If you have issues with your basement flooding during and following storms, you’re not alone. A lot of the Charlotte area has issues with proper foundation drainage, which can lead to leakage and flooding if left unattended. Though we always recommend having your foundation sealed to prevent this problem, sometimes it’s just not a good time to try to undertake this type of repair immediately. One option that you could consider instead is having a residential sump pump installed.

Placed in a sump, or small hole, in your basement or crawl space, a sump pump will pump all water that collects in that hole away from your home. Typically, the floor of your basement has a slight grade, so putting your sump pump at the bottom of that grade allows any water that enters your basement to flow towards the sump, where it’s pumped safely away. Because sump pumps work automatically, using a float valve, it’s a pretty easy fix it and forget it repair that will buy you some time before you have to deal with larger issues in your foundation in many situations. But what are some of the benefits of having a residential sump pump? Here are a few common ones that many homeowners discover shortly after installation.

Prevent Structural Damage

When the soil that your home sits on becomes oversaturated, it’s pretty common that your foundation will take damage. In fact, it’s one of the top reasons why home foundations need repair! If that water can freeze in the winter and expand, it can cause your foundation to heave out of place, buckle and crack. 

By installing a residential sump pump in the lowest part of your basement, it can then take the water that would otherwise flow into your basement and damage your foundation and pump it away from your home. At the same time, the water that does get into your basement flows into your sump pit, helping to keep your basement drier and healthier.

Protect Finished Floors and Walls

Is there anything as frustrating as doing a great job of turning your home’s basement into a beautiful, functional space, just to have it flood, ruining the floors and walls? We’ve worked with countless customers who have had to deal with the high expense of replacing these materials, as well as furniture and exercise equipment, because they didn’t have a sump pump in place.

Because your sump pump will move water out of the basement area, excess water doesn’t build up and cause damage. Though we recommend that you use water-resistant flooring materials in a basement that has a sump pump, as the moisture that it pumps will come from somewhere and may flow across your floors, sump pumps provide an extra level of protection for your basement space.

Operating in Severe Weather

Of course, sump pumps are not a one-size-fits-all solution. If your home tends to lose power during storms, you may want to have a secondary backup sump pump that can run off of a battery in your basement or crawlspace, or start by selecting a sump pump that has an auxiliary power source, so that it will continue to run even when the power goes out.

If your home has a lot of leakage or a very deep basement, you may need to upgrade to a larger pump capacity to ensure that it can eject the water away from your foundation quickly and effectively. For that reason, we’d recommend that you consider talking to a professional so that you get the right sump pump for your home’s needs, ensuring your protection.

A sump pump can provide strong benefits to help protect your home and your foundation from damage during severe weather, and is often a relatively inexpensive investment in your home’s comfort and integrity. We often recommend that homeowners pair a solid sump pump solution with our basement and crawlspace waterproofing to provide the best possible protection. If you’re ready to get started, Moisture Loc can help. Please feel free to reach out today with any questions, to get more information or to schedule a consultation with one of our residential moisture management professionals.