Battery backup sump pumps in northern Utah

You need a battery backup if a few hours without your sump pump would put water on the floor. A standard pump runs on house power. The storms and fast melts that fill the pit are the same events that knock the power out.

A backup is worth it when:

• The basement is finished, or you store things there that you cannot replace.
• The main pump runs often in spring.
• The house sits empty for days at a time, as a vacation home or a rental often does.
• The main pump is older and there is no second line of defense.
• Your power goes out more than once a year.

In April 2023, ahead of the spring snowmelt, Murray and Millcreek set up sandbag filling stations for residents. A year like that is when a backup is needed.

A battery backup sump pump is a separate pump with its own float switch, set a little higher in the pit than the main pump. In normal use it does nothing. The main pump handles the water.

The backup starts when water rises past the main pump's level. That happens when the power is out, when the main pump has failed, or when water comes in faster than the main pump can move it. A controller on the wall keeps the battery charged from house power. It sounds an alarm when the backup runs or the battery is low.

The backup pumps into the discharge line through its own check valve, or through a line of its own. When power returns, the controller recharges the battery and the main pump takes over again.

Run time depends on how hard the backup pump has to work, so no honest answer is a single number. Four things set it:

• Battery capacity. A larger battery stores more energy.
• How often the pump cycles. A pump that runs for a few seconds every several minutes can ride through a long outage. A pump that runs almost nonstop drains the same battery much faster.
• Lift. The higher the pump has to push water to get it outside, the more energy each gallon takes.
• Battery age and care. An old or neglected battery holds less than it did when new.

We watch how fast your pit fills and size the battery for that. If outages in your area last for days, a generator that runs the main pump is the stronger plan, and the battery covers the gap until the generator starts.

There are three ways to back up a sump pump:

• Battery backup pump. A second pump in the pit that runs on a battery. It works in any house and covers both a power outage and a failed main pump. The battery needs care and, in time, replacement.
• Water-powered backup pump. It uses the pressure of city water to pull water out of the pit, so it needs no battery. It needs strong, steady water pressure and backflow protection. It uses drinking water while it runs, and it does not work on a well.
• Generator. It powers the main pump during an outage. It does nothing if the main pump itself has failed, and a portable one needs someone home to start it.

Many homes pair a battery backup with a generator. The table below compares the three.

Most battery backup sump pump installations take one visit. The steps are:

1. We check the main pump, the check valve, and the pit. There is no point backing up a pump that is about to fail.
2. We confirm the pit has room for a second pump. A narrow pit may need a larger basin.
3. We set the backup pump and its float switch above the level where the main pump turns on.
4. We tie the backup into the discharge line with its own check valve, or run a second line outside.
5. We mount the controller on the wall, set the battery in its case off the floor, and plug the charger into a grounded outlet.
6. We unplug the main pump, fill the pit, and watch the backup empty it. Then we show you the alarm and how to test the system.

We give free estimates and do not post prices. These are the things that change the cost of a battery backup sump pump:

• Battery type and capacity. A larger battery, or a sealed one that needs no upkeep, costs more than a basic one.
• Pump capacity. A backup that can move as much water as your main pump costs more than a light-duty one.
• The pit. A basin that is too small for two pumps has to be replaced, which means cutting concrete.
• Discharge piping. A second line to the outside adds pipe and labor.
• Monitoring. Some controllers send an alert to your phone.
• The main pump. If it is worn, replacing both pumps at once saves a second visit.

Financing is available. Ask about it when we write your estimate.

A battery backup sump pump only helps if the battery is ready, so check it on a schedule.

• Test the system a few times a year and before spring runoff. With the floor dry, unplug the main pump, pour water into the pit, and watch the backup start and drain it. Then plug the main pump back in.
• Do not ignore the alarm. It tells you the backup ran, the battery is low, or the charger lost power.
• Follow the battery maker's instructions. Some batteries need distilled water added. Sealed ones do not.
• Keep the battery terminals clean and tight.
• Replace the battery on the schedule the maker gives. Batteries lose capacity with age even if the pump never runs.

We can test the backup and the main pump in the same visit.