If you want to protect your investment, installing a sump pump is a smart choice, as these devices help prevent flooding and water damage in homes and businesses. Here, Arrow Sewer & Drain further explains what a sump pump is, including interior and exterior types, and the reasons for having a sump pump installation in a home or business.
Interior Sump Pumps Explained
A sump pump takes excess water from a sump pit, a hole deep in a basement or crawl space, and pushes it away from a building. The appropriate size for one depends on the basement’s unique configuration and water table depth, as well as how large the space’s drainage area is. By removing rain, snowmelt, or excess groundwater, this device can help reduce water damage impact.
Sump pumps have a float switch or pressure sensor, which detects when the water level in the pit reaches a certain point, triggering the pump to turn on. When sensing that the water level is rising, the pump forces it into a discharge pipe, carrying it away from a structure’s foundation. These pipes include a check valve, which helps to keep water from flowing back into a sump pit when a machine isn’t running. Anyone with a sump pump should also have a battery or water-powered backup, ensuring it can redirect water during power outages.
What Are Exterior Sump Pumps?
An exterior sump pump differs from an interior model in several ways. Instead of being in a basement or crawl space, these sump pumps are placed outside a building, usually along the foundation. While interior pumps work to drive water out, exterior ones are meant to prevent water from entering.
Contractors may recommend this type of sump pump in areas with a high water table. Although installing one tends to be more expensive than interior pumps, blocking water can further reduce foundational impacts, making it a worthwhile investment. Exterior sump pumps may also help lower hydrostatic pressure, which can help prevent damage to a basement’s foundation.
Reasons to Have a Sump Pump
Whether you need an interior or exterior sump pump, equipping your property can help maintain its condition in several ways. Some of the benefits of a sump pump for a residential or commercial setting include:
- Better indoor air quality: A sump pump drives water away from a building, keeping the humidity level lower and creating a comfortable and healthy space.
- Foundation protection: Over a prolonged period, water that puddles around a home or business can eventually lead to cracking and other structural damage.
- Protection of possessions: Sump pumps can give you peace of mind by allowing you to store items safely in your basement.
- Less chance of needed repairs: If a building has a sump pump, property owners may not have to pay for additional procedures, such as crawl space encapsulation or mold remediation.
- Reduced mildew or mold growth: These harmful substances require damp conditions to form, which sump pumps help prevent.
- Lowered flooding risks: Once a sump pump senses a rising water level, it takes action to reduce potential flooding.
- Pest infestation prevention: By helping to keep water out of a basement or crawl space, a sump pump can prevent annoying insects like termites from causing structural issues.
- Potential property value increase: A commercial or residential space with a sump pump may look favorable to buyers, as it works to preserve the foundation and reduce flood risk.
- Reduced heating costs: Effective building drainage takes the pressure off a heating system to keep basements or crawl spaces dry.
Protect Your Building With a Sump Pump
Now that you know what a sump pump is, consider having a professional put one in to keep your property safe. When it comes to sump pump installation, trust the experienced professionals at Arrow Sewer & Drain in Middlesex, New Jersey. We proudly serve our North and Central New Jersey customers by helping to preserve their homes and businesses with basement waterproofing. Along with installing sump pumps, we perform other sewer and drain services for both homes and businesses. Contact us today to learn more about our work with sump pumps or for more information about our other services.
