Each time the St. Paul area is pummeled with snow, the next thought on everyone’s mind is what happens to my sump pump when this snow melts? What we recommend here at HomeWorks is that you perform maintenance on your sump. Most of the sump pump maintenance that we recommend can be performed by a homeowner, but we do recommend a plumbing professional.
Take the following steps:
- Inspect Your Sump Pump Discharge Pipe At The Exterior. This will not be easy to do because of all the snow in your yard – get those winter boots on! Find where your sump pump discharges water to the exterior and make sure this pipe is open on the end and isn’t plugged with snow and ice.
- Check the Power Supply To Your Sump Pump. Inspect the outlet that your sump pump is installed and make sure that outlet is working. Look at the power cord going from the outlet to the sump pump to see if it is broken or frayed.
- Inspect the Sump Pump Float. Your sump pump turns on because the float engages the unit to turn on. One of the most common issues is that this sump pump float can get tangled or jammed. If it is jammed, the sump pump will not operate.
- Make Sure No Large Debris Is Found In Sump Pump Basket. Using a flashlight or your smartphone, inspect the inside of the sump pump basket to make sure there is no large debris in the basket.
- Run Test the Unit. The pump can be activated by pouring a large container of water into the sump pump basket. This should activate the pump to turn on and remove the water you placed in the basket. You will also want to check the exterior discharge pipe to make sure water came out the end.
Sump pumps are crucial to keeping your basement dry and safe. If you have questions regarding the operation of your sump pump, call HomeWorks.
To learn more about sump pumps or to make an appointment, call the St. Paul sump pump experts from HomeWorks at (651) 237-2698 today.