No one gives much thought to their sump pump, until it breaks. Then, one day they are standing on the basement steps, looking across a field of water and wondering if there's any hope of saving the pool table. While the sump pump is not something that your friends will ever see, and you hope that you never have to see it either, it is a vital piece of equipment. It is important that you use the highest quality pump you can and give yourself the additional protection of a battery operated backup.
Experienced plumbers are accustomed to calls from panicked customers who need their basements pumped out, and the sump pump replaced or fixed. When basements are constructed in an area with a high water table, this is bound to happen. The water table is the point in the ground at which lower levels of ground are saturated with water. Think of it this way, how deep do you have to dig in your yard before the hole fills with water?
When that hole fills with water, you've found your water table. In some areas you don't have to dig very deep to find it. When you put part of a home below that water table, it is inevitable that water will find its way in to those lower areas. It can seep in through cinder block walls as well as up through the basement floors.
Water can be combated by recognizing that you will never beat it, but you can redirect it because water will take the easiest route. This is where sump pumps come in. Homes in areas that are prone to flooding, or have high water tables, are constructed so that the water is directed to a certain spot. There it can collect and then be pumped out via the sump pump.
Now, imagine for a moment what happens if that sump pump should fail. The water that is collecting has nowhere to go and will simply continue to increase until it equalizes with the water pressure outside. Essentially, the water level inside your basement will increase until it is at the same point as the water outside your basement. This is why it's vital that you choose the proper pump.
Pedestal pumps have the motor raised on a pedestal, so the motor cannot get wet. Submersible pumps are designed with sealed motors so that the entire unit can be under water. Most plumbers familiar with the water table challenges in your area will recommend submersible sump pumps. Pumps will also move the water out at different rates depending on the horsepower that they offer.
Plumbing contractors recommend heavy duty sump pumps that offer more horsepower as they can move the water out more quickly. This is especially important during the spring rains. The more powerful your sump pump is, the less likely it is to be overwhelmed by water coming in faster than it can pump it out. Spend the extra money and get the battery backup.
Sump pumps are electrical appliances. Loss of power during a severe thunderstorm is the perfect recipe for a flooded basement. And many insurance companies will not cover flood damage that occurs due to sump pump failure unless there is a special rider on the policy. When you have the battery backup, you won't have to worry about your basement flooding the next time the lights go out. When you choose a reputable, knowledgeable contractor to install your sump pump, you won't have to worry about losing the pool table.