With over 60% of U.S. homes facing issues with underground moisture, many homeowners’ first line of defense against water damage is a sump pump. Placed at the lowest level of a building, a sump pump removes accumulated water by pumping it away from the foundation of your home into an area where it can drain. Its main function is to keep the area under the building dry and prevent it from flooding.
Sump pump problems can lead to substantial water loss, which can in turn create health risks, inconvenience, and huge costs. Unfortunately, as with any mechanical device, problems do arise with your sump pump. To keep your sump pump working functionally and continuously, here are some maintenance and troubleshooting tips to help you address common sump pump problems.
Sump pump problems can lead to substantial water loss, which can in turn create health risks, inconvenience, and huge costs. Unfortunately, as with any mechanical device, problems do arise with your sump pump. To keep your sump pump working functionally and continuously, here are some maintenance and troubleshooting tips to help you address common sump pump problems.
Clogged Screen
A sump pump has an intake screen or small opening through which the water enters the pump. If this screen is clogged or blocked, the pump can’t get water out properly and the well will eventually overflow. Rinse the screen of any debris, and carefully pry out anything jamming the impeller.
Power failure
Like any other electrical appliance, your sump pump is useless without a reliable power source. Make sure the pump is plugged in properly, and check for any break in the circuit and the wiring. To avoid power shortages, you should only have one electrical circuit directed to the sump pump. Since the pump is always exposed to water, the electrical outlet should be protected by a ground fault interrupter. To take precautions in case there is ever a power outage, you can install a battery backup power source or backup generator.
Switch Problems
A switch problem is often the root of a failed sump pump. Sometimes the pump can shift inside the basin, causing the float that operates the switch to be ineffective. Due to the debris that easily floats into the sump basin, you should inspect your pump switch to make sure that debris isn’t interfering with the action of the switch. Afterwards, check to see that the switch moves freely. If your sump pump still does not switch on and off properly, you may need to replace the float switch.
Frozen Discharge line
The discharge line is the pipe connected to the pump that channels the water away from the house. In cold weather, the sump pump discharge line can freeze, meaning the line can block pumping action and force water back into the basement. One way to keep your line from freezing is to insulate the discharge line and the intake section of the line. You can install a stop that redirects the drainage so that water exits the house before reaching the frozen drainage pipe. In addition, a special grated discharge line attachment should also give the water more ways to flow out of the pipe if the line is blocked further down.
overwhelmed Sump pump
Sometimes one pump is not powerful enough to handle heavy volumes of water inflow, like during a rain storm. In this case, you need to either upgrade your sump pump or add more than one sump pump system in a different location of the basement.
maintenance is key!
Sump pump problems are very common and can be solved easily with minimum labor. It is very important to perform regular maintenance every 3-4 months to better improve the sump pump’s overall performance and lifespan. Most importantly, don’t wait until it’s too late—there is no such thing as a minor sump pump problem!