Moving into your first home is exciting; however, the transition between renting and ownership means having to take care of your own maintenance. One part of owning a home that most first-time homeowners may not know about at first is the function of a sump pump. However, if you ever need water damage services, you’re likely to become familiar with sump pumps quickly.
Sump pumps are pumps installed in basements or crawlspaces to keep the home from flooding. These pumps need to be in the lowest point of the home and installed inside of a sump pit. Water flowing underground or seeping into the soil during torrential downpours or flooding will be pumped away from the home to prevent water from entering the basement or crawlspace.
Do I Need A Sump Pump?
Sump pumps are required to be in homes due to the U.S. Federal Clean Water Act of 1987. If your home was built before 1987, you should check to ensure there is a sump pump in the basement.
Does the Sump Pump Work Automatically?
Automatic sump pumps do not run continuously; however, homeowners don’t need to do anything to activate them. A float activator arm acts as a pressure sensor to turn on the pump. The mechanism looks similar to what you’ll see inside of your toilet tank. When the float activator is not working correctly, your sump pump can fail and cause basement flooding. Luckily, water damage services are available to help you correct the situation. There are two types of automatic sump pumps—submersible and pedestal. Water damage services can help you decide which is best for your home.
Manual sump pumps are also available and great to be used in case of emergency when your automatic sump pump fails, and you need a backup. Manual sump pumps aren’t as convenient as automatic but work the same way.
Water damage services are ready to assist you when your sump pump fails and your basement floods. Calling the professionals is the best way to ensure that flooding from groundwater is cleaned up the safest way possible.
If you’ve had a sump pump failure, call ServiceMaster of Pittsburgh at 412-314-3832.