3+ Decades of Innovation and Dedication
The idea for what became the first Basement Watchdog backup pump system originated back in the mid-80s, shares Alan Schulman, Glentronics founder and CEO. He owned a battery distribution company, which sold a variety of battery types and sizes, including automotive and marine models. In those days, many people powered their backup sump pumps with marine batteries.
After dealing with disappointed customers who had purchased marine batteries for their backup pumps and returned them years later, upset that their basement had flooded, Alan had an epiphany. The issue wasn’t weak or defective batteries, but instead was happening because these homeowners had not properly maintained the wet-cell battery’s fluid level, nor had they properly cleaned corrosion from the battery terminals.
Alan saw the need for a battery backup system that would alert the homeowner if problems arose with pump, power or battery conditions, and if maintenance was needed. With such a system in place, the homeowner could be informed about issues that cropped up and rectify them before their basement flooded.
After several years of engineering and testing, the First Basement Watchdog Big Dog was born. The first delivery was made by Alan and his son, Jeff, to a retail store in Arlington Heights, IL, in August 1989. A family business was born when Alan’s son, Jeff Schulman, joined the company part-time in 1991 while still in high school and continued through college. Jeff came on board full time in 1998, and was named President in 2018, when he took over running day-to-day operations while Alan turned his focus to sales and creating new products.
This powerful partnership has led to continued product innovation, technological advances such as the WiFi Module, the company’s workforce expanding, and The Basement Watchdog brand being carried by more retail chains and stores in the U.S. and Canada. Our customer service team, both for phone technical support and unit repair, is unmatched. We are confident our pumps are reliable, well-constructed and long-lasting, and the length of our warranties shows we stand behind our products.
As we have evolved and grown as a company and brand, we’ve never forgotten who we serve—families who depend on us to keep their basements dry. That’s why it’s not just a slogan but a firm promise to take care of every Basement Watchdog customer like they are family.
