Your sump pump is often the only thing that can prevent your basement from flooding during a severe storm. As hurricane season approaches, you need to make sure that your sump pump can handle the heavy rain. Prepare your sump pump for increased use by testing the float switch, clearing debris from the pit, and inspecting the discharge line.
Why Sump Pump Maintenance Matters Before Storm Season
Your sump pump is subject to just as much wear and tear as any other appliance in your home. A quick sump pump check and tune-up could be just what it needs to keep working this storm season. Delaware is subject to heavy rains, especially during the spring and summer. Take some time to make sure that your pump works and that you have a good backup battery in case you lose power.
What to Check on Your Sump Pump
Even if you have been running your pump semi-regularly, you still have some maintenance tasks to complete before the rain really starts to fall. Like anything else, the easiest way to maintain your sump pump is to follow a simple checklist. Chesapeake Home Services, LLC can help you with sump pump maintenance.
Test the Float Switch
Once your sump pump is plugged in or connected to a good battery, your first step should be to test the float switch. This is what activates your sump pump when the water in the sump pit reaches a certain level. To test it, simply pour a bucket of water into the pit. Your sump pump should turn on and begin to remove water from the pit. As water is being drained from the pit, watch the discharge line to make sure that everything is draining properly and that there are no leaks.
Clear Debris From the Pit
Gravel and other debris tend to gather in the sump pit. This is to be expected as rainwater washes dirt and gravel from the ground and into your basement. A little bit of dirt won’t hurt your sump pump, but too much can clog your discharge line and render the pump all but useless. If you see a lot of gravel or large pieces of debris in the pit, clear it out before you run your pump again.
Inspect the Discharge Line
When you test the float switch on your sump pump, check outside to make sure the discharge line outside of your home is working properly. It should be draining water at least 10 feet away from your home’s foundation and be free of blockages or leaks. If the drain line isn’t functioning properly, contact a plumber about having it repaired or replaced.
Why Battery Backup Can Help
Most sump pumps are plugged directly into an electrical outlet. That may work most of the time, but you will run into trouble if a severe storm causes your home to lose power. If losing electricity causes your sump pump to stop working, you could be looking at a flooded basement and thousands of dollars in water damage. That is why it is so important to have a backup battery for your pump. This can be a battery that kicks in to supply power during an outage or an auxiliary battery-operated pump that turns on if your main pump fails. Either way, it’s important to have some kind of backup for your pump. You never know when your power will go out during a storm.
When to Call a Plumbing Professional
As long as you keep up with your regular maintenance, your sump pump should be reliable most of the time. However, you should still call for plumbing services if your pump runs continuously, makes strange noises, cycles constantly, or stops working. If these scenarios ever happen to you, don’t hesitate to call Chesapeake Home Services, LLC for assistance. Our service area covers much of Delaware and Maryland, and we’ve been providing affordable plumbing solutions to our customers since 2003. You can also request a free estimate online.
To learn more about our plumbing services or if you have any questions about your sump pump, contact Chesapeake Home Services, LLC at our Frankford or Odessa, DE locations today.
