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A sump pump is easy to forget about until the rain starts coming sideways and every weather alert on your phone suddenly looks personal. MSI Plumbing & Remodeling installs, repairs, and replaces sump pumps throughout Central New Jersey. We can also help evaluate backup options so a power outage or primary-pump failure is less likely to turn into a flooded basement.

Sump pumps often give some warning before they stop doing their job. Common signs include:

• Pump running continuously or cycling unusually often
• Grinding, rattling, or other unusual noises
• Visible corrosion or deterioration
• Water rising unusually high in the sump pit
• Standing water in the basement or crawl space
• Pump not activating when the water level rises
• Problems with the float or discharge piping
• A pump that has been in service for many years with no recent evaluation

If the pump is already struggling during ordinary rain, a hurricane, tropical storm, or one of those “100-year storms” that now seems to show up every decade is probably not the moment to find out what its limits are.

Your primary sump pump usually depends on electricity. Unfortunately, the storms that send the most water toward the sump pit are also pretty good at knocking out power. That is why we recommend considering a backup system, particularly in homes with finished basements, a history of water problems, or pumps that run frequently during storms.

For qualifying homes on city water, MSI can discuss Water Commander, a water-powered backup sump pump that operates using the home’s municipal water pressure instead of electricity or a battery. It automatically activates when the sump water reaches the backup level and can continue operating during a power outage as long as adequate municipal water pressure remains available. Because it relies on municipal water pressure, Water Commander is not intended for homes supplied by a private well when the well pump would also lose power. 

The right backup depends on the home, available water supply, sump configuration, and how much water the system needs to move. We can help compare the options.

Sump protection is not just about replacing a pump when it dies. The pump, float, discharge piping, check valve, backup system, and the amount of water entering the pit all affect how well the system performs.

• Sump pump installation and replacement
• Diagnosis of sump pump and float problems
• Backup-system options
• Water Commander installation options for qualifying municipal-water homes
• Evaluation of discharge piping and check valves
• Licensed and insured plumbing professionals
• Plumbing and remodeling under one roof

If your basement is finished or stores anything you would rather not see floating, we can help you think through the system before the next major storm does it for you.

our sump system should not be something you first evaluate while the remnants of a hurricane are parked over New Jersey. If your basement depends on a sump pump, it is worth knowing:

• Does the primary pump work?
• What happens if the power goes out?
• Where does the discharge go?
• Is there a backup?
• When was the system last tested?

Whether you need a repair, replacement, or want to add backup protection before the next big storm, MSI can evaluate the system and explain your options. Book online or contact us.

our sump system should not be something you first evaluate while the remnants of a hurricane are parked over New Jersey. If your basement depends on a sump pump, it is worth knowing:

• Does the primary pump work?
• What happens if the power goes out?
• Where does the discharge go?
• Is there a backup?
• When was the system last tested?