If you live in a place that sees a lot of heavy rain, you’ve probably noticed that your basement accumulates a lot of water. When this happens, it’s important to have a working sump pump in your basement. A sump pump collects water in a basin and removes it away from your house’s foundation where it drains harmlessly into the groundwater. This can be the difference between having a clean, dry basement and having one that floods every spring.
Like everything else in your home, a sump pump needs regular maintenance if it is to keep working properly. Much of this maintenance simply involves watching for signs such as increased moisture in your basement, a mildew-like smell around the pump itself, grinding or squealing sounds coming from the pump when it is on, and a sump pump that cycles on and off continuously. All of these problems can be solved if you contact one of the many companies offering sump pump repair Illinois has to offer, but it will also mean making sure that you have an adequate power supply for your pump.
Most of the time, your sump pump will be powered by electricity, so it will work as long as your home still has power. Unfortunately, this also means that you could be out of luck if your home ever loses power. Since this is a common occurrence during the kind of severe storm that also brings heavy rain, you should have a backup battery ready to go for your own sump pump. This way, you can rest assured that your pump will keep working to drain water from your basement even if the rest of your home loses power. A sump pump repair service will be happy to supply you with a reliable backup battery and a charger that will be perfect for your sump pump. Just remember to keep the battery charged at all times, and make sure to test it to make sure that it is still working.
The last thing you want during a storm or a rainy season is to lose your sump pump, so don’t hesitate to contact a repair service near you if you have any concerns about your own home’s pump.