Sump Pump Maintenance Checklist
Everybody loves spring. The warm weather that comes with it is a huge relief from the cold temperatures experienced throughout winter. Unfortunately for us, higher temperatures are not the only thing brought about by spring. The warm weather causes the ground to thaw and become saturated with water when the heavy rains start to fall. With the ground around your house saturated and unable to absorb more water, the only other place left for it to go is, guess what? Your basement! At this point, your house is a big box in the ground waiting to be filled up with water, unless of course, you’ve got a functioning sump pump. Sump pumps generally have a lifespan of about ten years. Sump pumps should be checked annually. The following sump pump maintenance checklist will help you make the most out of your sump tank and keep your home dry.
Clean up your Sump Pump Pit
Numerous things like debris and children’s toys find their way into the pit. These items can hinder the float mechanism of your unit, thus causing it to fail. The best and only way to avoid this is by preventing over-accumulation of debris in the pit. While clearing it, you should also run a test on your pump. Always remember to fill up the pit with water when testing your sump pump. This will solidify its ability to start and stop as it is designed to. Also, it will enable you to detect any damage or malfunction of its float mechanism.
Inspect your Sump Pump’s “Check Valve.”
Improper installation of the check valve might cause water to flow back to the sump when it is turned off. This can result in damage. Always ensure that the check valve arrow is pointing away from the pump.
Clean your Sump Pump’s Weep Hole
The weep hole of many sump pumps is located between the sump pump and the check valve. When cleaning the weep hole, use a tiny object, most preferably a toothbrush. Take care not to break the toothbrush off in the weep hole though. Failure to do that might result in further problems.
Clean your Impeller
The impeller is a small filter bolted to your sump pump. At times, the impeller gets blocked, causing your pump to stop running or make a whining noise. Cleaning it thoroughly makes it work as good as new.
Smell your Sump Pump for Odor
If not properly maintained, a foul odor may start to emanate from your sump pump. Many people tend to get worried about this, but it’s not a big issue. The foul odor comes from the sump pump trap. The sump pump trap always contains water, but when this water sits there for a long time, then it starts to develop a foul odor. To stop this, you can use a water-bleach mixture to clean the trap. The best ratio is five parts water for one part bleach.
Final Thoughts
Checking your sump pump for any damage is one of the best ways to ensure that your home doesn’t get flooded with water in the event of heavy rains. The other way is by waterproofing it.
At Toledo Basement Repair, we offer replacement and backup solutions for all your sump pumps needs! We also waterproof basements to ensure that your home is safe during heavy rains, like the ones we are about to experience. Plus, our estimates are always free.
Toledo Basement Repair values our clients and considers their satisfaction throughout the course of each project. With that in mind, we’re currently offering our customers 10% off on their next service. Additionally, because of the COVID-19 virus that is affecting us all, we are taking EXTRA safety precautions to keep our customers safe. But not to worry, we are still here to help! If you encounter any problems with your sump pump or need to waterproof your home, contact us at Toledo Basement Repair and we’ll be there!