Right now, think about ANYTHING and EVERYTHING of value in your basement.

Now imagine if it was all underwater. Electronics would short out, mold would grow, and you’d be miserable. This isn’t just a hypothetical scenario. If you have a sump pump it WILL fail at some point during your lifetime.

With winter coming to an end and the rainy season about to start, you need to start thinking about ensuring your basements stays dry. Read on to learn about the three most common causes of failed sump pumps, while learning about the technological advancements that keep your basement dry.

3 Failed Sump Pump Causes

The average sump pump can remove about 2,000 gallons of water per hour. That’s about half of a modest above-ground pool. Even a few hours without crucial water pumping can cause a creek to flow through basement.

These are the three most common reasons behind failed sump pumps:

Power Failure

If this is the case, your pump works effectively…when the electricity is on. When you have a sump pump, a simple power outage can mean thousands of dollars in damage.

Undersized for the Job

The amount of water you need removed from around your house’s foundation— per hour — determines your sump pump needs. DIY installation most often results in an undersized pump.

If your pump is too small to handle the amount of water, you’ll run into trouble – in more ways than one. First of all, if the demand exceeds the sump pump’s capacity, you’ll suffer from small, frequent leaks. Secondly, a small pump will work harder than the right sized one. That constant extra labor takes a toll.

Remember, all pumps will break down. An overworked one will simply fail sooner.

Age

Sump pumps are rated to last between 3 and 20 years — a huge range. An old sump pump is at a greater risk for failure. When a sump pump gets too old, it fails, simple as that. That failure often occurs without warning, letting loose a small river. There’s no escaping this one.

Benjamin Franklin Plumbing Sump Pump Solutions

When Benjamin Franklin Plumbing® of Mount Airy installs your pump, you get protection from power outages and being undersized for the job at hand. While we can’t keep a sump pump alive forever, we can ensure you have plenty of warning. We offer models with these features:

Battery Backup

Benjamin Franklin Plumbing® of Mount Airy sump pumps come equipped with battery backups. Switching on automatically when the power is cut, you get an additional 6 to 12 hours of protection.

Combination Pumps

You’ll appreciate that our combination pumping systems features both a primary and secondary pump. The second pump kicks in only when the system detects it is necessary. All you need to know is that you’ll be covered no matter what.

Sump Pump Failure Alarm

Our sump pump’s alarm system detects a malfunction and warns you. You don’t need to be within earshot though. You’ll always be informed as our Wi-Fi enabled alarms systems can even send a report or alarm straight to your phone. If your pump is failing, give us a call ASAP.

Sump Pump: wrap-up

We promise a flooded basement is one of the very last thing you want to experience. Your sump pump fights everyday to keep that from happening.

Remember your sump pump will fail. But when you have Benjamin Franklin Plumbing® of Mount Airy install or replace your pump, you get state-of-the-art protection from all three common causes of a failed sump pump and the disaster that follows.