Why You Need a Sump Pump Cover

Summary:  A  sump pump cover is an absolute necessity to have in your home. It is often legally required, helps to prevent dangerous gas leaks, and maintains the integrity of your sump pump.

Anybody who has ever experienced basement flooding knows all too well the importance of sump pumps. Sump pumps are absolutely essential to a dry basement and most new houses that have basements already have sump pumps installed in them. Despite this, many people think about the safety of their basement more than the safety of their sump pump and as a result many sump pumps are without sump pump covers. This is a disastrous problem because all manner of dangerous debris and foreign objects can easily infiltrate your sump pump and damage the engine, causing your basement to flood in spite of the pump meant to deter water. It is for this reason that a sump pump should be seen as your second line of defense against basement flooding and the sump pump cover should be seen as the first line.

The Importance of a Sump Pump Cover

Sump pump covers are so essential that many building codes actually require that you have one. All the same, it is rare that the sump pump cover police will come beating down your door so it is up to you to purchase one if you haven't already. Sump pump covers typically come in two forms: Perforated and solid. Solid sump pump covers are used when a pipe is in place under the floor to drain the water. Perforated sump pump covers are made for the drainage systems wherein water flows across the floor before reaching the well. Keep in mind, though, that you don't necessarily have to buy a sump pump cover; you can make your own if you're the least bit handy. A piece of plywood should do nicely and, when fitted with a rubber gasket, a nice seal is formed that is essentially of the same basic construction of a professionally made sump pump cover. If you have a larger than average sump pump, you may actually be forced to build your own sump pump cover so keep this information in mind if you have trouble finding a compatible cover.

If you still feel like a sump pump cover isn't an absolute necessity, bear in mind that not having a sump pump cover can in some instances kill you! Radon gas leaking out of your sump pump can be hazardous and if your children or pets are often down in the basement it can become a deadly scenario very quickly. A sump pump cover won't completely eradicate the problem of a radon gas leak but it will be a temporary fix that will keep you and your loved ones safe while you go about fixing the problem completely. To put it simply, a sump pump cover is an absolute necessity to have in your home. It is often legally required, helps to prevent dangerous gas leaks, and maintains the integrity of your sump pump. A sump pump cover costs very little but can save you thousands of dollars in flood damage. You can even build your own if you're cheap! This, if anything, is evidence that there is no excuse for not having a sump pump cover.