Install a Battery Backup Sump Pump
Protecting your home from water damage is always a good idea and installing a battery backup sump pump will do that job well. However, there is a cost to installing a battery backup sump pump system. A quality battery backup system costs between $1000-$1500 to have installed. In order to know if you need one, consider three signs and areas of concern.
1.) If you have an older primary sump pump:
Sump pumps usually have a lifespan of about 10-15 years. Because it has mechanical moving parts, they will someday fail, and you will have to replace it. If you have an older pump, it is more likely to fail, but there is no telling when. The best way to transition to a new pump and also get the most out of your primary pump is to install a battery backup system. When the primary pump dies, it won’t leave you with water in the basement. If you have an older pump, or if you have had any trouble with your primary pump, it is a sign to get a backup system.
2.) If your area is prone to power outages:
During a rainstorm is when you need your pump working; however, during a rainstorm is when you are most likely to lose power to your house—and to your sump pump. The combination is asking for disaster. We are pretty sure this possibility is why they invented battery backup sump pump systems in the first place. How often does a storm knock out power to your house? Do you lose power a few times a year or once every few years? If you live in an area where power outages are a concern, then that is a sign you might need a battery backup sump pump.
3.) The basement contents:
No matter what you have in your basement, you will want to keep it dry. A wet basement is not something you want to deal with, and it causes more problems like mold, mildew, and rot that, of course, you want to avoid. That is why you have a sump pump in the first place. And the battery backup will ensure you will be protected even if your primary pump fails. However, the urgency of getting a battery backup system will be determined by the status of the basement. Is your basement empty? Is it full of priceless storage items? Is your basement finished? Did you just spend thousands of dollars making it a new TV room? Obviously, the more valuables you keep in the basement the more you need to protect it.
Evaluate your house and determine if you need a battery backup system.
