A flooded basement is never fun. Thousands of dollars in furniture, electronics and carpeting can easily be ruined. If your basement is properly waterproofed, the cause is usually a failed sump pump. Fortunately, this catastrophe can be prevented with regular inspections and maintenance from a qualified plumber.
If you find yourself dealing with a sump pump emergency, you need a license, bonded and insured plumber to help solve the problem. Call Plumbers 911 Vermont to be referred to a plumbing contractor who can help mitigate the damage — and prevent the disaster from ever happening again.
Why your sump pump failed
Most sump pumps fail due to age and a lack of proper inspection that could have spotted problems ahead of time. We recommend finding a plumber who has experience with them and who can perform regular maintenance on your unit. Regular maintenance can help avoid the following issues that can cause them to fail:
Faulty installation
Sump pumps are sophisticated machines that require highly precise installation. Only licensed, certified professionals should install a them. One of the most common reasons these units fail is because there were not installed properly. Just one installation error can result in a flooded basement.
Clogged pipe
The purpose of a sump pump is to move collected water from a basin through discharge lines to prevent water from flooding a home. Occasionally, those lines can become clogged with debris, freeze or become twisted. When this occurs, the water has nowhere to go but into your basement.
A periodic inspection from a qualified plumber can keep your lines free of debris like grass and leaves, while also inspecting the lines for holes, cracks and twisting. Insulation can also be added to prevent pipes from freezing. This is especially critical considering the cold winters in Vermont.
Sump pump is older than 10 years
You can expect a sump pump to last between seven to 10 years. Any unit older than 10 years could be on the verge of failure and should be replaced by a professional plumber.
What to do if your sump pump fails
Remove any shallow standing water with a wet/dry vacuum and/or mops. Do your best to dry the basement. Open any windows. Run fans to circulate the air and dry out your basement. If your basement is completely flooded, you can call a plumber to remove the water and fix the problem.
Next, check to see if there is power going to your pump. A power failure will cause your sump pump to stop working, which can be frustrating, since power outages during heavy storms do occur. If your house lost power and you have no battery back-up for your sump pump, then you likely found the cause of the flooding.
The potential for power failure is why you should spend the money to have a licensed plumber connect a battery backup to your sump pump. This will keep your sump pump running if your home loses power.
If the power is on, call Plumbers 911 and be referred to a Vermont plumber who can diagnose the issue and get your sump pump back up and running as quickly as possible to prevent further flooding.
Call Plumbers 911 and be referred to a reliable plumber in most parts of Vermont
Finding a reliable plumber in an emergency can be difficult, especially following a bad storm or other natural disaster. Fortunately, Plumbers 911 is a reliable network of licensed plumbing contractors in most parts of Vermont. They can fix your sump pump and get it back up and running or if your unit is too old, replace it with a new unit.
The same plumbing contractors offer sump pump inspections and maintenance so you can be sure your sump pump runs reliably year round.
Call Plumbers 911 and be connected to a qualified professional plumbing contractor in most parts of Vermont today!
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