3 Ways How Installing a Sump Pump Can Help Your House
Managing runoff around your home is a very important step in protecting it. That’s why we install gutters and downspouts that properly move water away from the house during rain events. However, the water that gets under your house requires just as much attention, and a sump pump can prevent just as many problems as your gutters do. Here are three ways that you can help your house by installing a sump pump.
1- Preventing Basement Flooding
Even the best-built homes are subject to flooding when rainfall rates outrun the natural ability of the basement floor to contain the water beneath it until it can drain away. When heavy rain hits, a basement without a sump pump will quickly experience a backup that can cause several problems when it finally gets into the living space.
Floor coverings like carpet and wood laminate will become waterlogged and ruined, as will the baseboards and the lower portion of paneling or sheetrock. Furniture and other upholstered items can be damaged or destroyed. Even unfinished basements can see damage as the water finds its way into stored items like clothing. A sump pump can keep the backlog of water from rising high enough to enter the living space, saving the basement’s finishes, furnishings, and contents.
2- Reducing Pressure on Basement Walls
One of the most problematic developments in homes with basements is cracks in the walls that allow water to seep into the basement. These can be even more problematic than backups under the floor because even a minor rainfall can start dribbling through the walls. Waterlogged soils against the walls are often to blame for these cracks as the heavy soil pushes in against the walls. Poured concrete walls are more durable than block walls, but neither is totally immune from this problem.
A sump pump will pull the water out from under the basement floor, allowing water to drain quickly down from the walls and under the floor where the pump can remove it. The resulting reduction in pressure on the walls will reduce the risk of cracks developing.
3- Fighting Mold Growth
Indoor air quality is a very important topic for homeowners. One of the biggest reasons for problems with allergies inside a home is high moisture levels that support the growth of mold and mildew that trigger breathing problems. Basements are particularly problematic with this issue because they are darker, cooler, and less likely to air out throughout the day because they aren’t commonly occupied.
Water leaching into the basement can support the growth of problematic mold and mildew, so using a sump pump to control that water is a major step toward creating better indoor air quality.
The most damaging environmental factor for your home is water. Whether you’re making sure it runs properly off the roof or moves quickly out from under your basement, you’re doing your home a favor by managing runoff properly. Making a sump pump part of the plan is an upgrade your home can’t do without.