As previously mentioned, sump pumps direct water out of your basement or lower level to prevent flooding. These systems consist of the pump itself and a pit that collects water. The sump pump works to drain this pit as fast as possible, ensuring that your basement does not flood and thus cause water damage.
When installing sump pumps, plumbers will inspect the space and locate the best part of your basement or crawl space to dig a hole and install the pump. Plumbers determine where to install a sump pump based on where the lowest part of your basement is.
After discovering the lowest point, plumbers will install the pit by digging a hole below the ground level of the space. This pit will thus collect groundwater, as the water naturally flows toward the hole when heavy rains begin. The pump will then direct this water into a discharge pipe and away from your home where the ground can re-absorb the excess water.
As the name suggests, submersible sump pumps sit inside the pit. They use a float switch gauge to determine when the water level is too high and thus when to activate the sump pump.
Pedestal sump pumps sit above the pit to ensure that the motor does not touch the water and thus malfunction. They work similarly to submersible sump pumps.
Battery-powered pumps are primarily used as backup/emergency systems. The benefit of having a battery-powered pump along with your regular system is in case you lose power. Your emergency sump pump can easily kick in and continue pumping out water to prevent a flood during a power outage, which often accompanies heavy rainfall.
