A sump pump is great, but you can’t get by with just one system. There are several problems that can arise, which necessitate having a backup in place. You could buy an entire second sump pump, but it’s expensive, a pain to install, and still won’t protect you against specific problems. A much better option is to invest in a battery backup sump pump.
Electrical Issues
Your regular sump pump runs on electricity. But what happens when there’s a power outage? Or if your circuit breaker gets overloaded? With no power, your sump pump will stop functioning, causing all sorts of problems. And if you have a second electrical sump pump as backup, the power outage will render it useless as well and a tremendous waste of money.
However, if you have a battery backup sump pump, it can run even when there’s no electricity running to your home. It kicks in automatically whenever your main sump pump stops working, so everything can continue running smoothly without interruption.
Clogs and Jams
Even if your sump pump doesn’t lose power, it can still stop working, for a variety of reasons. For instance, the pipes may become clogged. Water can’t flow, and the system can’t do its job. Likewise, the entire system may become jammed. The water levels get too high, and it can’t function properly. This can be a particular problem if there are floods or heavy rains in your area.
Your battery backup is designed to kick in automatically whenever your sump pump stops working, for any reason. If the pipes are clogged, waste is rerouted through the backup instead. If there’s a jam, it will be detected by the float switch, which can sense when the water level passes a certain point. Once the float switch is triggered, it activates the backup sump pump to pick up the slack.
In the case of flooding, the two pumps can even work in tandem, both pumping out the excess water, until it reaches normal levels again.
Or maybe your sump pump simply breaks down. Particularly if you’ve had it a while, it may simply stop working one day—and always at the most inopportune time. Fortunately, if that happens, your battery backup will take over and keep your plumbing running normally until you can get the original pump fixed.
Other Benefits of a Battery Backup Sump Pump
Not only is your battery backup more reliable than an electrical backup sump pump, but it’s also much less expensive. It’s also easy to install and attaches to your main pump without the need for any special tools without creating any major upheaval. What’s more, the battery is self-charging. That means, once it’s installed, it will never run out of power, and will always be ready to kick in when you need it. A battery backup for your sump pump is a great investment. It will save you money and hassle, and keep your system running at all times, no matter what problems may arise. Contact us at Benjamin Plumbing to help you install your battery backup sump pump!
