Water Damage Long Island 101: Don’t be a Chump, Get a Sump Pump

Nobody ever plans for water damage nor do they have an emergency fund set aside in the event flood water enters the home. Water damage is a sneaky culprit; it can find its way into your house through a series of roof leaks or a pipe burst in your walls can wreak havoc. To top that off a bad storm can even flood your crawl space and basement. For the latter, investing in a sump pump would be a practical way to help keep water from destroying your home’s foundation or causing structural problems in your basement walls. Sump pumps may even prevent you from having to call a water damage restoration technician or file a claim with your homeowner’s insurance!

How do Sump Pumps Work?

Sump pumps work through the process of natural water mitigation through the soil and are installed in the lowest part of a basement or crawl space. These contraptions are relatively small and they are designed to keep the area dry by pumping water out of a pit and away from the home or building. However, homeowners should check with their local city or county ordinance to ensure the extractions are done according to law. While some areas are equipped to handle excessive water in the city’s sewer systems, other places are not and they require all local sump pump water disposals to be made in the yard and not down the city’s sewer main.

How Much do Sump Pumps Cost?

Most sump pumps cost anywhere from $100 to $1000. The price is based on the size, power, vertical pumping distance and features, as various sized homes will require one unit that will differ from another home’s needs. Because storms are notorious for knocking out power, some sump pumps even have emergency backup battery systems—a feature that will save the day in the event that the power goes out while flood water is entering your basement. Sump pumps can be purchased from home improvement centers and most major hardware stores and you can also buy them from online shops.

What are the Best Sump Pumps?

The best sump pumps are the ones that meet your needs, fit your budget, and perform well when you need them the most. When you provide a home improvement store with your basement’s dimensions they can recommend the right size but when it comes to brands and features you would be wise to read consumer reviews. One of the most trusted review sources for products is Consumer Reports because the reviews are non-biased and are made by actual people who own and have used the products in question.

Should I Buy a Sump Pump?

If you live in an area that gets a significant amount of rain you should probably buy a sump pump. In fact the larger ones are even known to be selling points of houses in areas where floods are common occurrences. Sump pumps do much more than prevent your crawl space or basement from flooding; they can even help in preventing mold growth, as mold spores thrive in areas where there is a lot of moisture. In fact if you decide to invest in a sump pump you may want to call a local company to come perform a free mold inspection before you install the unit in the pit.

At the end of the day the last thing you want is to have a rain storm flood your basement and leave you standing there all wet and looking like a chump while your bone-dry neighbor wags his finger at you to the tune of a sump pump protecting his home’s foundation. Do your research, buy wisely, and you might avoid getting all wet in the next big storm!