Sump Pumps & Backups · Ambler & Montgomery County
The Pump Is The Heart. The Backup Is The Insurance.
Every drainage system ends at the sump — and the sump is only as good as the pump in it, on the worst night of the year, when the storm that filled the pit is the same storm that killed the power. That's why Dean treats backups as part of the system, not an add-on.
A sump system collects water from perimeter drainage in a pit and pumps it out and away from the foundation. Dry Basements By Dean installs properly sized pits, reliable primary pumps and backup pumps — including water-assisted backups that run without electricity — for basements across Ambler and Montgomery County, PA.
Warning Signs
Signs Your Sump Setup Needs Attention
- ▸There's no sump at all — common in Ambler's older stone-foundation homes
- ▸The pump runs constantly in wet weather, or short-cycles on and off
- ▸It hums, rattles, or you honestly can't remember testing it
- ▸No backup — one power cut in a storm and the basement is on its own
- ▸The discharge dumps right beside the foundation, feeding the water back
Our Process
How Dean Sets Up A Sump That Holds
Size The Pit To The Water
A pit that's too small makes any pump short-cycle itself to death. Dean sizes the pit and pump to how much water your drainage actually collects — measured against your basement, not a catalog default.
Add The Backup That Fits
Battery backups bridge shorter cuts; water-assisted backups run on municipal water pressure and don't care how long the power is out. One customer's ran a day and a half through a winter storm — finished basement, not a drop.
Discharge Away, Not Around
The outlet line carries water well clear of the foundation, so the pump isn't recycling the same water back into the clay beside your walls.
The Local Picture
Why Backups Earn Their Keep Here
Think about when a sump pump actually matters: nor'easters, summer supercells, the storm the forecasters name. Those are precisely the storms that take Montgomery County's power down — which means the primary pump's weakest moment and the basement's wettest moment are the same moment.
A water-assisted backup solves that elegantly: it uses municipal water pressure to eject sump water, no electricity involved, for as long as the mains hold. One of Dean's customers watched his run through a 36-hour outage in a winter blast while the finished basement stayed dry. Battery systems have their place too — the right choice depends on your water table, your municipal supply, and what's downstream if the pit overflows.
And pumps age quietly. A ten-year-old pump that 'still works' has most of its failures ahead of it, and it will choose the worst possible night to have one — pumps fail under load, in storms, not on dry Tuesdays. If you can't remember the last time yours was tested, that is itself the answer. Testing the pump is a free part of any look Dean takes at a basement.
Dry Basements for Ambler & Montgomery County
Straight Answers
Sump Pump Questions
How long do sump pumps last?
Roughly a decade, with heavily-worked pumps wearing out sooner. If yours is near that age, testing it before the wet season is smarter than trusting it through one.
Battery backup or water-powered — which is better?
Water-assisted backups run indefinitely on municipal pressure and shine in long outages; battery units suit homes on wells or where the water supply can't drive one. Dean recommends based on your house, not a standard package.
Why does my pump run all the time when it rains?
Either the pit is undersized, the pump is wrong for the volume, or the discharge is returning water to the foundation. All three are fixable — and finding which one is the point of the free look.
Can a sump be added to an old house that never had one?
Yes. Retrofitting a pit and pump into Ambler's older stone-foundation homes is routine work, usually alongside a perimeter drain that gives the water a path to the pit.
Where should the discharge go?
Well away from the foundation, onto ground that slopes off — never beside the wall, and never into a sewer line where it's prohibited. Dean routes it properly as part of the install.
Get The Pump Question Settled
Whether it's a new install, a backup, or an honest opinion on the pump you have — Dean will take a look for free and tell you where you stand.
Or call (215) 206-8678