Some prospective home buyers are quick to assume that the presence of a sump pump is a sign of water damage, thus decreasing the value of a home. However, that is not the case. Instead, most real estate experts agree that a sump pump increases the overall value of a home.
What Is the Function of a Sump Pump?
Sump pumps are essential for removing water from your foundation area. These systems collect water from your basement or crawl space before pumping it up a pipe that leads out of your home. By transferring the water out of your basement or crawl space, a sump pump is crucial to moving moisture outside where it cannot cause harm.
Components of a Sump Pump
- Sump pit: The sump pit is embedded within the basement or crawl space floor. This reservoir collects water and holds it until the pump activates.
- Pump: The pump resides within the sump pit. Once enough water enters, the pump will turn on and force it up and out of the discharge pipe.
- Discharge pipe: The discharge pipe connects to the pump and travels out of the home. This pipe is responsible for conveying water out of your house.
- Valve: It is vital to include a check valve in the design of your sump pit discharge pipe. These sophisticated valves allow water to travel up the pipe when the pump activates. Simultaneously, the valves prevent water from falling down the pipe and into the pump.
- Cover: A sump pump cover is not essential to the main functionality of a sump pump, but it is excellent to include. The sump pump covers mask water in the pit stores, preventing foul odors from escaping.
- Power supply: Every sump pump depends on a power supply to operate. Typically, these features connect to your home’s electrical network.
- Battery backup: Having a battery backup is essential for a sump pump. These backup systems allow the pump to continue removing water from your basement even if the power goes out.
- Floating switch: Many sump pumps include a floating switch in the pit. This switch allows a person to manually turn the pump on or off.
How Sump Pumps Interact with Other Basement Drainage Systems
Sump pumps are excellent features, but they don’t work alone. Instead, sump pumps are one part of a complete basement drainage system. These systems often include drain tile, floor drains, and more. Typically, these features collect basement water and convey it toward the sump pit. The pump is then responsible for removing the moisture from the home.
What is the Sump Pump Installation Cost?
Before starting any drainage improvement project, it helps to understand the cost. While many factors influence the price of a sump pump, we can provide an estimate. Generally, a sump pump will cost about $500 to $4,000 for installation. Fortunately, all of this effort will improve your basement drainage system and boost the value of your home.
Still, after hearing about this price and its benefits, many people want to install a sump pump themselves. However, we do not recommend this approach. Without professional experience, your sump pump installation will not be successful. Your sump pump may also fail to work correctly in years to come.
The best idea is to hire a professional sump pump installer. While there is a more significant cost to hiring someone to perform this work, they will be capable of performing the job correctly on the first attempt.
Other Ways to Improve a Foundation Space
- Regrade the land: The land surrounding your home should not be flat or pitched toward your foundation. Instead, this land should have a distinct slope away from the house to ensure the water flows in that direction.
- Clean your gutters and downspouts: Keep your gutters clear and install downspout extensions if needed. Clean gutters won’t deposit water near your foundation. Additionally, downspout extensions move the water well away from your home.
- Enhance drainage: Improving the drainage system in your foundation is one of the best ways to enhance your foundation and improve the value of a home. Your current drainage may have a crack or a clog. Your system may also lack key drainage components.
- Repair basement or crawl space issues: Many foundations have differential foundation settlement and hydrostatic pressure issues. Relieving these common issues is one of the best ways to keep your foundation intact and boost the value of your house.
- Encapsulate your crawl space: Encapsulation creates a complete seal between your crawl space and the outside. This seal prevents moisture from entering and stops pests, too. While this service might be expensive up front, it is worth it in the long run and helps elevate your property value.
When You Want to Install a Sump Pump, Hire a Pro
After reading this article, you might want to install a sump pump in your home. If that is the case, the best approach is to hire a professional team.
Before considering any other foundation specialist, contact Regional Foundation & Crawl Space Repair to learn more. We serve businesses and homeowners in the Triad, Triangle, and Eastern North Carolina. We are well-versed in evaluating sump pumps and will gladly answer any questions you might have. We’ll also do our best to enhance your foundation and improve the value of your home.