This week we address a reader’s question about power failure back-ups for sump pumps as well as questions about heating chilly rooms and professional carpet cleaners.
Back-up flood protection
A reader sent an e-mail saying that an ice storm a couple years ago knocked out power to his house. His sump pump cut off, and water got into his basement. He had a battery back-up system installed later, but he said he’s not confident about it. He wondered what options he has for protecting his property.
Suggestion: A sump pump protects a house from rising groundwater by detecting water as it rises under the house and pumping it to a safe location before it starts percolating up through cracks in the floor. A pit is dug under the floor in the lowest point in the house, and the inlet for the pump or a submersible pump is positioned at the bottom of the pit. As water collects in the pit, a float or other trigger senses it and turns on the pump, which begins discharging water to a place where it can drain away. Because the sump pump works on house current, it won’t operate when the power goes out.
The reader said his sump pump is made by Zoeller Pumps in Louisville, Ky., and Mike Yocum, an applications technician for the company, said the kind of battery back-up system he has is the standard solution for people worried about power outages.
Yocum said in the typical installation, the back-up pump uses a battery that looks like an oversized car battery. When the house power is on, the battery charges itself automatically. The sensor that turns on the back-up pump is placed a little higher in the pit than the sensor for the main pump.
If the main pump isn’t working and water rises in the pit to the level of the back-up sensor, the battery supplies DC power (direct current as opposed to the AC alternating current from the house circuits) to activate the back-up pump.
Yocum said batteries come in two styles, sealed and unsealed. Sealed batteries are like maintenance-free car batteries, while unsealed batteries have ports that can be opened so the user can check the fluid level and add distilled water as needed. He said sealed batteries generally supply power for about 3 to 3 1/2 hours of pumping, while the unsealed batteries will hold up for about seven hours.
So if you remember to do the monthly maintenance, the unsealed batteries provide better protection. And remember that sump pumps don’t run constantly, so three hours of actual pumping could be spread over a much longer time.
The next step up after battery-powered back-up systems are emergency generators. Generators can supply back-up power for an extended time, but they can cause problems of their own, especially if used improperly. If you think you need an emergency generator, it’s a good idea to hire a qualified electrician to install it outside on a permanent concrete base. Make sure to understand the generator’s operation fully.
Cold rooms
A couple from the Atlanta area sent an e-mail saying they wanted some baseboard heaters installed to supplement a poorly designed heating system. They wondered who they should call for an installation and how to know what size heaters to use.
Suggestion: Steve Chrisman, owner of Drake Heating and Air, said heating and air conditioning companies can install electric baseboard heat, but that work typically is done by electrical contractors. He said, however, that adding zoned heating may be a better option. It’s more expensive up front than adding baseboard heaters, but it gives more satisfactory results in the long run, he said.
Chrisman said there are basic calculations that homeowners or electricians can do to determine what size baseboard heater is appropriate for a given area. He said a rule of thumb is that you typically need to supply about 35 BTUs of heat per square foot. Windows, ceiling height, how much insulation is present also affect how much heat is needed.
Adding electric baseboard heaters may be less expensive initially than altering the house’s basic heating system, but electric heat is generally more expensive than natural gas heat, so the initial savings may be eaten up quickly.