The sump pump is a mechanical device under the floor which is used to remove water from under the house or building. Until recently, most houses had a sump pump. Then they fell out of favour for a while, but they are now a part of the building code once again for Ontario. Every new house now has a sump pump.
A sump pump does several good things.
- It provides a path of least resistance under the floor which reduces the hydrostatic pressure and prevents water from rising up from under the floor.
- As well, it provides a way for water to leave the basement so that in the event the basement should flood due to a sewer back up or a bust pipe, the sump pump can remove this water minimizing the damage.
- In some cases an insurance company will favour clients with sump pumps over those who do not, and some municipalities will pay for you to install one.
In many cases, we see instances where the home or building does not have a weeping tile drainage system or the system is so clogged with mud and tree roots that they will not be made to work without replacement. In which case if a partial waterproofing solution were to be installed, the partial system would have to be connected to a sump pump to create drainage. Without an active drainage system, there would be nothing to connect too in terms of water removal. Even though waterproofing work has been done, the basement continues to leak because the water cannot get away.
In an older home with clogged weeping tiles, a sump pump will provide the opportunity to successfully perform partial waterproofing repairs without needing to replace the entire weeping tile system.
One thing to think about when installing a sump pump is that they are most needed during storms and bad weather and the power may go out right at the moment when your system is needed most. A battery backup will avoid this problem. A battery backup is a secondary twelve volt pump which is installed in the sump with the other pump. In the event of a power failure, the battery powered pump will begin to take over until the power returns, at which time the battery will automatically recharge itself, giving you the best protection.
The Crack Doctor’s sump pump is a state of the art system developed to be the best on the market. Some of the features of our system are that the lid sits flush with the floor, enabling you to install flooring right over top. Our system comes with a high water alarm; a floor drain beside the sump, a ¾ hp pump, and a lifetime warranty. Our system is silent and can be invisibly installed in a finished area without any pipes or wires being seen.
