What is a sump pump?
A sump pump is primarily used in a basement that is prone to flooding. It is a piece of equipment that sits in a basin (also known as a sump) that collects the excess water. The sump pump then takes that water, pumps it through pipes, out of your home and discharges it away into a storm drain or dry well. It's a wonderful thing when it works. You don't have to deal with a flooded basement and the associated damage costs. Unfortunately, there may come a day when you experience sump pump failure. We'll talk about some of the reasons sump pumps fail and how you can avoid it.
6 reasons for sump pump failure
1. Wrong horsepower. It's important to understand how much horsepower you need
Sump pump we installed in Coventry CT
when selecting a sump pump. If you only have a minor moisture issue, you don't need the most powerful option. It can overheat and shut off. However, if your sump pump doesn't have enough horsepower, it can run too long and burn out, causing sump pump failure.
2. The power went out. If your power goes off, and you don't have a standby generator for your home, your sump pump will shut off. If your basement is prone to flooding but a standby generator isn't in the budget, you may want to consider a back up sump pump. It's only used in the event of a blackout. When the power goes out, the battery on the unit kicks in providing the pump with power so it continues working.
3. Age of equipment. Time goes by faster than we think. A sump pump should be replaced every 5-7 years. You can prolong its life by properly maintaining it and having it serviced each year.
4. Frozen pipe. To avoid sump pump failure, it's important to be sure the discharge pipe is installed correctly. If the pitch of the pipe is off, water will collect and freeze. The pump will fail if the water cannot be discharged. It's also important to keep the area around the discharge pipe clear of any rocks or other debris.
5. Float switch is stuck. A float sits in the basin. Once the water reaches a certain level, the float senses it and switches the sump pump on. Sump pump failure can happen if the float is stuck on a piece of debris or hung up on something in the tank.
6. Improper installation. To properly install a sump pump, you must have plumbing and electrical knowledge. It is important to understand which type of sump pump you need, how all the parts work together, where to install the pump & discharge pipe, and how to troubleshoot should issues arise. A professional, licensed plumbing contractor is recommended to avoid sump pump failure in the future.
Rapid Service is located in Columbia CT. We offer plumbing, electrical and heating repairs and installations for Eastern CT homeowners. Our Plumbing Installations include: well pumps, well tanks, water heaters, sump pumps, sewage pumps, toilets and water treatment systems. Plumbing Repairs include: clogged drains, frozen pipes, burst pipes, appliance hookups, clogged toilets, leaking pipes and odor or leak detection. Electrical Installations include service changes, panel upgrades, generators, electric heat, surge protection, outside lighting and interior fixtures. Electrical Repairs include faulty outlets, GFIs, and updating wiring and circuits. Heating Installations include oil or gas boilers. Heating Repairs include baseboard, piping, valves and coils. We offer FULL Kitchen Remodeling and Bathroom Remodeling services too! Some of the towns we cover are: Columbia, Willimantic, Andover, Coventry, Bolton, Vernon, Ellington, Willington, Tolland, Mansfield, Willlimantic, Ashford, Chaplin, Windham, Lebanon, Colchester, Hebron, Marlborough, Glastonbury, Manchester, Portland, Middletown, East Hampton, Bozrah, Norwich, Franklin, Sprague, Lisbon, Scotland, Canterbury, Guilford, Madison, Haddam, Chester, Deep River, Essex, Westbrook, Old Saybrook, East Lyme, Waterford, New London, Montville, Groton, Ledyard, Stonington, & North Stonington CT. You can find us on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest!
