A sump pump system is a must-have feature for your house. Whether you have a finished basement, unfinished basement, or a crawlspace, its condition directly affects the stability of your home’s walls and foundation. A properly installed sump pump helps protect these vital but often forgotten spaces of your home, giving you peace of mind and helping you avoid repair bills. Installing a sump pump and keeping it in good working order is an important part of your home’s upkeep.
What A Sump Pump System Is
The purpose of a sump pump is to keep your basement or crawlspace dry by forcing water that threatens to flood into it through a drain and out of the house. At the lowest point of your house, a pit is dug and the pump system installed. As water starts to fill the pit before it can begin entering your basement, the pump is activated. It pulls water from the pit out and moves it into a drainage system that carries it away from the property, preventing flooding.
Prevention Is Key
When it comes to your home, preventing damage is always preferable to fixing it afterward. A sump pump system’s entire purpose is to prevent catastrophe. That’s why so many homeowners consider a professionally installed sump pump a vital part of their home.
- A Sump Pump Prevents Property Damage
If your basement floods, you open yourself up to potentially huge repair bills. Water can damage floors and walls, weakening the foundation your home is built on. Electrical systems can be compromised, leaving you without power and creating dangerous conditions that could lead to electrocution hazards. If your home is subjected to standing water long enough, wood can rot, the mortar joining bricks or stone could erode away, and walls can begin to pull away from each other or even collapse.
Aside from structural damage, many basements also serve a purpose in the home. We use them for storage, utility rooms, or even additional living spaces. Floodwaters can ruin your appliances, destroy stored possessions, and leave furniture, electronics, or other furnishings in the area a sopping mess. A flooded basement can easily lead to thousands of dollars of lost possessions and memories and tens of thousands of dollars in structural damage that must be fixed to make the home livable again. - A Sump Pump Prevents Mold And Mildew
One of the most insidious ways flooding can damage your basement or crawlspace is by allowing the formation and promoting the spread of mold and mildew. While mold and mildew aren’t fun to look at, their damage goes beyond what you see. They eat at the material underneath, whether it’s wood, mortar, paper, or cloth. This weakens the integrity of the original item and ruins it, costing you money for replacements and repair. The larger threat, however, is to the health of your family.
Mildew and other molds release spores into the air in order to spread. These spores can cause numerous health complications in both humans and companion animals. Respiratory ailments related to mold are fairly common, even among those without a sensitivity to it. Some molds, however, can cause a cascading series of health complications that affect the respiratory, circulatory, and nervous systems of the body, potentially leading to hospitalization and even death if intervention isn’t in time.
Mold remediation can be intensive, with costs that easily skyrocket as workers find that the visible infestation runs far deeper than initially thought. It’s not uncommon for a basement mold remediation to run into the thousands of dollars, and if left unchecked long enough, it may require partial renovation to remove old elements of the area and replace them in order to eliminate any trace of the mold. By fulfilling its purpose, a sump pump keeps your family healthier. - A Sump Pump System Improves Your Home’s Value
While the costs of proper prevention add up, that only goes to increase and protect the value of your home. When considering a property for purchase, prospective buyers will want a home that is ready for their arrival, and an already installed and maintained sump pump can be a prime feature when showing the house. Aside from helping them avoid the need to have one installed before move-in, it shows that you were dedicated to ensuring the health and stability of the home from the ground (or below it) up. A home with proper drainage and waterproofing is less likely to exhibit long-term damage to floors, walls, or foundation and they are less likely to find hidden mold infestations.
Physical Insurance That Works For You
In many ways, a good sump pump system is like an insurance policy–you may not need to use it often or at all, but when you need it, it pays for itself. Compared to repair costs, the installation of a sump pump is a minor expense that generates major savings in the avoidance of property damage and medical bills. It’s easy to find out how cost-effective the peace of mind that comes with basement flood protection can be.
Keep Your Basement Dry
An effective sump pump system should be an integral part of your basement waterproofing plans. Schedule a free inspection of your basement today with a professional who can look at your existing system and waterproofing treatments and help you understand what’s needed to better protect your home. Contact A.M. Wall Anchor and Waterproofing for professional basement services today.
