What on Earth is a Sump Pump?

What on Earth is a Sump Pump?

The sump pump is an essential feature of many homes and most people have no idea what the heck it is. It’s a small pump that removes excess water from the basement usually using a drain system. It’s what keeps your basement from flooding during heavy storms. This tiny piece of basement waterproofing prevents thousands of dollars of damage, dangerous mold infestations, and damage to your home’s foundation.

Two Types of Sump Pumps

There are two kinds of sump pumps. They can be either partway underground or above ground on a small pedestal. If underground, the sump pump sits in a ‘sump pit.’ This is a shallow hole with a gravel base. The hole’s walls and floor are usually concrete and not earth because debris can get into the pump and clog or break it.

How a Sump Pump Saves Your Basement

There are different types of sump pumps, but most work in a similar way. They use an impeller, which is a device with fan blades, to push water up using centrifugal force to a vertical pipe. This vertical pipe is connected to a drainage pipe which leads the water away from the home’s foundation.

Sump Pump Troubles

Sump pumps work well most of the time, but not always. The biggest problem is that the pump can lose power. You need a sump pump most when there’s a serious storm raging outside, but this is also when you get power outages. If the sump pump’s power goes, you could have a flood on your hands.