Do I Really Need A Sump Pump?

We get this question all the time—“Is a sump pump necessary?” Sump Pumps are synonymous with Basement Waterproofing. And while we install Sump Pumps every day, they are NOT always necessary.

Truth be told, every single house is different. Just like our bodies, we may have started out with the same basic building blocks, but time and our environment has changed those from where they first began. Not just the houses, but the soil is different too. And even THAT can change over time. It seems the only thing we can truly rely on is change.

What does this mean for your basement? Unfortunately, over time, changing conditions can lead to Basement Seepage and Water Penetration through the walls.

While a Sump Pump is an important part to many basement’s health, it may not be necessary in certain situations. Depending on the soil conditions, you may not need one. There are areas around Chicago, some places in Evanston for example, where we have very SANDY soil. If you’ve ever been to the beach, you know water travels down through sand quite quickly.

If the home’s foundation is nestled in sand, it can allow water to drain down very quickly, provided the water table has not risen above your foundation. We’ve seen sump pits in Evanston, and elsewhere in Chicago as well, that are BONE DRY after heavy rains.

Other homes are settled on top of a hill or just have (either purposefully or accidentally) excellent water drainage around the home.

**Did you know? For every 1,000 SF of roof space, 600 gallons of water are produced in a SINGLE inch of rain?**

That is a lot of water and many times moving your gutters, buried out at least 20 feet from the home, can solve your water issues. Especially if the water is minimal and only happens in heavy rain. CHECK YOUR GUTTERS.

Other issues come up including Foundation Cracks and Over-The-Top-Seepage, neither of which are solved with Sump Pumps.

There are a lot of ways water can come into your basement, and not all of them are solved with a Sump Pump. It is vitally important to get a REPUTABLE, HONEST contractor out to evaluate your needs and determine what solutions is right for YOUR home.

Thanks for tuning in, and remember, Not Everything’s Better When Wet!