Plumbing notes · before storm season
Is a battery backup worth it for your sump?
A backup keeps the crock emptying when the hydro fails or the main pump quits. Below a finished basement it is modest insurance.
How it works
A second pump sits above the primary, wired to a battery and charger. If water rises past the primary’s float, the backup starts and an alarm sounds.
Who gains most
- Finished basements
- Crocks that cycle often
- Lots near creeks or high groundwater
- Owners who travel
Upkeep
Unplug the primary now and then to test the backup. Replace the battery every few years and keep its terminals clean.
One more thing
Battery backups are rated by how many litres per hour they can lift at a given height. That rating is always lower than the main pump, which is why a backup is a safety net rather than a replacement. In a heavy storm with a long power cut, a backup can buy hours of protection, but it will not run indefinitely.
Choose a sealed, maintenance-free battery if you want simplicity, or a flooded deep-cycle battery if you are comfortable checking water levels. Either way, keep it off the floor and away from the pit edge.
Some homeowners pair a backup with a generator inlet so the main pump can run on generator power during a long outage. That involves an electrician, but it is worth considering in areas that lose power often.
Ask us to test the backup whenever we are already at the house for another job; it takes a few minutes.
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Questions about your own house? Call (365) 517-8536.