The first order of business was to install a backup sump pump. Our house is positioned in an old field and is at a low spot relative to all the other houses around. The yard is graded away from the house, so we never get water laying right outside the door, but... we do get a moat from time to time if it rains heavily. There are two drains that empty into the sump pit. When it's very wet outside, the sump pump does run fairly regularly. I've never had dampness or water in the basement, so the drainage system is effective. Considering how much the pump runs when it's storming, I've always been nervous about "what would happen" if the power went out during a storm and the primary pump couldn't run. Time to fix that......
I talked with some friends and the most popular solution was a simple battery powered backup that you drop in the sump pit next to the primary pump. So off to our local home depot I went. They had one model available, so I purchased it. Be aware that the prices for the pumps don't include the battery. The battery itself is essentially a deep cycle marine battery. You can use any battery you want, but I chose the pre-packaged battery for the pump system. It has an included port for the controller to monitor battery solution levels. At just under $250 for the entire system, it's cheap insurance to protect the investment of the finished space in the event that the power goes out during a wet storm.
The plumbing project was fairly easy. The old check valve had deteriorated and the flapper had a big hole in it, so I installed two new checkvalves for each pump output and plumbed them together. Here's a picture of the install completed. The backup sump has a small controller that trickle charges the battery, monitors the fluid level and goes into an alarm condition if the backup pump is ever actuated.
For this little project, I got to use the sawzall I purchased on a reconditioned tool firesale at work. It's an 8.5amp Skil, and it worked great. I'm very happy with the tool overall. The trigger is on-off, but it has a separate variable speed selector on the side of the handle. The blades are easy to install and remove without tools.
I talked with some friends and the most popular solution was a simple battery powered backup that you drop in the sump pit next to the primary pump. So off to our local home depot I went. They had one model available, so I purchased it. Be aware that the prices for the pumps don't include the battery. The battery itself is essentially a deep cycle marine battery. You can use any battery you want, but I chose the pre-packaged battery for the pump system. It has an included port for the controller to monitor battery solution levels. At just under $250 for the entire system, it's cheap insurance to protect the investment of the finished space in the event that the power goes out during a wet storm.
The plumbing project was fairly easy. The old check valve had deteriorated and the flapper had a big hole in it, so I installed two new checkvalves for each pump output and plumbed them together. Here's a picture of the install completed. The backup sump has a small controller that trickle charges the battery, monitors the fluid level and goes into an alarm condition if the backup pump is ever actuated. 
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