A sump pump keeps basements dry. It's absolutely essential if your basement floor pad was poured close to the natural water table. Installing one is pretty simple, but requires some forethought.

Waste lines from a sewage ejector or sump pump use a check valve to stop wastewater from flowing back into the basin. When these valves shut, they can make a thud loud enough to be heard ...

and they come with a few quirks and installation requirements. How they work: Similar to a battery-powered unit, a float switch activates the pump when water levels in your sump pit rise.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH — Donna and Marlin Athearn have lived in their decades-old home in the Corbin Park neighborhood in New Smyrna Beach — an area that has long struggled with repeated flooding ...