Managing Your Sump Pump: 3 Maintenance Tips You Should Know

A sump pump is a tool for removing water gathered on a sump basin that collects water. It’s usually installed in a home’s basement, which gathers water from perimeter drains around the home’s system. It ensures that the basement is free from the risk of leaks from rains, floods, or groundwater if the basement is below water table level. This is why homeowners must know how to protect and maintain their sump pumps.

How to maintain your sump pump

Homeowners generally need sump pumps for homes erected on areas that commonly experience flooding. However, it also serves the benefit of solving issues related to dampness. Keeping your basement in ideal conditions is crucial in protecting the rest of your home from potential risks like water leaks and mould growth. For this reason, it’s best to keep your sump pump away from damage and deterioration by knowing how to maintain it properly.

In this article, we’ll share three maintenance tips for sump pumps you should know.

1. Brush off debris from your sump pumps

Like gutters and pipelines, letting debris like dust, gravel, or loose silt can lead to a complication to your sump pump. Since these soils are small in size, they tend to create clogging and cause malfunctions that may need immediate repairs. This is why your sump pumps need to be on surfaces that don’t contain tiny particles. Setting your sump pump on a bed of large rocks or gravel is the best way to avoid any debris from accidentally getting sucked into the pump.

2. Assess your pipelines

Like any plumbing system, it won’t function properly if there are malfunctioning parts along the pipeline. A common issue that homeowners have with sump pumps is broken discharge pipes. This can lead to leaks that will divert water in the wrong places, causing damage to your home’s undergrowth. At best, it can provide more water to your lawn. At worst, it could cause moisture to build upon your walls and surfaces. Unfortunately, this can happen underground without your knowledge. Unfortunately, there’s no easy way to assess them other than to request a local plumber to evaluate your sump pump system.

3. Test your sump pump system

Sump pump systems have varying functions, depending on the type of water leaks you’re dealing with. Its first function is to run constantly, even with no rainfall to prevent dampness in your basements. Its second function is to operate during heavy rains or floods. To ensure that it works properly, you need to regularly test it by simply filling a 5-gallon bucket of water down your pup. Once the float triggers, your pump will activate and showcase how the water levels drop below the shut-off level. If your sump pump has complications doing this test run, you may need to get it checked.

Conclusion

Sump pumps are an essential part of your plumbing system, even if it’s not directly connected to your other plumbing fixtures. Remember that your sump pump can overflow if it doesn’t receive proper pumping. This is why you need to have a backup just in case, especially during stormy seasons. You’ll need a professional plumber’s help to ensure that you have the proper installations and preparations in place before rigging a backup system.
Sometimes, disasters like storms and floods are inevitable and can catch you off guard. This can put your home at risk if your sump pump isn’t working its best during a natural calamity. If you’re in dire need of an emergency plumber in Calgary, AB, contact us today!