Did you know that water damage accounts for half of all home insurance claims in Canada? Over the last few years, we've seen serious flooding devastate homeowners across Windsor and Essex County.
Sump pumps are a critical element within a home to help keep basements and crawlspaces dry. Because their location in the home is often in areas that are rarely used, sump pump maintenance or proper functioning are easy to overlook.
How does a sump pump work?
Water from the home’s weeping tiles or basement waterproofing system is pumped into the sump basin.
Once the water reaches a certain level within the sump basin, the water is pumped out either into the city’s municipal system or into the yard, well away from the home.
Sump pumps - Things to know:
- It’s important that your sump pump has a back-up in place in case of a power failure - either water or battery powered. Losing power during or after a heavy rain for even a few hours could cause your sump pit to overflow and cause serious water damage to your home.
- Home experts recommend having your sump pump serviced once a year to test and confirm its proper functioning and ensure the battery is still working or replaced.
- The life expectancy of a sump pump is 10 to 15 years - so if you’ve lived in your home longer than that and have not replaced your sump pump - now is the time to do so!
Water damage related to sump pump failure can be extremely costly, stressful and time-consuming. Be proactive and have your sump pump serviced before it fails.
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The photo is courtesy of
Advanced Basement Systems (servicing southwestern Ontario). The above photo is a Basement Systems SuperSump with an airtight lid, battery back-up, water watch alarm and perforated liner.