Leave your home
high and dry this rainy season
The basement is
the jewel of every home that provides valuable and in most
cases, much-need living space such as recreational hideaways,
home theaters, luxury offices, or workshop areas. Many
homeowners will tell you that their jewel contains a flaw due to
the constant threat and/or occurrence of residential flooding
during the fall and spring seasons.
Homeowners typically pump thousands of dollars into interior
renovations over time never addressing flood control issues.
There are many reasons for this but one reason in particular is
the lack of knowledge or education about exactly how to protect
your basement from costly flooding. Homeowners, especially “new
construction” homeowners just assume that the pump, which came
with the home, is sufficient to prevent a flood. Well, many
homeowners find out after the first flood that they were wrong.
Flooding Causes
and Consequences
Basement flooding is unfortunately a common occurrence with
devastating effects. Frequent floods can lead to long-term
structural damage that insurance may not cover, an increase in
homeowner’s insurance rates or deductibles with repeated claims
and depreciation in property values with basements that are
prone to repeated floods.
Basements are most likely to flood during periods of heavy rainfall
or when snow rapidly melts during a spring thaw. Water can enter
your basement for a number of reasons that include poor lot
drainage, a leak in your foundation walls, or a blocked
connection between your home and the main sewer.
The number one reason why basements flood is due to the failure of
a sump pump. A sump pump failure is not a matter of if, but a
matter of when. There are many causes of sump pump failures, the
most common being switch failure. Others causes of pump failure
include poor lot drainage causing high water intake adding
excess wear and tear to the pump, a lack of required pumping
capacity and power outages.
Purchasing the
Right Sump Pump
When buying a sump
pump, some builders and homeowners will go with lesser quality
to keep costs low. Typically, these types of pumps usually have
lower pumping capacities. The best practice is always purchase a
heavy-duty sump pump from a plumbing supply house or plumber who
sells pumps with long-standing reputations of performance,
quality construction, reliable switches, better overall
dependability and service capabilities in case an emergency
arises. Products sold through the professional trade channels
have local representatives and service available across the
U.S.
Battery Back-Up
Systems and High Water Alarms
 A
critical component to the successful operation of your sump pump
is the availability of electricity. Your sump pump is only as
good as the power supplying its operation. During a storm, high
winds and falling trees account for much of the power loss
suffered once or twice a year in any given community. When the
power fails, your sump pump is non-existent, opening the door to
potential flooding.
Many homeowners invest in battery back-up systems such as the
Sumpro by Metropolitan Industries, Inc., which provide the much
needed 10-20 hour window of emergency power that operates your
pumps in the event of an outage. 10-20 hours of standby power is
usually enough time for power officials to restore energy.
After purchasing a battery back-up system, it is highly important
that you maintain the system three to four times a year by
adding distilled water to the batteries, if needed. This ensures
proper and dependable operation when you need it the most.
At minimum, you should install a high-water alarm to alert the
homeowner to potential pump problems if a battery back up system
is not used. Combining both a high-water alarm and a battery
back up system is the ideal and optimum strategy in any flood
control application, each watching over the other during
operation.
Use Caution when
Purchasing a back-up system
Some back up
systems sold claim to power your sump pump in the event of an
outage for up to 7.5 hours of continuous operation. After
certified testing of these systems by plumbing professionals,
results show that some last around 2.5 hours; not nearly, enough
time for power companies to access and fix a power outage. To
avoid buying back-up systems that are unreliable, consult the
manufacturer and request certified test results for the system.
Make an informed and educated decision based on certified test
results.
Many plumbing supply houses sell reputable battery back-up systems
that are certified and even U.L. listed. Again, purchasing flood
protection equipment through a plumbing supply house or plumber
ensures proper warranty, service guarantees and performance.
This is one area were you really do get what you pay for. Watch
out for insufficient charging units and most bilge-type pumps
Two Pumps are
Better than One
Given the extravagance and
elegance of many remodeled basements, it’s recommended by
plumbing professionals that homeowners utilize not one but two
pumps in case of an emergency. The second pump serves as a back
up if the first pump malfunctions for any number of reasons.
When purchasing a back-up pump, buy one with the capability to
operate on either AC or DC power.
When the primary pump fails, the secondary pump will run off
standard power indefinitely without depleting the battery until
repairing or replacement of the primary sump pump.
When sizing a secondary pump, homeowners should only purchase a
pump that meets or exceeds the performance of the primary pump.
The performance of a typical 1/3 HP primary pump is around 2400
Gallons per hour and a 1/2 HP is 3000 GPH but consult your
owners manual for exact pump performance. Take note if
the primary pump is active in normal conditions, because you may
want to achieve an even greater secondary pumping capacity to
account for the additional water intake during heavy rainfalls.
During installation of a secondary pump, it is important to install
a secondary or separate discharge pipe to ensure proper
operation. The discharge pipe should end far enough from base of
the house so that water runs away from the foundation.
Discharging into 4’’ corrugated piping buried below grade will
aid in guiding the water away from the house. (See Diagram)
Homeowners should exercise the back-up pump during long idle
periods by unplugging primary pump and pouring a large bucket of
water into the sump pit. Also, check piping inside and out to
remove any obstacles that may hinder performance. This ensures
proper and dependable operation when homeowners need it the
most.
Conclusion
The threat of
residential flooding is always possible given basements are
below grade however if you take the proper steps and follow a
few best practices, chances of flooding will decrease
considerably. The cost of installing state-of-the-art flood
equipment is nominal compared to most cosmetic interior
upgrades. Remember to purchase reputable equipment from a
plumbing supply house or plumber, install a battery back-up
system with high water alarm and utilize not one but two pumps
with separate discharges leading away from the foundation. (See
Diagrams).
For more information or questions about home flood protection,
contact David Miller, flood control specialist, at
dmiller@metropolitanind.com
or 800-323-1665.
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