Springtime is an exciting time of year, gone are the dark days of winter. Spring is also the time of year when snow is melting and the rain is falling, this means lots of water to deal with. Heavy rains and snow melt can lead to water problems for many homes and businesses. Basements and garages may collect groundwater and begin to flood causing major damage. Having a low water alarm sensor is a good idea to alert homeowners at the first sign of water problems. These sensors install close to the basement floor, detect as little as 1/16” of water,  and can tie directly into a home alarm system.  If a large amount of water gets into the basement it’s best to have a sump pit where the water can collect and be pumped out.  A sump pump can be used to pump the water outside and away from the house and foundation. The pump is controlled by a sump pump float switch. The float switch will automatically turn the pump on when the water level gets too high and shuts the pump off when the water has been pumped out. The process is automatic and rarely needs attention. If for some reason the pump were to fail a sump pump alarm is used to warn if the pump can’t keep up or fails all together.  Taking these precautions to prevent costly water damage can save homeowners and businesses thousands of dollars.