Sump pumps play a crucial role in preventing basements and crawlspaces from flooding during periods of heavy rainfall. These low-lying areas can quickly flood during a major rainstorm due to the soil becoming so saturated that water starts seeping up through the foundation floor. A properly working sump pump should prevent this from happening. Instead of water seeping up through the floor, it first flows into the sump pit. This triggers the float or switch on the pump, which then immediately starts running and pumping all of the water out of the pit and away from the house.
The concern is that a sump pump can just suddenly quit working or develop an issue that prevents it from working effectively enough. This could lead to significant flooding, water damage and potential mold issues. That’s why it’s important to test your sump pump regularly, especially before the spring rains arrive. Here, we’ll guide you through the steps involved with testing a sump pump. We’ll also cover how to know if you need to hire a plumber to repair or replace the pump in your home.
Inspect the Discharge Pipe
Before testing your sump pump, you should go outside and locate the end of the discharge pipe. It’s common for leaves and debris to get inside the pipe and clog it up. You can also encounter issues with mice or other rodents nesting inside the pipe if the sump pump rarely runs. If the discharge pipe is partially clogged, the pump may not work well enough to keep the sump pit from overflowing and flooding the surrounding area.
Check the Power Supply
For electrical safety, check the power cord for any signs of damage. If the sheathing around the cord is cracked or there’s a gap between it and the plug, you should unplug it from the outlet. If the cord is damaged, it creates the potential for someone to get electrocuted should your basement or crawlspace end up flooding. As such, it’s important to call a plumber as soon as possible so that you can get the issue taken care of before it poses a major safety hazard. The plumber may be able to just replace the cord, but you could need to have a new pump installed.
Clean Out the Sump Pit
Groundwater often causes dirt, sand, pebbles and other types of debris to accumulate in a sump pit over time. Debris can clog the inlet screen, resulting in the pump running dry. This is a serious concern, as it can quickly lead to the motor burning out and the pump failing. Debris can also jam the impellers, preventing the pump from pumping water out of the pit. These potential issues are why it’s important to keep the pit clean.
If you have a wet-dry shop vacuum, you can use it to clean all of the debris out of the pit fairly easily. If not, you’ll need to remove everything by hand. In this case, it’s easier if you take the pump out of the pit first. Before cleaning the pit, you should unplug the pump from the outlet just to be safe.
Inspect and Clean the Inlet Screen
The next step is to check the inlet screen to make sure there isn’t any dirt, mud or debris stuck to it. If you have a submersible pump that sits inside the sump pit, the screen is on the underside of the pump. On a pedestal pump, the screen is at the end of the pipe that extends down to the bottom of the pit. If the screen is dirty, you can gently clean it with a toothbrush to remove the debris and ensure it isn’t clogged.
Test the Float Switch and Pump
Once you’ve completed all of the other tasks, it’s time to test the pump and the float switch. The easiest way to do this is to fill up two five-gallon buckets with water and then dump the water into the sump pit. You can also use a garden hose with a valve or nozzle that allows you to shut off the water.
The pump should start running almost immediately when you start filling the pit. Most sump pumps have a pumping capacity between 30 and 50 gallons per minute. That means it should only need to run for around 10 to 20 seconds if you added 10 gallons of water to the pit. However, it could take a bit longer, depending on how high the pump has to lift the water.
If the pump is excessively loud, it often indicates that its motor is starting to wear out. Due to the risk of the pump suddenly failing during a storm, you should have it checked out by a plumber as soon as possible. You should also call a plumber if the pump is slow and takes a long time to empty the pit.
If the pump doesn’t come on when you add water to the pit, it indicates that the float or switch is faulty, the motor is dead or that the pump isn’t receiving power. The first thing to do in this situation is to plug something else into the outlet to see if it still works. If the outlet doesn’t have power, you’ll need to call an electrician.
Many sump pumps have two power cords, one for the pump itself and one for the float or switch. The float or switch cord plugs directly into the outlet, and the cord for the pump then plugs into the back of the first cord. This allows you to easily test if the float or switch is faulty. All you need to do is unplug the first cord and then plug the cord for the pump directly into the outlet. If the pump still works, it should immediately turn on when you plug it in. If it doesn’t, you’ll need to have a plumber repair or replace it.
Why It’s Worth Investing in a Sump Pump Alarm and Battery Backup
Adding an alarm and a battery backup to your sump pump system provides added protection against flooding. A sump pump alarm has a moisture sensor that is mounted about one-third of the way down the inside of the pit. If the pump fails to run or isn’t pumping effectively enough, the alarm will sound as soon as the water in the pit reaches this sensor.
This lets you know that you need to act quickly to prevent your basement or crawlspace from flooding. Most alarms are loud enough that they can be heard throughout the house and should wake everyone up. There are also smart alarms that will send an alert to your phone, which is obviously helpful if the pump fails when no one is home to hear the alarm.
There’s always the risk of a storm knocking out the power to your house and preventing your sump pump from running when needed. This is why experts recommend installing a battery backup. The backup plugs into the outlet, and you then plug the pump into it. This allows the backup to detect the power from the outlet.
If the power goes out, the backup will immediately switch to battery power so that the pump can still run as needed. If the battery has a full charge, the pump should be able to run continuously for at least five or six hours before the battery dies. If the pump only has to run intermittently, the battery should last for at least a day or two.
At Peck & Weis Heating, Cooling, Plumbing, Electric, we’ve been providing leading home services in Lake Geneva and the surrounding areas for more than 60 years. We offer a full range of professional plumbing services, and our team can assist with all of your sump pump needs. To schedule an appointment with the area’s leading plumbing company, contact us today.
