A sump pump is an essential piece of equipment that helps prevent flooding in your basement. It works by pumping out any water accumulated in the basement to a drainage pit, preventing water-caused damage.
Since your sump pump will be plugged into a power outlet, there are chances of a power outage in case of heavy rain, hurricanes, and other natural disasters that can flood your basement. For such emergencies, you should have a generator in place. While you may think you can buy any small generator for your pump, it is essential to buy a sump pump generator that caters to your power requirement, is low-noise, and is cost-friendly.
Tips To Choose The Best Generator For Your Sump Pump
It would be best to consider different factors while choosing the best sump pump generator for your house, like power rating, the device’s size, price range, etc.
Power Rating
You should check for the frequency, amperage, voltage, horsepower, power saving, and other similar factors of your sump pump. With this information, you can calculate the power and wattage your generator should have. Remember to factor in the starting wattage in addition to the running wattage of the sump pump. By rule, the generator’s power should be higher than the running wattage of your sump pump.
Usage
Since you will be investing in a generator, you may also connect a few other appliances to it, like light bulbs or a fan. So make a list of any devices you want to keep connected or join in an emergency to the generator. Add the power requirement of these appliances for the generator. Ensure that the generator’s run time should be more than the sump pump.
Number of Sump Pumps
You have multiple sump pumps to cover the area if you have a sizable basement. In such a case, your generator should be powerful enough to run multiple, if not all, sump pumps simultaneously. Add the values of each pump and select a suitable generator. You can also buy more than one generator and connect them parallelly with the help of connector kits, giving double the power.
Size
Your generator should be able to generate enough power to start the pump. Buying machines that provide at least 20% more power than the starting wattage is advised. Different companies offer devices of varying sizes. Choose one that only takes up a little space as it needs to be installed 20 feet away from the building, preferably in a shed in the yard. Extra power prevents your generator from running at total capacity, thereby increasing its life.
Noise Level
Generators can often make a lot of unbearable noise. However, with advanced technologies, you can find something that has a low noise level. Select generators with a noise level below 60dB or with muffling technology.
Fuel Mode
When selecting a generator, you should also consider the type of fuel it runs on and its availability. You can choose either gasoline or propane generators. Nowadays, you can find dual-fuel mode generators.
Price
Once you know the power of the generator you need, you can shortlist available options and select the one that best suits your budget. You can only sometimes go for a high-cost thing if something in your budget does the job well.
Control Panels
You can also select generators with a digital or analog display panel showing the parameters while running. This also helps control the generator function, making it more efficient and convenient.
Conclusion
Investing in a quality device for your sump pump can help you prevent repair costs that come with flooding. Selecting a generator is a simple task once you have all its specifications calculated with you. Check out this site https://genstarservice.com/ if you are willing to install a generator. Run it for a few hours, and check the amperage and functioning of the machine before buying it. It is also advised to test the generator’s compatibility by plugging in your sump pump.
