In many cases, opening a hole in your basement floor to install a backwater valve will expose groundwater in areas with a high water table or recent heavy rainfall.
Water will not hurt the outside of a backwater valve, but can make it difficult to inspect your valve. In cases like this, a sump pit can be excavated and a sump pump installed to pump out standing water and lower the water table below your basement floor.
A sump pump is a pump used to remove water that has accumulated in a water collecting sump pit or sump crock. Water will accumulate in the sump pit when rainwater or natural ground water is higher than the pit.
Plumbing codes in most municipalities specify that sump pumps should not be connected to the sanitary sewer. A separate line should be run to the front ditch or other appropriate water course.
Pumps are Usually dependant on a home's electrical system, and some sump pumps have a battery backup. Since a sump pit may overflow if not constantly pumped, a backup system is important for cases when the main power is out for prolonged periods of time. Here are some samples of battery backup sump pumps.
Sump pumps are available in two basic formats; pedestal sump pumps and submersible sump pumps. A pedestal sump pump's motor is mounted above the pit, where it is more easily serviced but also a bit louder when operating and more visible. The submersible sump pump is entirely mounted inside the pit, and is specially sealed to prevent water from entering its electrical circuits.
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