Hello,
As the master plumber at Universal Plumbing and Sewer, I often get calls late at night or early in the morning with a husband yelling in the background while the wife is on the phone trying to communicate their disaster. She’s often crying over family heirlooms and old pictures that are destroyed. The situation is always the same, water up to their ankles, ruined furnace, and last year's newly purchased water heater needs to be replaced again. The carpet is ruined, paneling and drywall destroyed. That sweet bar made for the man cave is all soggy and will soon be invaded by mildew.
The real kicker is you probably don't have flood insurance; after all, you live in the Michigan tri-county area, and we don't flood much. At least that’s what your insurance company will tell you. I have found most of the time, and floods are caused because the homeowner wanted to save a few dollars. The average sump pump can last three to ten years. Trying to save money by not getting flood insurance and then trying to save money by not replacing a working sump pump that’s only manufactured to last 3 years can be a recipe for disaster. Customers often think, “why to replace it when it’s working now?”. The question is. The first sign of failure is often that it’s not working. As soon as the power goes out or the pump float gets stuck, or the motor goes bad, it will stop removing stormwater from your basement. Once that happens, the water will find its way through floor drains, walls, and cracks.
The good news is that Homeowners can avoid the whole situation. Preventative maintenance, premium pumps, backup systems, and alarms can go a long way in preventing this disaster. Thousands of dollars and priceless heirlooms can be saved by following these simple steps.
#1 Replace Standard Sump Pumps Every Three to Five Years
Why wait until it breaks and becomes an emergency. Often the cost of one emergency service call would cover ½ the cost to replace it now. Plus, by scheduling the pump's regular maintenance, you will avoid bailing your basement in the middle of the night or on holiday. At Universal Plumbing And Sewer, Inc., all of our trucks are fully stocked with standard pumps with a 3-year warranty as well as our premium Zollers M63. The M63 has a 5-year warranty and provides a longer switch life. The green LED plug shows the homeowner that the pump is getting power. These premium pumps aren’t much more in cost and save the homeowner time and money.
#2 Install Backup Sump Pump System.
There are primarily two types of backup sump pump systems. They have come a long way over the years with new technology, making them very reliable. At Universal Plumbing And Sewer, we stock the Liberty water-powered backup. It is the same one I have at my house. Where I live, we lose power a few times a year, and it has saved me many times. The water-powered backup pumps are more efficient than they used to be, draining 2 gallons of water for each 1 gallon used. If your home loses power or your primary pump fails, the water-powered backup pump will kick on automatically and continue to remove water from your sump pit. These are not long-term solutions because it does take a gallon of water to remove 2 gallons of water from the pit. The reason I prefer the water pump is it relies on your water pressure. This means it will continue to work through any power outage, and it will shut off automatically when power is restored, and your primary pump is working properly again. It does work off your home’s natural water pressure. Therefore, a water-powered backup system can not use it if your home is on a well. Another great option that to can use to keep your basement dry is a battery backup if you have a well. The battery backup requires a marine battery and is just as efficient at removing the water.
#3 Sump Pump Alarm System
Technology has produced a wide range of sump pump alarm systems. There are basic, simple alarms that make a loud noise to alert the homeowner of a higher than the normal water level and high-end alarms that send out text messages and emails. We stock various alarms and help you decide on one that is the best for you. The best choice is often based on how often you travel away from home, whether the basement is finished, and a few other factors. Depending on your choices, these alarms can monitor your home's temperature, carbon dioxide, and many other important home health indicators.
#4 Properly Store Valuables
Any valuables you store in a basement should be stored in waterproof bins on shelves at least three feet off the ground. At our house, we use the basement as storage now that the kids are getting bigger. What once was a place to make a cool fort is now a place where we dump our junk cause we can't part with it yet. The problem is we mean to get it later but later never comes, and then it's too late. So if you are like me, it’s a good idea to buy or make shelving to hold all those cool things that have value on a shelf.
#5 Flood Insurance
It's worth it. Flood insurance could save you thousands in replacement of your finished basement and your appliances. Being prepared will drastically lower your chances of needing the insurance. But if ever something does go wrong, it always gives me peace of mind knowing it can all be replaced if needed. It is a great idea to include sewage backups in your plan as well.
As experts in our field give, we would love to provide you with an education and options to protect your basement. Give us a call anytime to schedule an appointment. Hope you have a safe, dry spring.
Yours Truly,
Les Nelson