| If you're having problems with leaking, dampness | | | | much more expensive failures. You might also |
| or flooding in your basement, you might want to | | | | want to consider buying a sump pump which has |
| consider installing a sump pump. Many new homes | | | | built in battery backup power, so the pump can |
| with basements already have a sump pump | | | | still work if your main source of electricity goes |
| installed by the contractor, but older homes don't | | | | out. |
| always have them. | | | | And speaking of electricity, sump pumps require |
| Installing a sump pump can be done without a | | | | large amounts of power so it's recommended |
| contractor or plumber, and it tends to cost much | | | | that you use a dedicated circuit for them. If |
| less too. Installing a sump pump on your own | | | | you're not comfortable setting up your own |
| tends to average about $200, along with some | | | | electrical circuits for the sump pump though, have |
| personal time and sweat. | | | | a professional electrician do this part. |
| Sump pumps are designed to pump extra water | | | | Once you've chosen the sump pump, you then |
| out of your basement. That water can come in if | | | | need to choose a basin for use as the sump pit. |
| the basement is below the water table line in your | | | | Some people go cheap on this step and simply |
| area, if it floods, or if you simply get too much | | | | use a 5 gallon bucket, but this can make your |
| rain sometimes. Regardless of why they're | | | | sump pump fail to work or cause it to break |
| needed, sump pumps can save thousands of | | | | down completely because it doesn't have the |
| dollars in damage caused by basement flooding. | | | | room it needs to operate. So buy a container for |
| Installing a sump pump starts with buying the | | | | your sump pit which is about 18 inches across or |
| pump. When you buy a sump pump, you'll have | | | | better, and 22 inches deep. |
| several features to choose from. Sump pumps | | | | In addition to the above, you'll need to buy |
| come with plastic housings, thin metal houses, | | | | enough PVC pipe to create a disposal line which |
| thicker metal and even cast iron housings. The | | | | runs outside your home. |
| plastic and thinner metal housings are cheapest, | | | | Once you have all the materials together, installing |
| but sometimes spending a bit more money on | | | | the sump pump is fairly easy. First, dig the sump |
| your sump pump ensures it will keep your | | | | pit. This is the hole where water will collect. Try to |
| basement safe for many years to come. So try | | | | place this at the lowest point of your basement |
| to get the best you can for the money you have. | | | | since this is the area the water will naturally run |
| Sump pumps can be bought with various | | | | towards. |
| horsepower ratings, or based on how many | | | | Put your sump pit container into the hole, making |
| gallons of water they pump in an hour. How large | | | | it flush with the surrounding floor area, then seal it |
| of a sump pump you need doesn't usually depend | | | | with concrete. While that's drying, prepare your |
| on your house size. Instead, size selections are | | | | sump pump by putting a bit of teflon tape around |
| made based on how far under the water table | | | | the threads of the pipe connector, then hand |
| your house is, how much rain and flooding your | | | | tighten it. Place your pump over or inside the |
| area gets, and how good your gutter and lawn | | | | sump pit - submersible sump pumps are placed |
| grading is. | | | | down inside the pit while upright, or pedestal |
| When buying a sump pump, be sure to get the | | | | pumps are placed above the pit - then run your |
| best switch and float system you can afford. | | | | PVC pipe to a location outside your home, and |
| These are the key factors to the sump pump | | | | away from the foundation. |
| working correctly, so skimping on them can cause | | | | |