Construction & Contractors Blog
Your upcoming winter getaway is only a few weeks away, and you're frantically preparing your home for your eventual departure. To make this part a bit easier, below is a simple guide you can follow to prepare an important aspect of your home—the sump pump—for your leave.
1 to 2 Weeks Before: Test Your Sump Pump
It's a good idea to test your home's sump pump on a regular basis, but it's even more important to ensure your sump pump is in proper working condition prior to leaving for a vacation.
Fortunately, testing your sump pump is simple, and testing it one to two weeks before your departure gives you enough time to call a plumber to fix your pump if it seems to be struggling. To test your sump pump, simply empty a bucket of water into the pit. What happens when the pit is filled with water? If you've answered anything other than "it empties," your sump pump is in need of some fixing.
1 Week Before: Set Up Backup Power for Your Sump Pump
Hopefully you've already got this part covered, but, if not, it's vital that you set up a backup power source for your home's sump pump prior to leaving for your winter getaway.
There's a few methods to choose from when it comes to providing a backup for your sump pump, so it's best to consult with a plumbing professional to learn which method is best for your situation. For example, some homes may benefit from a water-powered backup, but there's a bit of controversy surrounding these systems, and they may be prohibited in your locale. Another option may be a generator setup, but it's important to choose an automatic generator for your sump pump. This means that the generator will automatically turn on when the electricity goes out, and it will also power off when the electricity comes back on.
A Few Days Before Departure: Set Up an Alarm to Alert Your Phone of Sump Pump Failure
Even if you've followed the above advice, failure can still happen. To protect your home from preventable water damage, consider setting up a sump pump alarm that will send a signal to your cell phone if your sump pump experiences failure.
There are a number of phone applications now available which allow you to link up to your sump pump's alarm system. While you may have to invest in a new alarm system that's compatible with these applications, it could save you thousands in the long run by preventing damage. Of course, you also have to be sure to have an emergency contact in place who can go to your home and inspect the problem if you do receive an alert.
If your sump pump is on the fritz, or if you'd simply like a professional to test out your system prior to your departure, consult with an experienced plumber in your area.
Share27 October 2016
My name is Debbie Greenberg. I’m a single woman who owns her home, and like most homeowners I dread home repairs. I’m not very handy with do-it-yourself projects around the house. I can do a few minor repairs when necessary, but for the most part I have to call in a professional. Last year I had a leak in my roof. When it rained, water would leak into my kitchen. What appeared to be a simple fix turned out to be anything but simple. It took over four months to finally identify the problem, and double the money I was initially quoted to fix it. The problem ended up being that the flat part of my roof didn't have shingles, but a sheeting material. I learned a bit about home roofs along the way, and that is what I want to share with you.
