Backup Sump Pumps in
Northern PA and Western NY

A sump pump system will protect your basement most of the time. However, mechanical failures or power outages can lead to flooded basement. When waters are rising and rains are at their worst, you'll be glad that you have a battery backup sump pump. Unfortunately, the sump pump market is clogged with so many options for battery backup systems that it can be bewildering. Below is a break down of what to look for in a backup sump pump:

Sump Pump Battery Backup Systems:  Top-quality battery backup sump pump systems are the best solution for basements and crawl spaces because they are designed specifically for those areas. These battery backup sump pumps can pump out 3-5 times more water on a single charge than an alternate power source is able to.  Our UltraSump Battery Backup Sump Pump can pump more than 11,500 gallons of water on a single charge.  If you want more power in your sump pump system, it's also possible to hook up two or more batteries to a single battery backup sump pump.

Generic Battery Backup Systems:  Irresponsible basement waterproofers have been known to rig up a cheap battery backup sump pump, hooking it up to a car battery for its power source.  However, car batteries were not intended for this use, and as they sit on the cold concrete floor, they will begin to lose their amperage-hour capacity.  If the basement floods a year later, you won't be able to count on them to last for very long! Don't be fooled by these ineffective fixes.

Generator-powered sump pump backup:  For around $400, it's possible to buy a portable generator that can be used to run the sump pump if there's ever a power outage.  However, this generator will only be useful if the homeowner is home and awake to turn it on, and usually must be started outside (in the rain).  For $7,000-$10,000, you can choose to instead buy a powerful generator system that's wired to the sump pump and will turn itself on automatically. This only works if there is a power outage. If your primary sump pump clogs or experiences a mechanical failure, there will be no other pump available to help keep the basement dry.

Alternate Sump Pump Power Source:  Homeowners will sometimes hook up a battery to their AC powered sump pump that will convert the battery's DC power to AC power to run the sump.  Unfortunately, much of the battery's charge will be lost as it converts DC to AC, and the battery will generally run out of charge after either an hour has passed or 2,200 gallons of water have been pumped out.  And like the generator-powered systems, there is only one sump pump in the pit, and if it fails, your basement floods.

Backup Pump or Battery Backup Pump?

Both. While a battery backup sump pump is the more important of the two because it can run even when the power goes out your basement will stay dry.  However, prolonged rains or flooding are liable to use up the charge on any basement waterproofing system, eventually leading to a flood in your basement.  However, using an AC-powered sump pump backup will ensure that your system has a second line of defense, and that as long as your home has power, your sump pumps will be working to protect your home investment.  As a side note, be sure that if you're installing two sump pumps into a single location, it's important that you use two sump pump discharge pipes to send the water out of your home.  The pipes hold a limited amount of water, and the second pump will need a new venue to send it out with.

Waterproofing Specialties would like to help you with your battery backup sump pump needs. Contact us today and speak to one of our sump pump experts!