No one wants water in their home. While many homeowners have flood insurance that protects them against the financial loss associated with a major weather event, any amount of water in your home can do damage. It doesn’t matter if you’re dealing with the ramifications of a hurricane or a broken waterline under your kitchen sink, any amount of water in your home is too much. Obviously, some areas, such as basements, are more likely to experience flood damage than other areas of a home because of their low-lying position. That’s why many people install sump pumps in their basements.
These sump pumps rely on motors and pipes to suck the water off the floors in your basement and push it away from your home. Sump pumps are certainly a tried-and-true method of keeping water out of your home, which can help reduce the likelihood of mold forming. As you already know, mold forms when materials in your home get wet, such as drywall damaged by water. No amount of scrubbing can completely remove mold from drywall that has been damaged by water, meaning that you need to find some way to protect your home from mold.
Are sump pumps the best option out there? Are there other pieces of equipment that you can have installed in your home? Most of all, are any of these pieces of equipment reliable?
The Pros and Cons of Sump Pumps
As we’ve already established, sump pumps have long been considered the best way to keep water from building up in your basement. However, it’s important to understand that there are some drawbacks that you will need to consider.
First of all, when you have a sump pump installed in your basement, the installer will have to drill a large hole into the floor of your basement. This hole is where the biggest part of the pump rests. If you live in an area where there is a significant amount of radon in the soil, this can cause a major issue, as the hole in your basement floor opens up your home for radon transmission.
Additionally, there are some practical issues that you will need to consider before you commit to a sump pump. They are certainly not attractive home appliances. Even if you get a new sump pump installed, it’s still a large piece of equipment that has pipes coming out of it. In addition to the unattractive sight of a sump pump, they can also get quite noisy. This is especially problematic if you wish to use your basement for anything other than storage.
Finally, since sump pumps rely on motors and moving parts, they are prone to break down. When you combine the fact that these electric pumps are constantly exposed to water and moisture, the opportunity for them to break down is always present. Even if you have a battery back up in place, there is a good possibility that you’re going to experience mechanical breakdowns.
If you believe that a sump pump is the best way to protect your home from mold, it’s a good idea to contact a plumbing company that installs them. You can ask which brands and types of sump pumps they recommend and then spend some time doing research. However, there’s another type of home appliance that people rely on to reduce the risk of mold, and it has nothing to do with plumbing.
Should I Install a Dehumidifier in My Home?
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, areas where the humidity levels are 60% are higher are considered high-risk for mold. The EPA also reports that areas where the humidity levels are between 30% and 50% are considered ideal. Depending on where you live, humidity levels in your home may be in that high-risk category.
With that in mind, it's very common for homeowners to install dehumidifiers. You've probably seen small dehumidifiers that work by pulling the moisture out of the air in a single room, but when you're trying to deal with mold prevention, you will probably need to go with a much larger system. Obviously, buying a dehumidifier for every room in your home probably isn't practical. Additionally, these small single-room dehumidifiers will struggle to remove the amount of moisture necessary when trying to eradicate mold.
Much like sump pumps, it’s always possible for something to go wrong with dehumidifiers. While new systems generally include a warranty, once that warranty expires, you may be looking at hefty repair costs. In addition to expensive repairs, whole-home dehumidifiers are also incredibly expensive in their own right.
Whole-home dehumidifiers generally cost between $1,000 and $3,000. It’s important to note that this is just the price of the dehumidifier and does not include the price of installation. Depending on the size of your home and the number of hours an HVAC tech works to install the system, you could be looking at $1,000 or more dollars in labor and other fees.
Do I Have Any Other Options?
The ultimate decision about installing a sump pump, a dehumidifier, or any other piece of equipment is up to you. It is vital that you protect your home from mold and keeping water from accumulating in low-lying areas of your home is one way of doing that. Also, keeping your home's humidity levels within the optimal range can help prevent the growth of mold. However, these aren't the only options you have regarding protecting your home from water damage and mold.
Some options on the market aren't mechanical at all. For instance, EnduraFlood Drywall is a waterproof drywall that can help protect you and your family. Thanks to the patented makeup of EnduraFlood drywall, its water-resistant nature means that mold cannot form on it. Nothing is more important than protecting yourself and your family from the potentially harmful impact of mold growing in your home. Whether you opt for a sump pump, a dehumidifier, waterproof drywall, or all of the above, keeping water out of your home is one of the best long-term investments you can make.