It is a catch-22. You have a sump pump to protect your home from flooding or water damage during heavy storms, but during storms the power often goes out. If your sump pump relies on electricity alone to do its job, this can leave you in a pickle. However, there are options available to ensure that even when the lights go out, your basement is staying dry while your sump pump removes the excess water from around your home. Here are a few alternatives to electricity for your sump pump.
Water-Powered Sump
There are sump pumps that use water to propel them versus electricity. Most people who use these pumps are on a city water system. However, they do use quite a bit of water and the water system must still be working. These would be best used with a backup sump pump for when the electricity goes out.
Battery-Backup
Another option to ensure your sump pump continues working during a storm is the use of a battery backup system. These systems generally use a car or marine battery to supply your sump pump energy in the case of a power outage.
Generator
Having your sump pump hooked up to a gas or diesel generator is a viable solution to ensure that your home stays dry during loss of electricity. However, sump pumps do require quite a bit of energy, drawing up to 1,800 watts when starting. It may be necessary to have a very large generator or at least one generator dedicated to your sump pump if you want to also power your home.
To explore your backup options for your sump pump, call your local sewer-septic service company to learn more about installing one of these power alternatives.
Posted on behalf of:
Kiddco Plumbing Inc
Sterling, VA
(703) 435-4441
