Do you have a sump pump in your basement?
If you answered, yes…doing an annual maintenance check is important in order to avoid costly problems if it fails, which of course, always happens at precisely the worst time.
Late winter/early spring is the best time to do that check before any snowmelt or heavy spring rains can lead to a flooded basement. After this week of two Nor'Easters your sump pump was probably working overtime, and you don't want any issues to arise
when the April showers come rolling along.
Sump Pump Guidelines: (Our thanks to the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety for portions of these guidelines.)
If you don't already have one, and you have problems with a wet basement, install a sump pump with a battery backup system:
-This may require demolition of a portion of the basement floor to install the pump.
-To be effective, the sump pump needs to be away from the basement walls and have positive drainage away from the building.
-A backup battery is important.With storms knocking out power, you want to make sure your pump continues to work until the power returns.
Sump pumps should be tested at least once a year, preferably in the early spring, prior to the “wet season.”
-If you have an outlet hose running away from the house and it has a history of freezing, make sure you disconnect that hose in early winter. Otherwise, it can burn your pump out!
-Ensure the outlet pipe is clear and the water flows freely to the designated area.
-Test the system if a storm is approaching, and make sure the sump pit does not contain any debris that will clog the sump’s inlet pipe.
If the sump does not operate properly, check the power source for the pump.
-If you cannot determine the problem yourself, contact a professional to diagnose the problem.
If you're a DIYer…CLICK HERE for a pretty good set of instructions on what to do to keep your sump pump running properly and protecting you against costly repairs if it fails.
YOUR INSURANCE COVERAGE: You need an endorsement on your homeowner policy to cover losses in the event of sump pump failure. So if you have a sump pump in your home, give your Cushman Insurance Group representative a call to confirm that you have that coverage on your policy!
Here's a quick connection to our staff page; you can email your client service contact from this page.
Don't have homeowner insurance with Cushman Insurance Group yet? CLICK HERE to request a quote!