You might not often think of your sump pump, but it’s an essential part of your home and business since it pumps water to another area to prevent flooding, water damage, and mold.
You don’t want to wait until it’s pouring rain to find out if your sump pump works, and luckily, testing your sump pump is simple.
GETTING STARTED
To test your sump pump, start by checking the power.
“There is a float on all sump pumps and you can pull up the float gently to see if it comes on,” Paul Spurgeon, Building and Fleet Manager at Paul Davis of Northeast Indiana, says. “If not, the float might be bad or the pump might be bad.”
You can also fill the sump pump pit with water to raise the float. This will activate the pump, and you should be able to watch as the water level lowers until nearly all the water is removed. When testing your sump pump, make sure that no debris is in the pit or gets into the pit.
HOW OFTEN TO TEST
If your sump pump is new, test it once a year, Spurgeon says. If not, check it monthly. When there are heavy rains and flood warnings in your area, you’ll be glad you did.
HOW TO PREVENT FAILURE
While there aren’t warning signs that a sump pump is failing that homeowners can spot, there are ways to make the most out of your sump pump.
“There are two additional things that can be added to your sump pump for emergency purposes — a water flow sump pump backup and the second one is a battery backup. You will have to maintain and replace the battery every few years,” Spurgeon says.
If your sump pump does fail, call a plumber to get it replaced.
IF THERE’S WATER DAMAGE
If your sump pump pit has overflowed and is causing water damage, call the Difference Makers at Paul Davis of Northeast Indiana to get your home or business back to normal. Call 260-436-7510 to speak with a restoration professional today.
