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Sump Pumps and Back-up Sump Pumps
Take care of this important defense against home flooding.
A sump pump is one of those household systems you rarely think about—until you need it. It’s usually found in a dark corner of the basement, in a hole called the sump pit. It’s designed to pump out water that collects in the pit, often as a result of flooding. And that makes it a very important item to maintain—because if you can’t get water out of your basement, you could face serious damage to your home and your health.
Check your pump. Like other major appliances, sump pumps should be inspected for wear and tear each year. Early spring is a good time to have this check completed because when the thawing from winter begins, the ground becomes more saturated and it rains more often. This means your sump pump is working overtime, especially from March to May.
If you have experienced a drought recently, an inspection is even more critical. With the excess rain that occurs during spring, your sump pump would not be used to working as much and problems could occur.
Back-up sump pump. Professionals should also check the back-up sump pump in addition to the primary one. If you do not have a back-up pump, you should seriously look into investing in one. If the power goes out (which often happens during flooding rainstorms) or there is a failure in the main pump, the back-up kicks in and can save you thousands of dollars in water damage.
Contact your local ARS®/Rescue Rooter® sewer and drain expert today for a sump pump inspection or to learn more about sump pumps and back-up sump pumps.
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