The spring melt leads to higher water table and the higher risk of basement floods due to ground water. Inspecting your pump prior to the snow melting is easy to do and highly recommended so you’re not caught off guard with a seized or burnt out pump. Located on your pump is a float switch that will turn the pump on as the water rises in the sump pit and will turn the pump off when the water in pumped down. Simply pull the float up to ensure the pump is working and does not make a grinding sound. Your sump pump is generally your first and last defense from ground water damaging your largest investment, but it doesn’t have to be. There are a variety of backup sump pump systems available to give you peace of mind. If a power outage occurs or your sump pump fails you are notified and protected until you replace the primary pump. The most common back up system is a marine battery powered pump. The unit comes equip with a battery tender to maintain the life of the battery and keep it fully charged. Most units also have an audible alarm to notify you when your primary pump fails the backup system has taken over.