Virginia Sump Pump System

Besides the pump itself, there are other elements of a good sump pump system that are very important.

The Sump Liner

You don't want your pump to clog in a muddy hole in the floor. And you don't want it in a 5-gallon bucket that doesn't hold a lot of water and will cause the pump to "short cycle" (go on and off very quickly). Instead, you should have a sturdy liner or housing for your sump pump that will allow ample water to flow into the system while protecting the sump from the mud and debris of the sump pit.

Air-Tight Sump Lid with a Floor Drain

The sump should have an air-tight lid to prevent water from evaporating out of the sump hole into your basement, to stop stuff from falling in that can clog the pump or switch, and to quiet the system. Depending on the cover, it can also make the installation look good too. Instead of a necessary evil in your home, you have a thoughtfully engineered system.

When you have a plumbing leak and the water floods out onto the basement floor, you'll want to use your sump hole to drain the water away. A sump lid with a floor drain is the answer.

A Stand for the Pump and a Check Valve

Basement Systems' patented CleanPump Stand keeps the pump off the bottom of the sump liner. This is important because this is where sediment, mud, debris, and gravel that wash into the sump basin settle, and the less of this your system has to pump, the less chance there is for clogging. It also keeps the check valve and discharge pipe clean.

VA Sump Pump Alarms

How would you know if your VA sump pump has failed and you were in danger of being flooded? Unless you have an alarm, the answer is, when your basement is already flooded. A battery-powered alarm that automatically sounds off when the water reaches a level above the point where the pump(s) should normally turn on is essential.

Virginia Sump Pump Warranty?

Pump manufacturers do not offer lifetime warranties on their pumps – and there is a good reason why they don't. A lifetime warranty doesn't make a pump a better piece of equipment. Irresponsible contractors may tell you there is a lifetime warranty (or many years) on their pump – with free replacements forever – to seduce you into buying their whole waterproofing solution. This is simply irresponsible. Ask yourself the question, 'How do I know when to call to get my free replacement?" The answer is simple, when the sump pump has failed and your basement gets flooded. A good service department and an annual maintenance program are the best methods of keeping your basement dry, not a lifetime warranty on a mechanical piece of equipment.

Evergreen Basement Systems of VA has a service department whose job it is simply to keep all of our systems in good working order. We recommend all system owners join our annual maintenance program to keep their systems in operating at top performance.

What if my pump fails? What if the power goes out?

The third pump in the TripleSafe system is the battery backup sump pump called the UltraSump.  This pump activates in the event that both the primary and secondary pumps are not operating (typically due to a power outage). This is a necessary level of protection if you want  to keep your basement dry all the time.

Reasons that the UltraSump battery backup sump pump may be needed include:

• The power going out – which typically happens in a heavy rain storm
• The pump coming unplugged
• The circuit breaker tripping
• The primary and secondary pumps failing

Most of the stories you've heard told about sump pumps failing and basements getting wet could have been averted with a battery backup. However, a battery backup sump pump has a limited charge and can only run so long before it needs to recover that charge. If you want to be as protected as possible, be sure to install a secondary sump pump as well. This way, you have lasting protection in your home, even if the primary sump pump fails.

Have one of our System Design Specialists give you a free sump pump estimate and avoid all these problems in the greater Lynchburg, Staunton, Waynesboro, Charlottesville, Blacksburg, and general central and western Virginia areas.