Your sump pump is a largely forgotten piece of essential equipment in the home, even though it works continually to keep your basement dry and your possessions protected from needless water damage. Your sump pump is easy to overlook, considering that it sits in a 2' deep hole (often called a sump pit) in the lowest part of your basement and is typically covered by a basin lid.

Types of sump pumps: There are two main types of sump pumps. One is a submersible pump that sits in the water at the bottom of the sump pit in your basement. These are fairly common around Olathe, Lenexa, Overland Park and other Southern Johnson County areas. The other type of sump pump is called a pedestal pump. This type sits atop a PVC pipe pedestal slightly above the sump pit.

What the sump pump does: Very simply, the sump pump in your home is charged with pumping groundwater from beneath your foundation, preventing the water from overflowing the sump pit and spilling out into your basement. And although some homes in drier areas of the country (aka the desert) may not be faced with ongoing water seepage concerns, every home here in the Greater Kansas City Area has water in the soil around the foundation that seeps down to the lowest level and builds there over time. Without a sump pump, water around your foundation will absolutely find a way in to your basement.

How the sump pump works: Most residential sump pumps use a centrifugal pump to move water when operating. The sump pump is triggered by a pressure sensor that lets it know when there's water that needs to be pumped up from the sump pit to the outside of the house. The typical residential sump pump runs on electricity, although many newer models have a back-up battery system attached to keep it performing during a power outage.

How to find your sump pump: If you've never seen one, you can locate the sump pump in your basement fairly easily by looking for the PVC discharge pipe that runs from the sump pit to the outside of the house. You can also tell when it's activated by the soft whirring sound made by the impeller (a fan-like device) and the whooshing sound of the water being discharged to the outside of the house.

Servicing your sump pump. Since your sump pump is hidden away in the lowest part of your basement, it's easy to forget that it's there. Since it's out of sight, it's also easy to forget for routine servicing. If you're not sure if your sump pump is working, you can test it by pouring a bucket of water into the sump pit. If your sump pump is operating normally, it will register the additional water pressure and activate to discharge the water from the home. If your sump pump doesn't immediately activate, you're encouraged to call an Olathe plumber such as the Davenport Service Company.     

Founded in 1980, Davenport Service Company has provided "Customer First" service in Johnson County, Kansas for over three decades. We provide 24/7 emergency service, preventive maintenance service, and seasonal tune-ups for commercial and residential heating and air conditioning systems. Call 913-441-2222 for hassle-free scheduling today!