Plumbing emergencies are problems inside your home that can threaten your health, safety, or belongings, says Archstone Management. These problems can make some plumbing fixtures inaccessible, causing your home to become temporarily unlivable.
Examples of plumbing problems that are considered plumbing emergencies include:
- Burst pipes: Because of the risk of flooding, water damage, and structural compromise.
- Sewage backup: Because it poses a major health risk and can cut off access to the toilet.
- Clogged drains: They can cut access to the toilet or bathroom and also cause flooding.
- Damaged water heater: Because it can terminate a household’s supply of hot water.
- Sump pump failure: If you are wondering why sump pump failure is listed as one of the plumbing emergencies that can happen in your home, it is probably because you do not fully appreciate the vital role played by your sump pump as the home’s last line of defense against basement flooding.
The critical role of a sump pump
A sump pump is an indispensable equipment for homes where flooding is a constant threat. Although they are not the only flood prevention measure you can employ in your home, sump pumps have the unique quality of being deployable right inside your house.
Sump pumps are essential for maintaining a dry and safe living space. They help prevent flooding and preserve the indoor air quality of your home and its market value. One of the best things about a sump pump is that it can operate without supervision.
This is because a sump pump can power on automatically each time it detects water inside the sump basin and also power off after it has removed the water. This eliminates the need to constantly monitor your home for signs of flooding and manually switch on the sump pump.
Your sump pump can be likened to a watchdog. But instead of looking out for human intruders, it protects your home from flooding and water damage. This is why when a sump pump fails, it can expose your home to disastrous consequences on many levels.
Effects of sump pump failure on your home
The primary effects of sump pump failure are:
Flooding
Flooding alters the nature of your home as a safe living space. It destroys comfort and safety and may even stop you from using some of the vital features of your home. Flooding can make your home unlivable.
Water damage
The physical structures of a building and the belongings inside it are at risk when the home is flooded. Fixing damaged walls, ceilings, and flooring is expensive, and personal belongings may be irreplaceable.
Structural compromise
A poorly maintained or failed sump pump can compromise the integrity of your building’s key structures. Frequent water seepage into the foundation often results from problems with the sump pump.
Poor indoor air quality
Flooding exposes your family to a higher risk of respiratory conditions and illnesses. This is because water will seep into the walls and encourage mold growth. Mold spores impair your home’s indoor air quality.
Lower property value
Ultimately, these problems can cause the value of your property to fall. Buyers do not want to buy a home with a history of flooding. The presence of mold and structural issues will damage the value of your property.
Your sump pump may fail due to a power outage. If this happens during a storm, the possibility that your home will be flooded is very high. Installing a battery-powered sump pump system will save you in these circumstances.
How to prevent sump pump failure
Why does a sump pump fail? If you can identify the causes of sump pump failure and create strategies for preventing them, you can protect your home from it.
Regular maintenance
Issues like a stuck float switch or a clogged discharge line can stop your sump pump from working properly. However, these problems can be solved or prevented by maintaining the sump pump on a schedule.
Test and inspect the sump pump
You should test your sump pump at least once a month and certainly at the start of each season. Before this step, you may want to inspect the entire sump pump system first.
Install a backup system
Your sump pump may fail due to a power outage. If this happens during a storm, the possibility that your home will be flooded is very high. Installing a battery-powered sump pump system will save you in these circumstances.
Upgrade your sump pump system
If the sump pump is not installed properly, is too small for your home, or the sump basin is not big enough, it will not be effective. Fixing these problems lowers the risk of sump pump failure.
Lastly, you need a professional plumber to thoroughly inspect and service the sump pump system at least once a year. This will help you detect budding issues with the sump pump and fix them before they result in a plumbing emergency in your home.