Is Your Sump Pump Working Correctly?

Sump pumps are essential to keeping your basement dry, but you need to check them regularly to make sure they’re functioning properly. Here’s how to do that.

Today we want to educate you a little bit about the sump pumps we install for our clients and the water alarms we typically offer for these sump pumps. Follow along with us in the video above for a step-by-step tutorial of each product’s function.

The water alarm is a small mechanism that alerts you when there’s something wrong with your sump pump. These alarms are powered by 9-volt batteries, which you’ll want to change once a year. A good rule of thumb is to change them whenever you change your smoke alarms.

These units come in different styles, some of which are smartphone-compatible. These alarms also have a separate connection switch on the bottom that activates the alarm whenever water makes contact with two sensors.

When it comes to the water pump itself, you should check it every spring to make sure it’s working. Ideally you want to check it year-round, but in the springtime, inspection is especially important. To check the pump, remove the lid and listen and look for any amount of water in the pit below.

At any given time there could be water down there, so that’s not a bad thing. If there’s a foul smell emanating from it, you can pour some bleach down there periodically to take care of it. The bottom of the pit is sealed, so any water the pump doesn’t pump out will evaporate instead of dissipate.

The pump styles we have feature two electrical cords. The first of which is for the stand-alone float inside the pit that activates whenever the water level rises. The second cord is for the pump itself. By connecting the two and plugging them into the nearest electrical outlet, you’re turning on the pump and the float. To check if the pump is working, simply plug its cord into the outlet separately.

It’s important to remember to unplug the pump after you’re done. If you leave it plugged in, you’ll damage the pump. On the outside of the property, you’ll want to check that the extension pipe is at least three to four feet away from the house and still connected.

The purpose of the sump pump is to keep the basement as dry as possible and remove any rainwater or groundwater from the over-dig area within two or three feet of the foundation. We use a tar-based waterproofing spray and a four-inch perforated pipe drain tile that runs along the exterior of the home with gravel piled on top. As the water trickles down the foundation wall, it’s collected into the drain tiles, filtered into the pit, and then pumped outside beyond the excavated area of the foundation.

Always keep a close eye on your pump in case it malfunctions. You never know when something might get unplugged or the ground fault circuit interrupter might get tripped.

Feel free to browse our website and check out our model homes. In the meantime, if you have any other questions about sump pumps, don’t hesitate to reach out to us. We’d be happy to help.

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