Why Don't Sump Pumps Automatically Come With Battery Backups?

When you think about when someone most needs a sump pump, it's usually in a mega storm, like a hurricane or severe thunderstorm.  These are often the times when we are most likely to lose power, making a sump pump without a battery backup, useless.

Seems illogical to me that sump pumps don't automatically come with a battery backup system, but that's life.  Hopefully, no one in Northern Virginia has to learn why a battery backup on a sump pump is critical.   As Hurricane Sandy is making her way through our area, I am sure there are some home owners sweating not having one.  Especially when lights flicker like they just did for me.

If you have a sump pump, but not a battery backup for it, make it a priority to get one at your next earliest convenience.  It doesn't matter if you make it through this storm without one.  You don't ever want to be kicking yourself in the future that you don't have one.  The damage not having can cost is well worth the price of investing in this very simple safeguard.

Chris Ann Cleland, Associate Broker- Licensed in Virginia, GRI, SFR, Northern Virginia Short Sale Specialist. Affiliated with Long & Foster, 7526 Limestone Drive, Gainesville, VA 20155.  To contact Chris Ann, call 703-402-0037 or email chrisann@LNF.com.  Or you can visit her website:  www.nvarealestate.net.

Header photos taken by Chris Ann Cleland.

The opinions expressed in this post are those of Chris Ann Cleland, not those of Long & Foster REALTORS®.

 
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62 Comments on Why Don't Sump Pumps Automatically Come With Battery Backups?

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OCT
30
317,923 Points Outside Blog

This is a very good question?    I think they should automatically,  keep up the good work and good luck with your business,  E
8:43am • #43
862,910 Points 174 Featured Posts Outside Blog Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

We have a sump pump and fortunately we've never lost power when it was running.  However, we have had some storm that took out for the power for a few hours and if we'd had no power much longer, the need for batter backup would have been huge.  Our poor pump runs constantly in a good storm.
9:05am • #44
1,520,837 Points 112 Featured Posts Localism Sponsor Outside Blog Called Shot Master

Robert:  Agreed.  A battery backup is better than none, and a backup generator is better than a battery backup.

 
9:19am • #45
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Tammie:  Sounds like you were really lucky during that downpour.  

Gene:  Great point.  I'm sure the longer the battery can be operational, the more expensive but totally worth it.

Pat:  Interesting.  Nice to know there are alternatives to battery powered backups.

Rich:  Why include something you can charge extra for later?  
9:23am • #46
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Sheila:  Hmmm.  If I hd contacts in manufacturing in China, maybe.  Think I'll stick with real estate.

Lloyd:  Things are overcast, but calm here in NoVa.  Happy to see the deer made it through the storm.  They were inthe back yard this morning foraging for food.  

Valerie:  Absolutely.  The noise of the sump pump is a good thing when it's raining buckets.

Debbie:  My husband went out and pre-emptively dug a small trench from our sump drain through the yard.  We have a flat spot in the yard that has developed over time and tends to be where the water stops draining away from the property.  You gotta do what you gotta do.
9:27am • #47
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Adam:  It's a popular topic during events like hurricanes.  

Edward:  Yep.  Why they don't is beyond me?

Gita;  Now you're talking.  It's like the radon systems that I've seen in my area that builders now do as part of the home.  Not everyone has a radon problem, but for that will end up with it, why not install the systems for everyone.

Michael:  The lights flickered here a few times, but we still have power.  
9:39am • #48
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Harry:  It's like having insurance.  What's the harm in having it?  It's when you don't have it that you wish you did.

Myrl:  Think of all the REO's we've seen that have had no power and suffered basement floods because the sump pump wasn't working.  Now most of those would be easily solved by keeping the power on, but it proves the point.  You need power to make those pumps work.   And there's a strong possibility that in a strong storm, you may lose power making the one you have installled inoperational.

Andrew:  That and home inspectors.  We are all influenced by the things we see in our lives and real estate professionals can see tons of issues with no having a battery backup.

Christine:  Never seen a home inspector not suggest it either.  It's a no brainer.
9:43am • #49
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Elizabeth:  I can't imagine life 100% above grade like you have in the west.  

Brad:  Even in an unfinished basement, no buyer likes to walk thorugh and see water stains from a water event.

Ed:  Logic escapes a lot of areas in life.

Bryan:  Power outages are not uncommon on the east coast with our violent thunderstorms in the summer and in hurricanes or tropical storms.  
9:46am • #50
229,179 Points Outside Blog Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

Chris Ann -- on the sump pump we had in a previous house, we had also hooked up a battery operated float alarm, to let us know the water level was higher than it should be in the sump hole -- a warning that something might be wrong with the pump.
10:31am • #51
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Steven:  I've seen those.  Great idea.
10:37am • #52
982,685 Points 114 Featured Posts Outside Blog Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

Your post reminded me to remind my son to get the new sump pump in place.  The old one fried and we're getting a lot of rain -- not as much as you folks on the east coast.  Thinking of you!!
11:27am • #53
1,032,942 Points 239 Featured Posts Outside Blog Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

Chris Ann- we don't have one now but did when we lived in Leesburg. Many homeowners here in South Florida have added the larger house generators after our last big hurricane.  
11:52am • #54
Outside Blog

It's good to have a back up pump as well.  I had an issue several years ago where my pump didn't work and I ended up with four feet of water in my basement.
12:27pm • #55
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Carla:  Glad I could conjure up that task.  We're in the clear now. Suffered a minor roof leak, but it's not anything wrong with the roof so much as the driving horizontal rain getting into the furnace vents.

Kathy:  I am not surprised the Floridians would be backup generator folks.  Makes perfect sense.

Ron:  Another great point.
12:55pm • #56
977,236 Points 352 Featured Posts Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

There are battery back ups for sumps?  Wow, who knew!

The battery is a glorified car battery and made by different people than sump pump manufacturers.  They are spreading the wealth around...
1:28pm • #57
1,311,484 Points 65 Featured Posts Outside Blog Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

Chris Ann  Sump pumps do come with battery backup for an additional cost, but current code doesn't require them in PW
2:01pm • #58
OCT
31
112,758 Points 7 Featured Posts

I always recommend a battery back up and a spare pump. The pump will only break down when you need it most and then you and every other guy in town will be running to Lowes or depot to buy one, and guess what? They're all sold out. So buy about 3-4 extra pumps, put them in the garage, and when the neighborhood pumps start breaking down, sell the extras to your neighbors. They will love you forever. 
6:00am • #59
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Jay:  Businesses aren't it for charity, are they?

Karen:  It's a shame that builders only do the minimum code requirements.

Scott:  Excellent idea.
9:13am • #60
356,174 Points 3 Featured Posts Outside Blog Called Shot Master

Chris Ann

I would think they use so much power to work properly, any backup battery wouldn't run it for more than a few hours. Just my 2 cents, cheers cvc
10:31am • #61
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Curtis:  A couple hours may be just what someone needs to avoid a problem.
10:33am • #62

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Chris Ann Cleland, Associate Broker, Northern VA

Bristow, VA

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Long & Foster REALTORS®, Gainesville, VA

Address: 7526 Limestone Drive, Gainesville, VA, 20155

Office Phone: (703) 402-0037

Cell Phone: (703) 402-0037

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