When the winter ground begins to thaw from warmer temperatures and become more saturated from the new season’s rains, the rainwater from these rains cannot be easily absorb into the ground.
The next place for water to go, essentially waiting to be filled up, is your basement and water damage can get expensive!. This is where a sump pump comes in to play. Since sump pumps have an average lifespan of about ten years, it is a best practice to properly check them annually.
With the following sump pump maintenance tips, your home will easily ward off those rains.
1) Inspect the “Check” Valve
Sometimes the sump pump’s check valve is installed incorrectly. When this happens, water will flow back into the sump pump when it is turned off. Make sure you look at the check valve’s arrow, it should not be pointing toward the sump pump.
2) Clean Sump Pump Debris
Many items can accidentally find their way to the pit like debris from items stored around the basin. These items can get into the unit and obstruct the float mechanism, which causes it to fail. You should test the float itself as well since they can burn out over time. Make sure to fill the pit up with water to solidify the sump pump’s ability to start and stop as it is originally designed to do.
3) Cleaning the Weep Hole
Some sump pumps have weep holes that are usually between the sump pump and the check valve. Take a tiny object such as a toothpick to clean. Just be incredibly careful to not break anything into the actual weep hole. This should also be done every 3 to 4 months.
4) Impeller Cleaning
The impeller is a small filter that can become easily clogged. If your home’s sump pump suddenly stops running or has been making a strange noise, a clogged impeller may be the cause. Just give it a good cleaning and it should work.
5) Sump Pump Odor
An odd odor may start to arise from your home’s sump pump if proper maintenance is not done. Odors are usually caused by the sump pump trap. Now, the trap always contains some water, but when water does not flow into the basin during the dry seasons of the year, you might begin to smell an odor. Just use a bleach-water mixture to cleanse the basin.
With these sump pump maintenance tips, your sump pump will be quite capable of handling all future flooding issues and keeping your basement dry. If you do happen to sustain water damage, please contact us before you contact the insurance company!
