Adding a Backup Sump Pump to Your Delaware Home

Your sump pump works year-round to prevent groundwater and rain from entering your Delaware home.

If your sump pump breaks down or the power goes out, the water will have nowhere to go but your basement floor.

Joseph Frederick & Sons can prevent your sump pit from overflowing with two easy remedies.

One of our licensed plumbers can install a backup pump that seamlessly takes control if your primary pump breaks down or the electricity goes out. We can also maintain your sump pump to ensure electrical connections and components are in top condition.

Plumbing Services in Delaware

With over 75 years in the plumbing business, Joseph Frederick & Sons knows everything there is to know about managing or rerouting water before it can damage your property. We service and install drains, sewer lines, water pipes, fixtures, water-using appliances, and treatment systems. 

We are a local one-stop shop offering convenience by providing:

• Heating and cooling services.
• Plumbing repairs and installs.
• Electrical services
• All under one roof!

Maintain Your Sump Pump

Float switches wear, pump motors burn out, and sump pumps, like other plumbing fixtures, require occasional maintenance. An annual inspection and tune-up will catch any problems that could cause a breakdown if allowed to worsen. 

Our licensed Delaware plumbers can clean sludge from the pit, inlet screen, and other components. We will look for corrosion, replace rusty and worn parts, and lubricate where needed. We will test the pump to ensure it works at peak efficiency. 

A well-maintained sump pump is less likely to break down than a neglected pump, but all electric sump pumps will stop working when the power goes out, making a backup pump essential for maintaining your peace of mind and a dry basement. 

Backup Sump Pump 

Your backup sump pump will kick in if your primary pump fails or loses power. It can help your primary pump handle overwhelming amounts of water from a heavy downpour. 

Without a backup pump, the sump pit may overflow. The water can damage appliances, personal belongings, and other items stored in your basement. Imagine if the power outage occurred while you were on vacation. You might return home to a basement filled with standing water that can compromise your home’s integrity and enable mold and mildew growth. 

Mold exposure can lead to wheezing, itchy eyes and skin, and coughing, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The only way to ensure your sump pit does not overflow is with a backup sump pump. 

Water-Powered Backup

You can enhance your primary sump pump with a battery-powered or water-powered backup pump. 

Water-powered backup pumps use city water from your city water supply to move water from your pump to the outdoors. 

Water-powered backup sump pumps run as long as there is water pressure, regardless of electrical power outages. Installation is more involved than the setup for a battery-powered pump. It may also require annual backflow valve testing. 

Battery-powered backup

Battery-operated backup sump pumps typically include a battery, charger, pump, and piping. You can buy a combination primary sump pump with a backup pump or merely install a backup to your existing sump pump system. 

Some backup pumps are compatible with Wi-Fi and can send alerts via smartphone. You can learn how much water is in the pit and the status of the battery charge. Some pumps have indicator lights and warning sounds to signal when they kick on. 

How long the battery charge lasts depends on how often and for how long the backup sump pump cycles on and how much water it must eliminate. 

Keep Your Home Dry

Ask us at Joseph Frederick & Sons to install a backup sump pump in your Greenville, DE, home. If your primary sump pump fails, your backup pump will take over. Our expert team also installs whole-house generators that keep all your appliances running, including your sump pump, during a power outage. Call us at 302-994-5786 or request service online.