Ground water in homes is one of the most aggravating and destructive problems many home owners will have to deal with at some time or another.  If your home has been built in the clay, and not in the sand, it may have a solid foundation, but chances are, it is also going to be wet.  If you have ever worried about your sump pump failing, or the power going out in the middle of the night or the middle of a vacation, there is hope!  While there are a few different options available to help protect your basement, we strongly encourage the municipal water powered backup sump pump option.  The other option would be a backup sump pump attached to a battery.  What we don’t like about the battery option is that it will require regular checking to ensure adequate power, and there really is no telling how long it will run your pump for.  There is also a larger threat of an electrical malfunction.  We have installed dozens of water driven backup sump pumps and we truly believe they are the better choice to prevent a basement catastrophe.  These units have their own float, just as your main sump pump does, except it will be situated slightly higher than the main pump.  If the main pump does not activate, the float switch on the backup unit will engage, opening the water valve inside.  As the incoming water pressure spins the impeller, it discharges water at approximately a 2:1 ratio.  This means for every 1 gallon of incoming water used, it will pump out 2 gallons.  The advantages are that it requires very little maintenance, and it will be able to run continuously for as long as necessary (as long as you have paid your water bill of course).  

A proper installation should always include a potable water back-flow preventer, a shut off valve, and a discharge check valve.  Call your local plumbing professional for more information.