Sump pumps are designed to keep your basement dry even during times of heavy rain or flooding. The primary pumps are usually plugged into your home’s power. When is your power most likely to go out? During a heavy rainstorm, right? Why would you ever risk losing your sump pump during the time you need your sump pump the most? That is why you need a battery backup sump pump system.
Why not have batteries run your primary pump all the time? It wouldn’t be efficient to run your pump on a battery all the time and who wants to remember to change the battery for the sump pump (especially when most of the time, sump pumps are out of sight, out of mind.) Manufacturers have found the best way to extend the life of a sump pump and keep it running without a hitch is have the primary pump run on electricity through your house with a battery backup sum pump system. Many have added alarms to let you know that the primary pump has failed and the system is now on the backup pump. The batteries don’t last forever so if you lose power for weeks you are going to need to keep up on your pump. If you live in an area that experiences massive storms and commonly see power outages for days or weeks, then if may be worth considering even the double backup systems. Where pumps backup the backup pumps. Most people who have ever experienced this scenario can understand the need of a battery backup system.
The other reason why people need a battery backup sump pump is if (or more accurately when) the primary pump fails. Pumps will not last forever. And while manufacturers have tried to eliminate the hang ups and common malfunctions that trip up pumps, they still have not designed the indestructible, last forever pump. Motors burn out. Pumps die and need to be replaced. Debris enters the pump and causes damage. Whatever the specifics, at some point the pump will stop working. When this happens it will most likely be unexpected. You are probably not going to be standing over it watching it fail, ready to replace it with a new pump. Wouldn’t it be nice if we could choose the best times for any house appliance to fail? Therefore, when it unexpectedly bites the bust, you want a battery pump to kick in and start working so you don’t have water all over your basement floor.
Having to replace your pump is one thing, but having to replace your pump and deal with a basement flood is another. With a battery sump pump system you won’t have to worry about a basement flood if or when your pump fails or loses power. It just makes sense.
