Reasons Why You Need a Battery Backup Sump Pump:

Most homeowners know they have a primary, alternating current (AC) powered sump pump in their homes, usually in the basement or crawlspace to protect against flooding. However, the fact that a sump pump exists is not enough; many things can happen to cause your sump pump to malfunction. Here are common reasons why your sump pump could fail.

• Your pump has a mechanical problem that wasn't fixed or went unnoticed, causing it to fail
• You lose power to the pump for any reason, such as blown fuse, tripped circuit breaker or the power cord becomes damaged or disconnected
• Your primary pump is clogged, causing it to stop working
• The float switch on your primary pump is broken or doesn't activate the pump

American Weathermakers has seen all kinds of situations that were caused by a faulty primary sump pump and we can tell you that so many problems could have been prevented had homeowners installed a reliable backup sump pump system. It's not enough to have just a primary sump pump. To truly defend your home against flooding, you need a backup system in place. Many times, homeowners were able to properly recognize potential problems with their primary pump and didn't know their system was malfunctioning until it was too late.

A battery backup system can help you avoid that expensive and stressful situation. This kind of system is a completely functional secondary pump that is installed next to your primary pump and has a battery that provides another source of power to keep your pump running in the event that the primary pump doesn't work.

The backup system also guards against system overload for instances when the water overloads the primary pump and the secondary pump needs to activate.

Your backup system, once you have it installed, also needs to be regularly maintained and have the battery monitored. Always check the battery when you know a storm is approaching your area. Dead batteries are the leading cause of backup pump failure in homes that were flooded when they had a backup system in place.

If both the primary and the secondary pumps are not functional, you'll have a flooded basement on your hands.

Here are key features and alerts your backup sump pump system should have:

• An alarm to alert you if it's been activated and in use
• An alert that lets you know its battery is low and needs to be replaced
• A display that shows how much battery power remains, battery fluid levels, and notification of a loose connection or corrosion on the battery terminals
• Pump high volumes of water - don't get a backup pump that is too small
• Self tests, which usually extends the life of the pump
• Operate indefinitely on AC power, as opposed to relying only on battery power, which in an emergency can be unreliable and lead to the battery dying before transitioning to AC power
• Ability to accept a second batter, which will give your backup system twice the power without using AC power

American Weathermakers can help you select, install and teach you how to operate a backup sump pump so when disaster strikes, you're ready and your home will stay dry. The major time, costs and aggravation that come with flooded basements can absolutely be avoided by using a backup pump system. With all the heavy rain the Chicago area is seeing lately, this could be your smartest investment to protect your home and property.

To learn about the cost of not having a backup pump system click here.

Many people forget how much stuff could get destroyed in a basement flood, but think about all the items you have that you spent a lot of money on that will be damaged beyond repair. Your furnace, hot water heater, washing machine, dryer, stored personal items, furniture, electronics, keepsakes, tools, as well as the flooring and walls.

To learn more about what products we install and why, click here.