Everyone loves a good storm. Plus, it’s extra comfy to nestle down on a rainy, stormy night and go to bed to the sound of rain hitting your roof. But your sump pump might not be so pleased. As June goes along, you’ve got to ask yourself one question: is your sump pump ready for summer storms?
What Is It?
Let’s start by explaining what a sump pump is. The pump is found in the basement or in a crawlspace. It redirects any floodwater that seeps into your home. Fully functional sump pumps ensure that nothing damages your basement and the furnishings inside it – at least, not from Mother Nature anyway. It’s also useful if your washing machine is in the basement and it too starts to flood.
Why Does Maintenance Matter?
No matter what, you need to make sure that your sump pump is always in prime condition. After all, you don’t want it to fail when a storm floods your basement or damages the rest of your home, including its foundations. Take a minute to imagine this, if you will – you have a leaking faucet or pipe, or maybe a leaky toilet. It’s easy enough to solve that problem. All you need to do is to turn the shut-off valve. Sadly, you can’t stop the rain whenever you want. That’s why maintaining your sump pump is so important.
How to Keep It Running
First of all, make sure that the sump pump works as you expect it to. You’ll have to go down into the basement to look for it. Pour a bucket of water into the pit where the pump is situated. Now let’s suppose that the pump doesn’t start working automatically. Alternatively, imagine that it works slowly. These are both warning signs that something is wrong and you need an inspection to happen as soon as possible.
Back-Up Power
You can also give it a secondary power source. That’s because even though most pumps feed on electricity, the next summer storm could knock your power out. Then what? Battery power is the difference-maker.
All of Your Plumbing Needs from Master Plumbing
Give Master Plumbing a call at (301) 650-9100 or contact us online to get more information on how our expert plumbers can help you with your dripping faucet (or just about anything else plumbing related!). We have received Angie’s List Super Service Award recognition for plumbing and drain cleaning every year since 2007, in addition to the Best Plumber award from Best of Bethesda. We are fully licensed, bonded, and insured and our service is unparalleled. Give us a call today—you won’t regret it! To see examples of our projects, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.