A battery backup can allow your sump pump to run when you lose power. If you’re interested, be sure to ask these questions during sump pump installation.

Whether you’re making plans for sump pump installation or want to enhance your existing sump pump, a battery backup can help this system reach its full potential. These systems support sump pumps when “standard” power is unavailable, letting them continue to function when you need them most.

By asking a few questions during the installation process, you can ensure that you get what you need from this add-on. Read on to learn about the sump pump battery backup questions you should ask (and for an explanation of the benefits battery backups can provide).

Understanding Sump Pump Battery Backups

Sump pumps play a vital role in stopping home flooding—these systems move excess water in your crawl space or basement into a discharge line. But since sump pumps are powered mechanisms, they can’t continue to do their job during blackouts.

In severe thunderstorms and other situations where flooding is a risk, the loss of sump pump functionality could result in serious problems in your home. But when you have a battery backup system for your sump pump, you can rest assured knowing your crawl space will be safe from water damage.

Of course, it’s difficult to know exactly how often you’ll need to use your sump pump battery backup system. However, these systems can help you deal with:

  • Strong storms. Do you experience storm-related power outages at least once or twice a year? If so, investing in a battery backup for your sump pump will be worth it.
  • Unpredictable weather events. Even a seemingly minor storm can have severe consequences. If you experience power loss due to heavy rain and strong winds, a battery backup could save your home from unexpected flooding.
  • Aging sump pumps. If your sump pump is more than five years old, it may not come back online as quickly as you’d expect after an outage. That shouldn’t be an issue with battery backups, since they can protect your pump from losing power in the first place.
  • Potential operational issues. Today’s cutting-edge sump pump battery backups can notify homeowners of any issues they encounter. These systems are able to monitor their own batteries, perform self-tests, and let you know if any problems have appeared.

According to the Congressional Budget Office, the prevalence of flood risk was at 9% as of 2020 (and is set to hit 10% by 2050). As a result, it’s not safe to assume your home is immune to water damage. From that perspective, it’s easy to see why a sump pump battery backup is a must for almost any homeowner.

Questions to Ask Your Sump Pump Installation Crew

When you’re taking care of sump pump installation, be sure to ask the team members handling this project questions like:

Can You Add a Battery Backup to My Pump?

Battery backups are an add-on, meaning they won’t come with your sump pump by default. Instead of sending you elsewhere, the business you choose for sump pump installation should be able to handle this for you.

How Much Will a Battery Backup Cost?

The cost of a battery backup system for your sump pump will vary based on a few factors (such as the number of pumps you plan to back up, the capacity of your battery, and add-on features like a low charge indicator). Once they have this information, your crawl space experts should be able to give you a more accurate pricing estimate.

How Long Can I Expect the Batteries to Last?

From a fully charged state, most sump pump battery backups can support anywhere from one to three days of intermittent pumping or five to seven hours of continuous pumping. By talking to your work crew about battery capacity, you can find a sump pump battery backup with batteries that meet your needs.

Battery Backups vs. Auxiliary Pumps: Know the Differences

While battery backups like the ones described above are widely used, these aren’t the only battery-powered systems that can protect your home from flooding in an emergency. You’ll also want to familiarize yourself with auxiliary pumps.

Unlike a battery backup, an auxiliary pump is a second pump in your sump pump system—not a device added to your existing pump. When your primary pump goes down, the auxiliary pump will take over and pump at a reduced capacity on its own.

Auxiliary pumps are also DC-powered, instead of using AC power like battery backups. The location where these devices are installed differs, too—auxiliary pumps are installed in the sump pit, while battery backups are mounted to the wall.

Finally, auxiliary pumps can act as a backup if your primary pump isn’t working due to power loss or mechanical failure. Since battery backups simply provide an additional source of power for your primary pump, they won’t be able to help if your pump has problems unrelated to power.

Can You Install Your Own Battery Backup?

If you’re already planning to purchase a battery backup for your sump pump, you might be thinking about saving money by installing this system by yourself. However, we wouldn’t advise you to handle this job (or any other task related to sump pump installation) as a DIY project.

When you install a battery backup or sump pump, you’ll be working with both water and electricity—and that can be extremely dangerous if you don’t know what you’re doing. But by hiring professionals to install a sump pump or battery backup in your crawl space, you’ll get this job done as quickly and safely as possible.

We Can Give You Advice on Sump Pump Battery Backups

At Attic Projects, we employ the industry’s most qualified experts on crawl spaces. Because of that, we can give you expert advice on sump pump installation and battery backups for these systems. Before you make plans to install, replace, or install a backup for your sump pump, get in touch with us!