Water and electricity.
The torrential rains of the last week have flooded the mid-west and there are some basic safety measures that need to be noted when dealing with flooding inside of your home.
How many times have you heard the expression, "Water and electricity don't mix." Electrocution is a very real danger with a flooded basement. And it doesn't have to be a significant amount of water to have this happen. A 1/4 inch of water can electrocute a person as easily as 2 inches of water. Here are some steps to take if your basement floods:
I tell people that the normal life expectancy of a conventional sump pump with "normal" use is 3-5 years. If this is an active sump, that number goes down and if it isn't, then the number of years goes up. I just recently replaced sump pumps for 2 of my neighbors whose sump pumps were both 12 years old.
The standard horse power sump pump is 1/3 HP. You can get bigger pumps such as 1/2, 3/4 or 1 HP, but oversizing a pump may create problems.
Hydromatic and Zoeller are the two most popular brands among plumbing professionals with Hydromatic being my preference because of the switch being separate from the physical pump body. This design will readily allow for the replacement of a switch whereas Zoeller's design does not.
The check valves for sump pumps also need to be replaced along with the pumps. The parts on check valves don't last forever and I have seen the types with the rubber boots blow apart and flood basements. The best type of check valve is the PVC glue type.
It's been a rough winter to say the least. My hope is that the spring will be more calm and less eventful, but it's always best to be prepared for the worst. Check your sump pump and get a battery back-up system if you don't have one. Most importantly, never set foot into a flooded basement with the power on.