About 29% of all of the properties here in Navarre, FL, have a greater than one-in-four chance of experiencing severe flood damage within the next 30 years. That sobering statistic should be enough to get your attention if you own a home here. It means that the time you have to flood-proof your home may already be running out. There is one kind of flood protection that you can and should add to your home right away: a sump pump. Sump pumps provide a critical first line of defense against flooding inside your home. Here is everything you need to know about sump pumps and how they can protect your home from flooding.
What Is a Sump Pump?
If your home doesn’t already have one or you’ve never heard of them, a sump pump is a device whose job is to remove water from your basement before it can flood. Their name comes from their place of installation, which is a hole in your basement’s floor and the pit beneath it, known as a sump. A sump is typically located at the lowest point of your home, and it goes deep enough to act as a collection point for water coming from oversaturated soil. The point is to give the excess water somewhere to go before it can rise above your basement floor’s level and flood your home.
During periods of heavy rain, it may not take long for your home’s sump to fill with water to its maximum capacity. That’s where a sump pump comes in. It is an electric pump with an attached float that detects the presence of water or a sensor to detect water pressure. It also features a drain line that runs approximately 10 to 20 feet away from your home’s foundation. When the sump fills with water, the sump pump activates automatically to drain the water and pump it safely away from your home.
Types of Sump Pumps
Generally speaking, there are two types of sump pumps available today. Both do the same job and can protect your home from flooding during heavy rainfall or other precipitation events.
Pedestal Sump Pumps
A pedestal sump pump sits atop a sump’s cover, with components and pipes that reach down into the sump to enable the detection of and removal of water. For many years, pedestal sump pumps were the most common type due to their relatively simple design and their reliability. However, they are fairly noisy and can overheat if your home’s basement isn’t cold enough to facilitate ambient cooling. Plus, pedestal sump pumps can’t remove debris from your sump, should any make its way inside. Today, pedestal sump pumps are less popular but still useful in homes with undersized sumps. They maximize the available sump capacity by avoiding unnecessary water displacement.
Submersible Sump Pumps
The other available type of sump pump is a submersible sump pump. They sit at or near the bottom of a sump and only operate once submerged in water. Submersible sump pumps typically feature high motor horsepower and work well at removing water over long distances or on an incline. Plus, they can remove debris from the inside of your sump and keep it clear at all times. They also don’t overheat as often since they can use the very water they’re pumping as a cooling medium. Operating underwater also makes them quieter, too. However, submersible sump pumps displace some water, and that leaves less room in your sump. That’s why you’ll typically find submersible sump pumps inside large sumps where the loss of capacity isn’t as big an issue.
The Benefits of Having a Sump Pump
The most obvious benefit of having a sump pump in your home is that it can spare your home from water damage and flooding. Under normal circumstances, a sump pump keeps a water leak in your basement under control and draining. However, they also come in handy during larger flooding events, when water may enter your basement from street level. While a sump pump can’t prevent the water’s entry into your basement in those cases, it can minimize the damage it causes. Since the sump sits at the lowest part of your home’s basement, even water coming from street level will make its way there so the pump can remove it from your home.
Sump pumps also help protect your home from mold and mildew growth. By removing excess water from under and around your home’s foundation, a sump pump can make your basement less humid than it otherwise would be. Since mold and mildew thrive in dark, damp conditions, sump pumps inhibit their growth by depriving them of those conditions in your home.
Can You Install a Sump Pump Yourself?
At this point, you may be wondering if you can tackle the job of installing a sump pump yourself. And while a homeowner with enough plumbing and electrical experience might be able to do it, it’s not advisable. A sump pump is an electrical device that operates with or in water. Only a licensed and experienced electrician should handle the wiring of a sump pump. Only a qualified plumber like those on staff at Paradise Home Services should handle the actual pump installation and required drainage connections. Besides the safety issues, there’s also a matter of ensuring reliable sump pump operation. Since you’ll be relying on your sump pump to work automatically when necessary, you don’t want to risk a malfunction due to shoddy installation. The same thing goes for sump pump repairs and replacements when necessary.
How Long Do Sump Pumps Last?
Finally, you may want to know how long a new sump pump should last if you have one installed. On average, you can expect a sump pump to last for about 10 years after installation. If you keep on top of regular maintenance for your sump pump, it may last much longer than that. Sump pumps routinely last longer than that if they’re not active often or for very long.
It’s worth pointing out, though, that some sump pump components may need replacement during the lifetime of the pump itself. For example, if you choose to add a battery backup system to your sump pump, you can expect it to last for between 3 and 5 years before needing replacement. A battery backup is an excellent option for sump pumps in Navarre homes, especially since we frequently experience power failures during storms.
Your Local Sump Pump Experts
If you need a sump pump installed in your Navarre home, Paradise Home Services can help. Our master plumbers can help you select the right sump pump and related components for your home’s drainage needs. They can also install a sump pump with minimum disruption to you and others in your home. That’s just one of the comprehensive residential plumbing services we offer. Plus, we provide expert HVAC installation, maintenance, repair, air quality, and ductwork services. As a company with an A+ Better Business Bureau rating, you can count on us to provide the highest-quality workmanship and customer care.
So, if you need a sump pump in Navarre, call our team at Paradise Home Services in Navarre or Panama City Beach today.
