Most homes with full basements or crawlspaces need to have drain tile systems either on the interior or exterior when the home is built to manage all of the extra water in their yards.
The problem is, some homeowners have a sump pump that discharges the rain water from the sump pit and still find water pooling around their foundation due to the sump pump discharge line not extending far enough away from the home.
In this case, they need to extend how far the piping stretches from their sump pump. Without extending the discharge properly, a recycling effect will be taking place with the water discharging from the sump pump then draining right back into the soil around the house.
Keep reading below to learn about extending sump pump discharge and other things you can do to solve the water problem in your yard.
What is a Sump Pump?
Do you know whether a sump pump is needed to help divert water away from your home? Or, do you even know what a sump pump is exactly?
Sump pumps are devices used in wet basements or crawlspaces to pump water away from your foundation. The sump pit basin looks similar to a 30-gallon bucket that is installed under the floor of your basement or crawlspace.
The sump pit basin fills with water from the drain tile system around the perimeter of your home. A sump pump is exactly what it sounds like and is installed in the sump pit and pumps the water out of the pit and discharges it into the yard outside. The sump pump and sump pit collect water in your basement and pump it away from your home.
Maintaining your sump pump for your basement or crawlspace is part of homeownership. It should be done every three to four years. There are things to do on your own to mitigate water. We’ll discuss some of them below.
But, if your water problem is serious enough, you’ll need to get into some larger drainage projects.
Here are tips on selecting the right sump pump:
- Choose a submersible pump over a pedestal pump, if possible.
- Purchase a pump with a cast iron core to help regulate water temperature
- Select one with a mechanical switch and flood alarm
Now, let’s dive into some easy fixes to stop water from entering your home.
Gutter Downspouts: A Simple Fix
Does your home have gutter downspouts? If so, these may be enough to manage the water in your yard.
First of all, you should regularly clean your gutters to ensure proper drainage of rainwater. An easy fix if water keeps coming into your home is to extend the length of your gutter downspouts or have USS come out and bury the gutter downspouts and extend them into the yard as well as terminate them at a below-grade drainage box or bubbler.
If possible, connect the gutter downspouts to solid underground lines that divert water into a nearby storm sewer or local wetlands.
Extending your gutter downspouts is a relatively easy project for us to complete and can greatly decrease the amount of water around your foundation.
How We Help with Extending Sump Pump Discharge
If you’ve tried everything with no luck, the next step is calling USS to help with your basement and crawlspace waterproofing.
Our expert home basement waterproofing team will evaluate your foundation and yard to find the best place for excess water to go.
The key is to make sure that gravity is helping remove the water through a natural slope. Otherwise, your sump pump could be working overtime. Finding the right balance will extend the life of your sump pump.
Our team will excavate into your landscaping and extend sump pump lines. Based on your yard’s elevation, we typically extend the sump pump discharge to a below-grade basin or bubbler.
Need Residential Basement Waterproofing Services?
While you can extend gutter downspouts on your own, you’ll need to call a professional when installing sump pumps or extending sump pump discharge.
Call us today at 847-382-2882 if you have any questions about foundation waterproofing services or if you’d like to schedule a free consultation.
