Essential Plumbing Fixtures: The Sump Pump

You may have heard of a sump pump before, but do you know what it does?

If you’re a homeowner, this essential plumbing fixture is something to pay attention to, because it can save your home.

As Philadelphia plumbers, we’ve seen all kinds of disasters, and a flooded basement is one of the worst of them all.

But you can avoid having to make that emergency call by keeping your sump pump in good working order.

Read on below to see what you can do to avoid this happening to you.

What Are Sump Pumps?

A sump pump is a plumbing fixture in the basement your home, often near your water heater.

It’s placed into a pit dug into the floor, and it has a pipe that leads outside your house.

Quite simply, here’s what it does: if water seeps into your home, or you have an issue with some flooding, it will catch and pump the water back outside.

Often times, sump pumps are tied into a weeping tile system, so that any water trying to enter your home through cracks or seepage is captured and routed to the sump.

Once water starts to fill the container, it triggers the pump to engage.

Normally these are wired into your electrical system, but in reality you will want one that also has a battery backup system, in case of power failure.

Should Every Home In Philadelphia Have A Sump Pump?

If you have a home with a basement, it’s a good idea to make sure you have a sump pump.

Many insurance companies will require one, or alternately may give you a discount on your rates if you have one installed.

The reason for a sump pump’s importance is because they prevent water damage, which is an extremely costly type of damage to a home (and can be an expensive insurance claim).

Water, once inside, can seep into your drywall, your framing, your carpeting, and much more.

It can cause mold to grow – especially black mold, which is hazardous to human health, attacking your lungs.

Once mold has taken hold – perhaps in your walls – it can also be very hard to get rid of.

Usually the only way to rid your home of mold is to cut out the drywall and the studs, remove the carpeting or flooring, and then wash and spray down the foundations with a chemical to prevent it growing back.

Doesn’t sound like a fun time, does it?

Do You Have A Sump Pump?

If you don’t have a sump pump, give us a call to find out more – it’s probably not as expensive as you think.

It’s certainly less expensive than a flood.

It will also be less expensive than your home insurance rates going up after you’ve had a water damage claim.

Keep in mind, as well, that with climate change, we are seeing an increase in extreme weather, and these are a leading cause of water damage claims.

Once you have your sump pump installed, it should give you tremendous peace of mind.

How To Tell If Your Sump Pump Is Working

If you do have a sump pump, then you’re already one step ahead.

However, it does need regular checking to ensure it’s ready to work properly in the event of emergency.

You certainly don’t want to discover it’s not working on the day you need it to kick in and save your basement.

Consider adding that to your monthly home maintenance checklist – and run it for a minute at the same time as you clean your furnace filters.

This way, if you do discover it’s not running as expected, you can give your trusty plumber a call and have him repair any damage or issues before the next downpour or seasonal melt.

Call Philly Plumbing Pros Today

Speaking of trusty plumbers, that’s where we come in.

Our customers rely on us to help them out at a moment’s notice when they have an emergency, but also for their regular maintenance and service calls.

We’ve been proudly serving Philadelphia for years, and we stand by our quality service, our estimates, and our customer care.

Call now to book a sump pump checkup with Philly Plumbing Pros, and we’ll help you avoid having costly emergencies such as flooding.