Checkup and Maintenance Your Sump Pump Before Basement flooding

Basement flooding is a lot of things - and all of them bad. It's expensive. It can be dangerous if it's not dealt with immediately. And, it causes stress - a lot of stress.

Especially if the basement is finished. Wet insulation, wet sheetrock and humidity can cause mold and mildew, which can cause serious illness. Wet framing is a concern because it can cause structural damage that can greatly increase plumbing repair bills, sometimes by thousands of dollars.

The best way to avoid large plumbing service bills that are a result of flooding is to prevent the problem in the first place through preventive checkup and maintenance. A sump pump should help keep normal amounts of rainfall from building up in the basement. In fact, though, most flooded basements are due to sump pumps that have failed or otherwise can't handle the amount and flow of water. Mister Plumber insures there will always be a back-up pump available. As long as the sump pump tank has an opening in the lid, the sump pump will act like a floor drain and keep the water from rising, unless there's something wrong with the sump pump.

In fact, most flooded basements are due to faulty sump pumps. Yes, power outages sometimes contribute to flooding, but the majority of basement flooding is caused by sump pumps that have failed or otherwise can't handle the amount and flow of water.

Basement flooding is preventable

To take action toward prevention, thereby avoiding plumbing repairs and bills, it is a good idea to keep handy this list of things that can disable a sump pump:

 

* Tripped circuit breaker: If too many appliances are connected to one circuit, there's a risk of tripping the electrical circuit breaker. Use one circuit for just the sump pump. And, make sure to protect the outlet with a ground fault interrupter.

* Faulty switch: The sump pump's switch might be stuck against the side of the basin. Or, debris might be caught in the switch. Be sure to inspect the switch to make sure it's connected and free of material that can clog it.

* Frozen drainage pipe: Those who live in a cold climate should check the drainage pipe located outside their home because it might be frozen. Installing a stop that redirects the drainage so water exits the house before reaching the frozen pipe should prevent problems.

* Clogged screen: Sump pumps have a small screen the water flows through. If the screen is clogged, the water won't flow through properly and the basement could flood.

Also, it is a very good idea to install a quiet check valve - just in the interest of keeping the house quiet. Though it doesn't indicate a malfunction in your sump pump and therefore doesn't require a plumbing service call, the water hammering noise sump pumps produce can be very annoying.

Basement flooding can be very expensive, and it certainly is a very big headache. It is also preventable. Being proactive by knowing what problems to look for in sump pumps currently in use and by becoming educated about alternative systems with backup systems is advisable.

If you are still looking for trusted plumber, Mister Plumber in Toronto, Etobicoke, Scarborough, North York specializing sewer repair, upgrade waterline, water service upgrade, drain cleaning, backwater valve installation, lead pipe replacement, re-piping and emergency plumbing, Mister Plumber uses the latest technology to effectively troubleshoot and quickly repair any plumbing problem and offers a fast response and free estimates.

More Info: www.misterplumber.ca 

Reliable and Trustworthy Plumbing services.

Call a fully-licensed, bonded and insured Toronto plumber at 416 939 1530

Sump Pumps: How they work and Sump Pump Backups

The word “sump” refers to the lowest point, which in a house is the watery pit in the basement where the pump is placed. The water level you see in the sump well represents the groundwater level around your Toronto house. When the level rises to the point set by the sensor, the pump is activated and works until the level drops below the sensor line.

There are two types of sump pumps – pedestal and submersible. A pedestal pump sits on a pedestal outside of the water collection well with a sensor dropped into the water. The submersible sump pump is self-contained and is designed to float in the water pit. A submersible pump can be expected to last anywhere from five to 15 years, while pedestal models may last twice as long.

Sump pump backups

Despite your sump pump's determination, it is still a mechanical device that will eventually break down. Even more likely, it is dependent on electricity, which could suddenly be unavailable during a storm.

There are several things you can to to protect your pump and your home in case of emergencies:

Get a battery-powered backup:

If there is a power outage or your regular pump malfunctions, the backup sump pump would kick into action – assuming you have kept its batteries charged.

Have your pump checked:

Toronto Plumbers recommend that sump pumps be inspected and serviced twice a year.

Check your insurance:

Talk to your agent about your existing coverage for basement flood damage. Many policies will cover losses if the sump pump fails mechanically but not in the event of a power outage. If you're willing to pay a slightly higher premium, you can usually increase your coverage.

Where the water goes

Sump pump water is ground water, so it should not be routed into sanitary sewers. However, many homes built as recently as the 1970s do just that. Not only is this wasteful - because it puts more water than necessary into your town's wastewater treatment plant - but it increases your risk of raw sewage backup into your Toronto home.

As your main drain ages, encroaching tree roots and other blockages gradually reduce the volume of water that can travel through the pipe at any given time. You may not notice this just flushing toilets or even running the washing machine, but a sump pump produces a much higher volume of water that rushes into your sewer in a constant flow that lasts as long as the pump's cycle of activity.

If the sewer drain can't handle that volume, there's nowhere else for the excess water to go except up out of your toilets and floor drains - and now the sump water has been mixed in with sewage.

Re-routing the discharge

Disconnecting the sump pump drain from the sanitary sewer drain is an easy task for a Mister Plumber, but the greater challenge may be in finding a new direction.

If your Toronto home is close to a drainage ditch or storm sewer drain, it's an easy decision. Don't assume you can just route the water outside like a downspout and let it soak into the ground. Environmentally, that's fine, but you'll be surprised just how much water your sump pump produces each time it kicks on. You could end up creating a swamp in your back yard and make your pump work harder, because the expelled water will just seep back in.

Just as collecting rain water can be an alternative source for garden and lawn water, so too can sump pump water. But at a rate of 30 to 50 gallons per minute, your sump pump could fill up several rain barrels in a very short amount of time. And as with rain barrels, the water is produced when you don't need it.

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If you are still looking for trusted plumber, Mister Plumber in Toronto, Etobicoke, Scarborough, North York specializing sewer repair, upgrade waterline, water service upgrade, drain cleaning, backwater valve installation, lead pipe replacement, re-piping and emergency plumbing, Mister Plumber uses the latest technology to effectively troubleshoot and quickly repair any plumbing problem and offers a fast response and free estimates.

More Info: www.misterplumber.ca 

Reliable and Trustworthy Plumbing services.

Call a fully-licensed, bonded and insured Toronto plumber at 416 939 1530