Why You Need to Cover your Sump Pump

Yes. Here are the Top 5 reasons you need a sump pump cover.

1. Prevents stuff from falling into the sump pit. There could be a million things I could say that we want to keep out of the pit. Basically, we want to keep everything out of the pit including pets and small children. Your sump pump operates by propelling water out of the pit with an impeller blade. If there is debris in the pit, the debris could impact the impeller blade, which would cause it to jam. If the blade jams, the electrical motor that powers it will burn out shortly thereafter.

2. Quiets the sump pump noise. Sometimes a sump pump can be very noisy. This is a big concern if the sump is directly beneath a bedroom.  Your sump pump is a motor of good size, typically 1/3 horsepower. The lid acts as a muffler.

3. Keeps any bugs out. Insects such as grasshoppers, beetles and crickets love to live in moist, dark places. Insects like mosquitos breed in stagnant water. By having a cover on the sump pit, insects are prevented from nesting inside and multiplying.

4. Keeps moisture in the pit. Having a lid stops water in the pit from turning into vapor and evaporating into the basement. Having a lid can be helpful in preventing mold growth. Mold needs moisture or water to grow. If your pit does not completely drain after the sump pump stops pumping, you may have water evaporating into your  house. When this water vapor lands on the lumber your house is built with, mold could grow.

5. Keeps Radon gas from entering. Radon is a soil gas that is colorless, odorless, invisible and tasteless. Radon is a killer. Radon gas is responsible for over 20,000 lung cancer deaths in the United States every year. Cover the sump pump to reduce any possible radon gas from your basement.

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