Do you have a sump pump in your home? Do you not know the answer to that question?
Whether you do, don’t, or don’t know, it’s important that every homeowner understand the benefits of a sump pump. With hurricane season coming up, whether or not you have this handy gadget could mean the difference between a full-fledged flooded basement and one that just sustains a little bit of water damage.
What is a Sump Pump?
A sump pump lives in your basement or lower level crawl space and is designed to prevent excess rain from making its way into your home.
How Does a Sump Pump Work?
By installing a sump pump at the lowest point of your home, you can keep sudden and large amounts of water (think melting snow, heavy rainfall, flood) from coming into your basement.
To install a sump pump, a hole will have to be cut in your home’s concrete floor. A pump with then run from the hole in your concrete floor to the sump pit, which is typically 18 inches wide and 2 feet deep. A pipe is then attached and run up and out of your house.
Now, if there’s excess water around your house for whatever reason, it won’t find its way into your basement.
Sump Pump Safety
It’s pretty much the first rule of electrical work that you should keep water away from electricity. However, a sump pump needs electrical power to operate. Because it almost always operates in and around water, it’s important that your outlet has a ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI).
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