Ask the plumber: Sump pump and generator protect your basement investment

Q. I hope you can help me decide on a good backup power system for my basement sump pumps.

We recently invested a lot of money to finish our basement, and it’s beautiful. We would be devastated should we have a flood due to lack of electrical power to our new sump-pump system. My plumber has mentioned “battery backup” and I have heard of water-powered pumps that require a constant flow of water from the house system. I have my concerns, and would like other options. What advice can you give me on protecting my basement from water damage during a power failure?

A. I understand the concerns to protect your new basement investment. I’ve seen many homeowners fix up basements and neglect to invest in a sump-pump system, or electrical backup protection for the pump. A sump pump is the last line of defense against basement flooding. Without electrical power to the pump, you can really get stuck up a creek without a paddle, as they say.

If you’re looking to have your sump pumps automatically operate during a long power outage, install a small standby generating system. I’m not talking about a portable-type generator that has to be set up for each use. Those can do the job, but they use extension cords and need to be filled with gasoline. I’m talking about standby generators that operate with self-feeding natural or propane gas and that are permanently installed in your home’s electrical system.

A standby generator operates automatically, so even if you’re not home, the generator starts and the pumps can get the power they need. In the past, I’ve mentioned larger standby generating systems sized at 20 kW (kilowatts) for multicircuit home-power protection. But you may want to tell your professional generator contractor to power up just the sump pumps and maybe one key circuit. For this, an 8 kW standby generator may do the job. This can keep installation costs lower and make efficient use of your natural- or propane-gas supply.

Bottom line: Protect your property by providing your own personal pumping power.

Ÿ Master contractor and plumber Ed Del Grande is the author of “Ed Del Grande’s House Call” and hosts TV shows on Scripps Networks and HGTVPro.com. Visit eddelgrande.com or write eddelgrande@hgtvpro.com.

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