Water damage in Austin, TX, generates stress and anxiety for homeowners. When water intrusion occurs at a residential property, the damage restoration professionals at All Nation Restoration do all the hard work so that the home’s occupants can quickly and safely return to their home. Property damage restoration services, including water damage restoration, are tailored to the client’s needs.
Common Causes of a Flooded Basement and Crawl Space
Some causes of basement flooding are related to severe weather such as a hurricane, tropical storm, tropical depression, or a thunderstorm that stalls over a neighborhood or small community, dumping as much as three or more inches of rain in less than an hour. Gutters are unable to disperse this much water through the downspouts. The water flows over the gutters and pools near the foundation of the home. If the soil next to the home or business does not slope away from the structure, a typical thunderstorm can produce enough water to flood a basement. An extended period of rain that saturates the ground around the home can also present challenges for the sump pump system. A sump pump system should be rated to handle anything nature can produce. As long as the system begins to pump at the earliest onset of excess moisture around the foundation and under the slab, a flood can be averted.
The Key to a Dry Basement or Crawl Space: Maintenance and Testing
The key to success is to properly maintain and test the sump pump system. In situations where flooding events are common, redundancies are put in place. A backup power supply may be installed. This alternative works for a while. If the power goes out for an extended period of time, the battery will not recharge. Two nonfunctioning sump pumps spell disaster.
Another backup system is to install a sump pump that operates on water from the public water system. The water is under enough pressure to run a pump that can effectively evacuate water from the basement. One caveat is that in a major disaster, sometimes the public water system experiences a failure. In areas susceptible to flooding, a triple system is on occasion deployed. In some instances, insurance companies may require a homeowner to install a backup electrical power source that runs off gas or diesel. Repeat offenders may even be denied coverage if steps are not taken to remedy any structural issues that might lead to flooding.
How to Test a Sump Pump
The homeowner must keep the sump pump system in top operating condition. Regular maintenance and testing are the best avenues to achieve this goal. Functional systems prevent flooding. By testing the system and its backups, the homeowner can be confident the basement or crawl space will not flood when the storm clouds appear.
Listed below are some tips on how to maintain and test the typical sump pump system:
- Inspect the pump, sump pit, and outlet pipe.
- Listen for the pump to turn on and turn off.
- Remove the sump pump pit cover to see if the water level is low. A low water level is a good indication that the system is functioning correctly.
- Remove any debris and mud in the sump pit. Examine the outlet pipe, and test the check valve.
- Examine the electrical connection of the sump pump.
The sump pump should be plugged into a ground fault circuit interrupter.
- Physically test the sump pump by pouring a bucket of several gallons of water into the sump pit.
The pump should come to life and pump the water from the pit.
- Clean the sump pump at least once a year.
If the pump is over ten years old, consider a replacement. If the pump is very active, replacement may be needed every five to seven years.
All Nation Restoration is committed to providing customer service that reassures and gives confidence to clients. The water damage restoration company in Austin, TX, will complete the entire project and provide the necessary documentation that demonstrates the work has been completed. All Nation Restoration also offers consultation and rental options for homeowners who want to take on a DIY restoration project. Whatever solution the homeowner chooses, All Nation Restoration is ready to guide the homeowner through the process.
For more details about water damage restoration in Austin, TX, contact the team at All Nation Restoration by phone at (512) 934-8180 or email info@AllNationRestoration.com.
