.
Once the pressure sensor inside of the machine detects water, the pump will turn on and begin taking water out of the pit. However, some sump pumps are not automatic and must be manually operated by the homeowner. There are also two different types of sump pump designs, including a submersible pump, which has a waterproof encasing so it can stay inside the sump pit at the bottom. The other is a pedestal sump pump, which will sit at the top of a sump pit to avoid getting wet.