Backup Sump Pumps to Protect Your Basement in Newport News

Newport News is an independent city in Virginia. It has a population of around 180,179, and is the 5th most populated city in the entire state. Many residents are employed at the local shipbuilding business, and the city's economy is very connected to the military and its operations. Nearly 42% of the land makeup of Newport News is composed of water. Needless to say, a lot of homeowners have problems with wet and leaky basements or crawl spaces - and a lot of them know to have sump pumps installed. But, what happens when the primary sump pump underneath your home stops working during a flood or during a bad storm? You could be left with a severely damaged basement or crawl space that could take thousands of dollars to fix. 

To protect this area below your home in case your main sump pump fails, it's important to get a battery backup sump pump installed. Most primary pumps are run off of electrical power. So, if the power goes out, you will be left without a pump to effectively remove water from below your home. This is bad news, and obviously not something you are going to want to deal with every single time it rains or you have a flood in the area. Instead, get a backup sump pump installed so that it can be activated in case the main pump fails.

What do Backup Sump Pumps do? 

Backup sump pumps will be able to keep water out of your basement or crawl space in case the power goes out, or if the main pump has some kind of mechanical failure that stops it from working like it should. Your home will never miss a beat, and you'll never again have to worry about water damaging your basement walls, floors, or anything that you may have stored in this area below your home - whether it's a basement or a CS.

For more information about getting a backup sump pump installed, please contact Seal-Tite today. We have a team of waterproofing professionals who will be more than happy to address any questions or concerns that you may have about our services and basement or crawl space products.

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10 Tips on Fixing a Leaky Basement in Kingsport, TN

Kingsport, TN experiences all types of weather throughout the year, including snow, ice, and heavy thunderstorms. With all of this moisture, it's really no surprise that homeowners have problems with leaks in their basement. Unfortunately, a lot of Kingsport homeowners won't do anything about the basement moisture problem until it's far too late and too much damage has been done. Don't let this happen to you. Be proactive about the situation and get your wet basement problem fixed before it costs you a small fortune to get repaired! 

Aside from being a pain, a leaky basement can cause a variety of problems for your home and for your family's healthy. A wet basement has a lot of moisture, obviously, and this moisture can cause damage to your wooden support beams, floor joists, and to anything you have stored in this area of your home. Also, basement moisture can lead to the growth of dangerous mold which can make your family really sick.  

Here are 10 Tips to Fixing a Leaky Basement in Kingsport, TN: 

1. Adding gutter extensions - Often times, leaky basements are brought on by rain falloff that's not driven away from the home properly. To avoid unsightly extensions, you can contact Seal-TIte to install underground gutter extensions to avoid tripping and to keep things neat.  

2. Plugging the gaps - Water can be seen dripping through cracks in the wall or in gaps around plumbing pipes. A call to Seal-Tite can get these foundation and plumbing problems taken care of quickly.  

3. Fix the slopes - You may want to check if surface water is draining away from the house properly. Your house should have a crown of soil that slopes down away form the house, at least 6 inches over the first 10 feet in all directions to ensure water is driven away from your foundation.  

4. Landscape - Having a slope on your property isn't the only solution to a moisture-filled basement - you can also landscape the grounds around your home to include features that redirect water even before it reaches the house. Aside from being functional, it can also be your chance to make the grounds around your home more attractive.  

5. Repair drains - If water seems to come from the lower walls of the basement, or where the walls meet the floor, you might have a hydrostatic pressure problem wherein water is pushed up from the ground. Check if your home has footing drains, which carries water away from the foundation. If you don’t have a drain, we can install one.  

6. Pull the curtain drains - For basements without footing drains, or at least if they don't work, curtain drains can also divert water away from your home. It is a shallow trench composed of gravel and perforated piping that can intercept water uphill at your house and it will divert it a safe distance away.  

7. Install a sump pump - Despite your best efforts, water can still find its way into your basement, and the best way to deal with it is with a sump pump. A sump pump is installed in the lowest part of your basement floor and sends water away from your house.  

8. Get a back up pump - In situations where your sump pump might fail, you might not notice it right away, which is where a back up battery operated sump pump can be useful. Also, if a power outage occurs, you are still protected.  

9. Waterproofing the walls - Even if you divert all the water away from the house, your walls still need protection, and this is why you should waterproof your walls to prevent any damage or deterioration, as well as ensure no stray water creeps through.  

10. Call a professional - The above tips range from the simple to major. Instead of trying to deal with this work on your own, it's best to call in a professional from Seal-Tite who will be able to take care of the problem for you fast, and for a price you can afford.

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Inspecting Your Winston-Salem, NC Sump Pump

Winston-Salem, NC a city in Forsyth County has a population of about 229,617, and is a fairly quiet community without any major problems to report of. However, that doesn't mean its homes are problem-free when it comes to moisture, mold, and water damage. Winston-Salem homes' basements can be inundated with water throughout every season of the  year, whether it's from rain or melting snow. So, you need to be sure that the sump pump under  your home is working like it should so that you don't have problems in your basement or crawl space.

Preventing Sump Pump Failure in Winston-Salem, NC

You need to have your sump pump inspected a few times every year to make sure it's working like it should. You can actually do this on your own by pouring some water in the sump pit until the pump begins to cycle. It only takes a couple of minutes and is a very easy thing to do. Don't wait for the waters to come in to find out if your pump is working or not! If you are uncomfortable with this, just call Seal-Tite and we can send a professional to your home to take a thorough look at your sump pumps.

The average life of a sump pump is 10 years, so if yours is older than a decade, it is best to have it replaced ASAP. Also, it is a good idea to have a battery operated back up sump pump installed to make sure you have a second line of defense in case the first pump stops working because of mechanical failure, or if the power goes out during a storm.

To help you replace and install your sump pump (whether primary or back up), call Seal-Tite today!  

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