Getting Prepared for Wet Weather in Chester, VA with Sump Pump Repair

9/15/2020

Photo By IcemanJ at istock

Sump Pumps Are Working Harder in the Chester, VA Area These Days

These are the days when weather forecasters get excited, but homeowners don’t. The Chester, VA area in 2020 is near to reaching the top as the wettest August in the record book — it’s number two so far. So, here at bluefrog Plumbing + Drain, we’re thinking, how are our customers’ sump pumps doing? Do you or someone you know have a need for maintenance, sump pump repair, or even installation where there wasn’t one before in drier times?

When Water Tables Rise, Prevention Is a Powerful Thing

When the rain falls, your sump pump can be busy for days holding off the floods until the water table subsides. That’s a lot of work, and an older sump pump or an underpowered one that’s done all right so far can be headed for a breakdown. There’s usually one way that pumps indicate failure: by ceasing to provide protection. The basement gets wet, sometimes flooded. Unfinished, that’s a mess. A finished basement full of water, that’s another thing entirely.

A Side Word About Insurance

If you’re dealing with increasingly wet weather, which seems to be the future for this area, one thing to do is discuss with your insurance agent what options you have for specific coverage in case your sump pump fails. They may be able to provide some property damage coverage, even some mitigation and cleanup, if you plan ahead. But you’ll still have to face the mess. Sump pump repair is basically a cheap way to head off disaster.

No Sump Pump at All? We Can Fix That

Sump pump installation is a wise idea when you’re remodeling your basement because you have more to lose. We can perform the work on your existing basement floor, creating the sump and routing the drain pipe. In some cases, customers even plan on two pumps at opposite ends of the basement to work together and back each other up.

Doubling Up Can Be Wise, and Even More Efficient

Having a backup pump isn’t a bad idea for many people, especially if your need is critical. We can provide a spare, even in a new pump installation across the basement from your existing pump. This will not only provide additional capacity and backup, but it will also lessen the burden on your original pump and reduce the potential need for sump pump repair in the future.

Backup Power, Because Power Failure Comes with Storms

Having a sump pump is a good feeling because you know you’re covered when storms come. But what people don’t plan for is the fairly common power failures that come with intense storms. In some cases, the power can be out for a day or more. Most sump pumps are simply wired to the home’s power source like everything else, and, when your home goes dark, your pump stops working. Backup power is readily available as part of sump pump systems, and if you call us for sump pump repair be sure to ask about alternative power, especially if you live outside the city where power failures tend to be more significant.

A Full Sump Pump Repair Can Be Avoided By Inspection

While sump pumps tend to last ten years or more, sump pump repair specialists will tell you that their lifetime is quickly reduced by problems in the sump that make it hard to draw water in, or blockages in the drain pipe that require them to push harder to expel water. An inspection will ensure that there is no debris in the intake area to clog the impeller and force it to grind it, even getting stuck and causing failure. It will also make sure that the external pipe is clear, sloping properly, and unblocked at the other end. We’ll also check your pump’s function, and make sure that it is rated for the type of work that pumps in our area need to do these days. If it’s been around a long time, we’ll also suggest options such as replacement based simply on its expected lifetime.

Pump Replacement Options

In some cases, a sump pump repair can be a matter of taking it apart and clearing the impeller system, cleaning the entire path through the pump, or replacing a failed motor. There might be other issues such as a problematic power cord or shaft bearings. Generally, though, a pump replacement is a good idea because modern pumps are built as a unit, and designed to simply be replaced. It’s also a quick job, which means there’s no window of exposure where your pump is in the shop and storm clouds are brewing. You can also look at your options. In the past, most people had stick-type pumps that activated when the float lifted a rod connected to a switch. If the water rose beyond the switch or the pump failed, there could be trouble as the pump was not intended to be submerged. Modern submersible pumps provide a great solution to that problem and many others. They consist of a pump which operates fine underwater with a float dangling from a wire that simply triggers operation whenever the water level rises and tilts it. Ask us about these options if you’re thinking about sump pump repair.

Rerouting Your Drain Pipe to a Better Location

With the volumes of water these days, ejecting a bit of water just outside your foundation might not be wise, and could be messy depending on where it lands. It was fine in drier days, but if it pours and your pump is busy for some time, you could be messing up your landscaping or even creating a small pond where you didn’t want one.

At bluefrog, We Know How to Keep Your Home Dry

Give us a call at bluefrog Plumbing + Drain of Richmond, VA, we service the Chester, VA area and will make sure your sump pump repair, replacement, and installation options are covered before the next storm hits. We’re at 804-930-8762.